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The Out-of-State Tuition Distortion

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  • Brian Knight
  • Nathan Schiff

Abstract

Public universities typically charge much higher tuition to nonresidents. We first investigate the welfare implications of this tuition gap in a simple model. While the social planner does not distinguish between residents and nonresidents, state governments set higher tuition for nonresidents. The welfare gains from reducing the tuition gap can be characterized by a sufficient statistic relating out-of-state enrollment to the tuition gap. We estimate this sufficient statistic via a border discontinuity design using data on the geographic distribution of students by institution.

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  • Brian Knight & Nathan Schiff, 2019. "The Out-of-State Tuition Distortion," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 317-350, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:11:y:2019:i:1:p:317-50
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/pol.20170499
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    Cited by:

    1. Machado, Cecilia & Szerman, Christiane, 2021. "Centralized college admissions and student composition," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    2. Brian Knight & Nathan Schiff, 2022. "Reducing Frictions in College Admissions: Evidence from the Common Application," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 179-206, February.
    3. Bo Zhao, 2019. "Consequences of state disinvestment in public higher education: lessons for the New England states," New England Public Policy Center Research Report 19-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    4. Bo Zhao, 2018. "Disinvesting in the future?: a comprehensive examination of the effects of state appropriations for public higher education," Working Papers 18-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    5. Cook, Nikolai, 2024. "Increasing student access through aid: Differences in difference-in-differences estimates," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions

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