Blizzard Workers Share Salaries in Revolt Over Wage Disparities

[Red Falcon]

Your right socialism does not work, because it incorporates the the capitalist wage labor system which corrupts revolutionary leadership and causes divisions within the working class. However communism can work. Egalitarian communism was never implemented in the Russian and Chinese Revolutions. They had a bastardized form of state capitalism. The Left communists have learned from the errors of those revolutions and are rebuilding the international communist movement. You 6 figure guys can take a hike and continue to kiss the bosses asses, but the industrial working class, and teachers, hospital workers, and the service workers, and unemployed will shake capitalism to it's very foundations. We are doing the preparatory work. It will happen, but since I am 71 and in bad health I won't see it, but my children and grands will. See plp.org

Did the 20th century just not happen?
Did millions upon millions of people not suffer and die under Communism, and still continue to suffer and die under Communism to this day?

My girlfriend's entire family suffered under Communism, and her parents literally had to escape it as political refugees and were unable to return until the fall of the Soviet Union.
Communism is State-controlled everything, where a few at the top have total power and wealth, and the rest of the population all suffer equally as peasants - and somehow, that is better than a Capitalist society where if one works hard and smart, they can earn a good living and have a good life?

Any form of Communism, aka tyranny, does not work, regardless of the "title" you give to it, and the 20th century to present has proven that.
It's people like you that are literally destroying the world - hope your kids and grand kids enjoy being poor slaves to the State that you helped to empower.

If you love Communism so much, why don't you move to Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela, or North Korea?
Instead, you stay in Capitalist or Socialist country and decide to spread your vile Communist and cancerous indoctrination upon those who work hard for better lives, and want to avoid being enslaved, and eventually killed, by the State.

There is a term for people like you, and pro-tip, it isn't "useful geniuses".


Here is what Cuba looks like under Communism today:


...and you actually want this for your kids and grand kids???
Can't say either you, nor your vile Communist ilk, will be missed.

 

[TheSlySyl]

I gave up on reading this whole thread because it went way off topic, but its amazing how out of touch a lot of you are with the realities of the working class.

 

[os2wiz]

Living in the UK now, and having lived for a good while in France, this has been my experience vs. the US (and these two countries aren't even the best for social security/pension or universal healthcare). I'm very happy to pay 5-6% more in taxes (which, by the way, is somewhat nullified by not having to pay health insurance premiums I paid in the US), in order to know that I won't bankrupt my family if I get sick. It's not just myself and my own, but it's the comfort knowing my neighbor will be looked after if he/she gets sick. And having actually been sick at times, both in the US and France, the healthcare is second to none. Bonus that I no longer have to fill out pre-authorization or medical insurance forms which are designed to confound and overcharge.

As an American who has experienced living countries and using universal healthcare systems, it's bonkers the US doesn't have one (although I know big pharma and HMO's have their vampire teeth in the public's and govt's neck too deep to let that happen).

Yes the richest country in the world loots the working class and denies it affordable high quality health care. Even in the middle of pandemic it is clear that health care and capitalism itself is systemically flawed. With 3 previous pandemic threats in the past 15 years (swine flu, H1N1, and Ebola) there was no serious preparation for pandemic. No mass stockpiling of n-95 and kn-95 protective masks, and other PPE. Over the past 10 years hundreds of thousands of hospital beds were eliminated nationally as part of Wall Street inspired hoispital cuts and closings. Of course there were associated cuts in nursing, medical,technical, and housekeeping staff. In New York State alone Andrew Cuomo eliminated 20,000 hospital beds. Cutting staff and facilities hollows out health care infrastructure and makes cities and communities at greater risk when the pandemic strikes. There were massive shortages of n-95 masks and ventilators in many hospitals and shortages of personnel that cost workers and patients theirlives. Workers were forced to work 12 and sometimes 16 hopur shifts day after day because of the cutbacks. Tens of thousands of these workers will undoubtedly face a lifetime of PTSD from the impossible conditions they were forced to work under. I was a professional health care worker for 33 years mostly in Brooklyn, NY. I sa every day the price of that the working class paid because of profits coming before human life. I fought the incompetent and racist managers and their system for 30 years as union delegate and revolutionary communist in the radiology department. I have seen people die for lack of resources and properly trained staff . I would lay down my life tomorrow if it would advance the struggle for an egalitarian communist future for the world community. The pandemic proves we need universal quality medical care. Evicting people and foreclosing them in the middle of this great pandemic will cause a far mire deadly pandemic and more violence on the streets and more rebellions against THE CLASS DICTATORSHIP of FINANCE CAPITAL. See plp.org

 

[Red Falcon]

