>This has been the standard for a while now. Why does higher edu charge more? Because they can!!!

Partially true but there are many other reasons why. Personally, I always thought it was administrative bloat which in turn put higher costs on the students. A 2015 study[0] shows that the real culprit could be as simple as less state support per research institution.[1]

>more than half of core educational expenses at “public” 4-year universities are now funded through tuition, a private source of capital, they have effectively become subsidized private institutions.

[0] https://www.demos.org/publication/pulling-higher-ed-ladder-m...

[1] https://www.demos.org/sites/default/files/imce/Pulling%20Up%...

> "A 2015 study[0] shows that the real culprit could be as simple as less state support per research institution"

But that's still a "because they can" reason.

Or have to. They built up with a certain amount of support from the government in mind, then the government dropped the ball. The schools then increase because they have too. But that doesn't explain the rising costs of private colleges.

At the same time, as the father of a high school senior, you quickly find very few kids pay the sticker price.

Yes it does. Demand.

Increase demand via cheap / easy student loans, as well as social "norms" and the cost of limited supply will increase.

The gov's role in edu prices and student debt is not different tthan the housing bubble. Same scam. Different market.