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Average published tuition prices rose, as expected, across all types of colleges this year, says a report out Tuesday. But increases, particularly at public four-year colleges, were "lower than we might have feared" given the economy, the author says.
And when grant aid and tax benefits are factored in and after adjusting for inflation, the average price residents pay for public four-year colleges is actually lower than it was five years ago.

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The report, released Tuesday by the non-profit College Board, analyzes annual trends in college prices and student aid. While findings provide insight into how the recession is affecting students and institutions, they also underscore the complex relationship between what colleges charge and what families pay. "We really have to figure out how to make it simpler and more transparent," says author Sandy Baum.

Among factors that influence cost to students:

•Institution type. Community colleges posted the fastest one-year growth but remain the most affordable option. Sticker prices are highest at private institutions, but their students also get the most aid. (Average cost to low-income students, after calculating grant aid, declined from 2003-04 to 2007-08 in inflation-adjusted dollars.)

•Geography.New England posted the highest average tuition, room and board at public four-year colleges ($18,394); the South had the lowest ($13,026).

•Family income. Average grant aid at public four-year institutions ranged from $1,340 for students with parent incomes below $32,500 and $900 for students whose parents' income was $100,000 or higher.

•Debt. For-profit schools have lower sticker prices than private non-profit colleges, but median debt was higher for bachelor's degree recipients at for-profit schools ($31,190 vs. $17,040).

In 2009-10, average published tuition and fees for in-state students at public flagship universities in the U.S. are $8,353, compared to $7,797 at all public doctorate-granting universities and $7,020 at all public four-year institutions: