The upward march of college costs continued this fall despite the recession, though Pennsylvania's pricey four-year public campuses saw modest increases relative to other states, a new national survey finds.

The state's public four-year campuses are now the fourth-most expensive in the nation for tuition and fees, down from third-most expensive last year, according to data reported yesterday as part of the College Board's survey of college pricing for 2009-10.

Pennsylvania's private colleges are 11th among the states in price, unchanged from 2008-09. Two-year public campuses placed 14th, the same as last year.

The College Board, in releasing its two reports -- "Trends in College Pricing 2009" and "Trends in Student Aid 2009" -- said cost pressures facing families in the recession also have sent schools scrambling to offer more financial aid at a time when those campuses are seeing declines in both their state appropriations and their endowments.

In-state tuition and fee increases nationally, including a 6.5 percent hike on public four-year campuses, could have been worse, said Sandy Baum, a senior policy analyst with the College Board.

She and others noted that most students receive grants that lower their actual cost.

"Certainly, they're (higher) than most would like to see," she said of the rate hikes. "But (they're) lower than many of us had feared given the recession."

Still, Patrick Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, was perplexed by the increases that once again outpaced the Consumer Price Index.

"Take a walk in a shopping mall, or look at the ads in your newspaper. Is anyone else raising prices six-and-a-half percent this year?" he asked. "When you consider the hardship being felt in the country by students and families, it's hugely disappointing."

In Pennsylvania, officials welcomed the slightly improved four-year public campus price ranking. "It's moving in the right direction," said Gary Tuma, spokesman for Gov. Ed Rendell.

At those schools, average tuition and fees grew by 4.2 percent to $10,786. It was smaller than last year's 5.5 percent hike, though it still left students paying more than peers this fall in all states except for Vermont, New Jersey and New Hampshire, where average public four-year prices are $12,002, $11,167 and $11,077, respectively.

The College Board price survey is weighted by enrollment, meaning Pennsylvania's rank benefited from growth of the 14 universities in the State System of Higher Education, which now enroll 117,000 students, collectively the largest system in the state. The $7,325 in tuition and fees paid by students at those state-owned universities is about two-thirds the state's overall average.

Mr. Tuma said Pennsylvania's ranking would have been better had it not included rates for Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Lincoln University, state-related campuses that have more autonomy in setting tuition and fees.

Officials at those schools have said sharply reduced support from the state has been a significant factor driving up their prices.

On the state's two-year public campuses, average tuition and fees totaled $3,493. The 4.4 percent increase outpaced last year's 3.9 percent hike.

Private four-year colleges in Pennsylvania had average tuition and fees of $30,117 after a 4.1 percent increase. Price increases at those schools slowed from last year's 6 percent hike.

Nationwide, in-state tuition and fees at four-year public campuses this year average $7,020, up by $429 or 6.5 percent from last year. Out-of-state tuition and fees average $18,548, a $1,088 or 6.2 percent increase over 2008-09.

Two-year public prices average $2,544, which is $172 or 7.3 percent more than last year. Tuition and fees at private four-year schools average $26,273, a $1,096 or 4.4 percent increase from last year.

Dr. Baum said what students actually pay often is far different from the published price. For instance, average tuition and fees of $7,020 on public four-year campuses, once grants and tax benefits are factored in, is reduced to $1,600. That "net price" is lower than five years ago, she said.

The survey also found wide variation in the published rates. For instance, 24 percent of full-time students attending four-year colleges are at institutions with published prices of less than $6,000 per year, while a quarter attend campuses with published prices of $21,000 or higher.

The survey noted a shift away from private loans toward federal loans.

The board also said tuition and fees are only part of the bill.

Once room and board are considered along with all other fees, total charges average $15,213 this year for in-state students attending public four-year campuses, up by 5.9 percent; and $26,741 for out-of-state students, up by 6 percent.

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