Yes the richest country in the world loots the working class and denies it affordable high quality health care. Even in the middle of pandemic it is clear that health care and capitalism itself is systemically flawed. With 3 previous pandemic threats in the past 15 years (swine flu, H1N1, and Ebola) there was no serious preparation for pandemic. No mass stockpiling of n-95 and kn-95 protective masks, and other PPE. Over the past 10 years hundreds of thousands of hospital beds were eliminated nationally as part of Wall Street inspired hoispital cuts and closings. Of course there were associated cuts in nursing, medical,technical, and housekeeping staff. In New York State alone Andrew Cuomo eliminated 20,000 hospital beds. Cutting staff and facilities hollows out health care infrastructure and makes cities and communities at greater risk when the pandemic strikes. There were massive shortages of n-95 masks and ventilators in many hospitals and shortages of personnel that cost workers and patients theirlives. Workers were forced to work 12 and sometimes 16 hopur shifts day after day because of the cutbacks. Tens of thousands of these workers will undoubtedly face a lifetime of PTSD from the impossible conditions they were forced to work under. I was a professional health care worker for 33 years mostly in Brooklyn, NY. I sa every day the price of that the working class paid because of profits coming before human life. I fought the incompetent and racist managers and their system for 30 years as union delegate and revolutionary communist in the radiology department. I have seen people die for lack of resources and properly trained staff . I would lay down my life tomorrow if it would advance the struggle for an egalitarian communist future for the world community. The pandemic proves we need universal quality medical care. Evicting people and foreclosing them in the middle of this great pandemic will cause a far mire deadly pandemic and more violence on the streets and more rebellions against THE CLASS DICTATORSHIP of FINANCE CAPITAL. See plp.org

As opposed to the hundreds of thousands in China that have died from COVID-19, whom their Communist government are welding and sealing people into their apartments to starve to death, burning bodies en masse, sending those who speak the truth of what is actually happening to re-education (concentration) camps and/or murdering them.
Oh, but those evil Capitalists are the problem, riiiight.

What you speak of is Corporatism, a byproduct produced by corruption and Socialism, not Capitalism, which was all funded and executed by leftists you obviously support.
You sicken me.

I would lay down my life tomorrow if it would advance the struggle for an egalitarian communist future for the world community.

You might think that it will be for the greater good, but leftists will neither remember your sacrifice, nor appreciate it, and later on, will either sweep your death under the rug as though it never happened, or will re-write history and blame you for then-modern problems.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useful idiot

 

[vegeta535]

Omg I regret going to that site. Only communism can defeat fascism is a headline.

/Facepalm

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Since he enjoys Communism so much, his posts should be deleted and censored, just like the Communist party, which he supports, so enthusiastically does.

View attachment 268324

^ That is exactly how he, and his sacrifice, will be "remembered".

I love the picture above - the old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” definitely applies to that picture.

Idiots like the guy who posted the love letter to Communism always conveniently forget the tens of millions of people who never returned from “re-education camps” or were outright massacred; when confronted with those actual, hard historical facts, the response is always the same: “But...but...but...that wasn’t real communism.” No thanks - I’ll take the admittedly flawed system we have today over that garbage every time.

Back on topic, it isn’t a secret that the game industry sucks. Don’t like your job or pay? Time to move on. I’ve done it myself several times the last few years and my pay and perks have skyrocketed.

 

[Nside]

Understandable, but I bet there are those that would love to still be able to work there and earn less than the current mandatory minimum.

Those people are called TEENAGERS, what jobs like that are meant for. They aren't supposed to provide a living wage. They are there to instill a little bit of a work ethic while providing pocket-change in people fresh to the job market. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CRAPPY JOBS. Working fast food should inspire you to find a better job, not start planning your retirement.

But we don't want young people working, they need to go through universities/college/indoctrination and "learn" completely unmarketable rubbish. Then after dropping out or coming out with a degree in psychology or political science, they end up working McDonalds in their mid-20's and cry "How will I pay my student loans off making $8/hr?" ... and then that quickly transforms to " ... I should own this restaurant because I work here!" ...

For most people, higher education is a waste of time and money. You can't change my mind on this.

 

[vegeta535]

Those people are called TEENAGERS, what jobs like that are meant for. They aren't supposed to provide a living wage. They are there to instill a little bit of a work ethic while providing pocket-change in people fresh to the job market. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CRAPPY JOBS. Working fast food should inspire you to find a better job, not start planning your retirement.

But we don't want young people working, they need to go through universities/college/indoctrination and "learn" completely unmarketable rubbish. Then after dropping out or coming out with a degree in psychology or political science, they end up working McDonalds in their mid-20's and cry "How will I pay my student loans off making $8/hr?" ... and then that quickly transforms to " ... I should own this restaurant because I work here!" ...

