College Tuition Costs Aggregated by US Department of Education

Data aggregation is becoming the norm in public records research. Recently, in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the US Department of Education posted lists comparing college tuition at the nation's colleges. As with other government data repositories, the underlying data source files are likely to provide more flexibility for researchers than the site-generated lists, which were created using data collected through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

Keep in mind, too, that the site relies on data collected during the 2009-10 IPEDS data collection cycle.  This reporting lag is typical for all government generated data sites.  A lot more information on the underlying site data and its limitations here.

Here is a link to the Department of Education press release discussing what lists are available and where the data is posted.

And, here is a link to the actual College Affordability and Transparency Center (i.e., the site where the lists are posted).