Ever wondered what it cost to attend UNC 20, 30, or 60 years ago? Thanks to statistics made available online by the Office of the University Cashier, we’re able to share this chart of annual resident and non-resident tuition and fees from 1947 to 2017. Amounts are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
| Academic Year | Resident Tuition | Non-resident Tuition | Mandatory Fees |
| 1947-1948 | $54 | $192 | $52 |
| 1948-1949 | $54 | $192 | $52 |
| 1949-1950 | $100 | $240 | $52 |
| 1950-1951 | $100 | $240 | $52 |
| 1951-1952 | $100 | $240 | $52 |
| 1952-1953 | $100 | $240 | $59 |
| 1953-1954 | $150 | $360 | $89 |
| 1954-1955 | $150 | $360 | $92 |
| 1955-1956 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1956-1957 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1957-1958 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1958-1959 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1959-1960 | $150 | $500 | $104 |
| 1960-1961 | $150 | $500 | $104 |
| 1961-1962 | $175 | $600 | $104 |
| 1962-1963 | $175 | $600 | $104 |
| 1963-1964 | $175 | $600 | $110 |
| 1964-1965 | $175 | $600 | $110 |
| 1965-1966 | $175 | $600 | $134 |
| 1966-1967 | $175 | $600 | $134 |
| 1967-1968 | $175 | $600 | $151 |
| 1968-1969 | $175 | $700 | $162 |
| 1969-1970 | $175 | $850 | $167 |
| 1970-1971 | $225 | $950 | $177 |
| 1971-1972 | $225 | $1,300 | $177 |
| 1972-1973 | $225 | $1,800 | $197 |
| 1973-1974 | $242 | $1,800 | $197 |
| 1974-1975 | $256 | $1,800 | $197 |
| 1975-1976 | $256 | $1,900 | $212 |
| 1976-1977 | $256 | $1,900 | $222 |
| 1977-1978 | $364 | $2,074 | $165 |
| 1978-1979 | $364 | $2,074 | $165 |
| 1979-1980 | $364 | $2,074 | $202 |
| 1980-1981 | $364 | $2,074 | $235 |
| 1981-1982 | $436 | $2,260 | $256 |
| 1982-1983 | $436 | $2,260 | $266 |
| 1983-1984 | $480 | $2,842 | $286 |
| 1984-1985 | $480 | $3,100 | $293 |
| 1985-1986 | $480 | $3,400 | $314 |
| 1986-1987 | $480 | $3,820 | $339 |
| 1987-1988 | $504 | $4,106 | $341 |
| 1988-1989 | $504 | $4,458 | $372 |
| 1989-1990 | $604 | $5,106 | $404 |
| 1990-1991 | $604 | $5,230 | $513 |
| 1991-1992 | $447 | $6,642 | $474 |
| 1992-1993 | $822 | $7,406 | $462 |
| 1993-1994 | $846 | $7,888 | $608 |
| 1994-1995 | $874 | $8,400 | $695 |
| 1995-1996 | $948 | $9,064 | $738 |
| 1996-1997 | $1,386 | $9,918 | $775 |
| 1997-1998 | $1,428 | $10,414 | $796 |
| 1998-1999 | $1,456 | $10,622 | $806 |
| 1999-2000 | $1,528 | $10,694 | $837 |
| 2000-2001 | $1,860 | $11,026 | $908 |
| 2001-2002 | $2,328 | $12,320 | $949 |
| 2002-2003 | $2,814 | $14,098 | $1,042 |
| 2003-2004 | $2,955 | $14,803 | $1,117 |
| 2004-2005 | $3,205 | $16,303 | $1,246 |
| 2005-2006 | $3,205 | $17,003 | $1,408 |
| 2006-2007 | $3,455 | $18,103 | $1,578 |
| 2007-2008 | $3,705 | $19,353 | $1,635 |
| 2008-2009 | $3,705 | $20,603 | $1,692 |
| 2009-2010 | $3,865 | $21,753 | $1,760 |
| 2010-2011 | $4,815 | $23,430 | $1,850 |
| 2011-2012 | $5,128 | $24,953 | $1,881 |
| 2012-2013 | $5,823 | $26,575 | $1,867 |
| 2013-2014 | $6,423 | $28,205 | $1,917 |
| 2014-2015 | $6,423 | $31,764 | $1,923 |
| 2015-2016 | $6,648 | $31,730 | $1,943 |
| 2016-2017 | $6,882 | $31,963 | $1,953 |
What did “tuition” cover in 1954? Just classes, or dorms and classes, or what? How much was on-campus housing then?
As I recall the “tuition” was actually a library fee and an activity fee (e.g. football games). But not dorms or food. Those were a separate charge. Books were extra, of course.
Those figures where for tuition k my. I graduated with an MA in Sports Medicine in 1986 and my tuition was around $400… amazing
My freshman year, 1973, tuition was about $242/year; room and board together was also $215. The cost for a room increased slowly over the years. By 1976 I needed to write a check for $280. I paid about $500 each semester through graduation in 1978. It was worth staying an extra year!!
So the so called education “crisis” had been going on for 40 years. Looks like education prices have been doubling every 7 years since the early 80s. That’s 10% according to the of 72. It’s well above normal inflation.