For most people, higher education is a waste of time and money. You can't change my mind on this.

Ideally a person should want to get a degree in a field they enjoy and find interesting. They never look past that when they finally graduate they find out their degree is worthless or there is a over abundance of applicants that the market is saturated cause to be lower pay. Work is not suppose to be fun. No one is entitled to a six figures salary cause you have a worthless degree.

 

[Aurelius]

Those people are called TEENAGERS, what jobs like that are meant for. They aren't supposed to provide a living wage. They are there to instill a little bit of a work ethic while providing pocket-change in people fresh to the job market. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CRAPPY JOBS. Working fast food should inspire you to find a better job, not start planning your retirement.

But we don't want young people working, they need to go through universities/college/indoctrination and "learn" completely unmarketable rubbish. Then after dropping out or coming out with a degree in psychology or political science, they end up working McDonalds in their mid-20's and cry "How will I pay my student loans off making $8/hr?" ... and then that quickly transforms to " ... I should own this restaurant because I work here!" ...

For most people, higher education is a waste of time and money. You can't change my mind on this.

There are several things wrong with this.

Those jobs aren't supposed to be a person's livelihood... but that doesn't change the reality that they often are, and not always because the workers are incapable of more. For that matter, if they're supposed to spur you to find a better job, wouldn't it be good if you got a better income so that you could do radical things like save for degrees/trade school, or not go into crippling debt just to pay rent until you maybe get a better position? You don't have to be paid $30 an hour for flipping burgers or testing games, but wages in these fields have been stagnant for a long time.

Many college and uni programs are not "unmarketable rubbish." Part of the issue is that people aren't told how their degrees can translate into other fields, or given the tools to make sure their degrees are applicable. I also reject the notion that degrees are "indoctrination," since that often stems from anti-intellectualism and an unwillingness to challenge the status quo. That doesn't mean the conclusions students reach are necessarily the right ones, just that I'd rather have people questioning assumptions than treating college/uni as nothing more than an employment tool that enforces tradition and conformity.

And you won't get away from higher education being useful until the job market changes. Right now, it's hard to find meaningful career paths that don't require a post-secondary degree; not everyone can start their own business, or find a full-time job that only requires high school yet has clear advancement opportunities. The stories of game testers going on to lead studios are rare for a reason -- they still need paths, training and sometimes degrees... which they often can't get with tester money.

And if you say "you can't change my mind on this," that's not something to brag about. An intelligent mind is a plastic mind that's open to change based on reason and sound evidence.

 

[Nside]

Ideally a person should want to get a degree in a field they enjoy and find interesting. They never look past that when they finally graduate they find out their degree is worthless or there is a over abundance of applicants that the market is saturated cause to be lower pay. Work is not suppose to be fun. No one is entitled to a six figures salary cause you have a worthless degree.

While I agree, I don't typically spend $100,000+ to learn more about something I am interested in. In the late 70's, aptitude tests as they were for job applicants were essentially declared "discriminatory" (link is just one example)... That also coincides with the birth of the Federal Department of Education (1979). So now every position with a decent salary started to require a degree.

Look at this Site... you can skip the exposition and just look at the costs...
https://thestacker.com/stories/3861/how-college-costs-have-changed-last-50-years

Throughout the 1970's, The average costs of college and private universities stayed roughly the same for the entire decade. $2,500 & $10,500 respectively.

Then, 1980, After the DoE and more employers feared being sued for using aptitude tests for hiring purposes, You start to see the trend emerge in annual tuition, then in other costs as well.

1969–1970
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $8,131
--- Tuition and fees: $2,354
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,426
--- Board: $3,351
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $16,807
--- Tuition and fees: $10,259
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,861
--- Board: $3,687

10 years later...

1979–1980
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $7,439
--- Tuition and fees: $2,357
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,318
--- Board: $2,764
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $16,021
--- Tuition and fees: $10,308
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,655
--- Board: $3,058

Now we have a Department of Education.... Let's see if things change...

10 years later:

1989–1990
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $9,722
--- Tuition and fees: $3,478
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,043
--- Board: $3,202
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $24,005
--- Tuition and fees: $16,408
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,781
--- Board: $3,816

Okay, Just because it was never that high in the 70's, and it's been a steady increase year over year, that doesn't mean anything. Could just be a trend that reverses itself, right?

10 years later:

1999–2000
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $12,127
--- Tuition and fees: $4,908
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,692
--- Board: $3,527
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $30,393
--- Tuition and fees: $21,422
--- Dormitory rooms: $4,751
--- Board: $4,220

oof, well, it's now twice what it was throughout the 70's (remember, these numbers are all adjusted for inflation)

I'm sure we'll level out again soon though.

10 years later:

2009–2010
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $17,214 (4.8% increase from prior year)
--- Tuition and fees: $7,689
--- Dormitory rooms: $5,225
--- Board: $4,299
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $36,459 (1% increase from prior year)
--- Tuition and fees: $25,495
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,009
--- Board: $4,956

Seems to be a trend here...

Now introduce the Federal Government taking over ALL student loans... Oh boy...

2017–2018
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $20,050
--- Tuition and fees: $9,037
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,227
--- Board: $4,786
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $43,139
--- Tuition and fees: $30,731
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,967
--- Board: $5,441

The last year on that page...
Keep in mind, that page has a bias, see if you can recognize it.
Room and board is starting to climb along with the tuition, because Subsidized student loans yo! Get Dat Gubment Dough!


And it's all because tests are racist... But being able to pay or go into debt for $80K to $200K is NOT racist.
Not only that, employers now have to pay higher salaries because pretty much everyone with the degree that they now require has student loans that need paid off, plus their cost of living.

I know this was a long post, and for that I apologize. But our reliance on the government AND "higher education" as it is has created this. Asking for more of it is a BAD idea IMHO.

 

[fullvietFX]

There are several things wrong with this.

Those jobs aren't supposed to be a person's livelihood... but that doesn't change the reality that they often are, and not always because the workers are incapable of more. For that matter, if they're supposed to spur you to find a better job, wouldn't it be good if you got a better income so that you could do radical things like save for degrees/trade school, or not go into crippling debt just to pay rent until you maybe get a better position? You don't have to be paid $30 an hour for flipping burgers or testing games, but wages in these fields have been stagnant for a long time.

Many college and uni programs are not "unmarketable rubbish." Part of the issue is that people aren't told how their degrees can translate into other fields, or given the tools to make sure their degrees are applicable. I also reject the notion that degrees are "indoctrination," since that often stems from anti-intellectualism and an unwillingness to challenge the status quo. That doesn't mean the conclusions students reach are necessarily the right ones, just that I'd rather have people questioning assumptions than treating college/uni as nothing more than an employment tool that enforces tradition and conformity.

And you won't get away from higher education being useful until the job market changes. Right now, it's hard to find meaningful career paths that don't require a post-secondary degree; not everyone can start their own business, or find a full-time job that only requires high school yet has clear advancement opportunities. The stories of game testers going on to lead studios are rare for a reason -- they still need paths, training and sometimes degrees... which they often can't get with tester money.

And if you say "you can't change my mind on this," that's not something to brag about. An intelligent mind is a plastic mind that's open to change based on reason and sound evidence.

Too much truth in this post. So glad I'm moving back to Canada soon.

 

[fullvietFX]

While I agree, I don't typically spend $100,000+ to learn more about something I am interested in. In the late 70's, aptitude tests as they were for job applicants were essentially declared "discriminatory" (link is just one example)... That also coincides with the birth of the Federal Department of Education (1979). So now every position with a decent salary started to require a degree.

Look at this Site... you can skip the exposition and just look at the costs...
https://thestacker.com/stories/3861/how-college-costs-have-changed-last-50-years

Throughout the 1970's, The average costs of college and private universities stayed roughly the same for the entire decade. $2,500 & $10,500 respectively.

Then, 1980, After the DoE and more employers feared being sued for using aptitude tests for hiring purposes, You start to see the trend emerge in annual tuition, then in other costs as well.

1969–1970
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $8,131
--- Tuition and fees: $2,354
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,426
--- Board: $3,351
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $16,807
--- Tuition and fees: $10,259
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,861
--- Board: $3,687

10 years later...

1979–1980
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $7,439
--- Tuition and fees: $2,357
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,318
--- Board: $2,764
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $16,021
--- Tuition and fees: $10,308
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,655
--- Board: $3,058

Now we have a Department of Education.... Let's see if things change...

10 years later:

1989–1990
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $9,722
--- Tuition and fees: $3,478
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,043
--- Board: $3,202
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $24,005
--- Tuition and fees: $16,408
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,781
--- Board: $3,816

Okay, Just because it was never that high in the 70's, and it's been a steady increase year over year, that doesn't mean anything. Could just be a trend that reverses itself, right?

10 years later:

1999–2000
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $12,127
--- Tuition and fees: $4,908
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,692
--- Board: $3,527
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $30,393
--- Tuition and fees: $21,422
--- Dormitory rooms: $4,751
--- Board: $4,220

oof, well, it's now twice what it was throughout the 70's (remember, these numbers are all adjusted for inflation)

I'm sure we'll level out again soon though.

10 years later:

2009–2010
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $17,214 (4.8% increase from prior year)
--- Tuition and fees: $7,689
--- Dormitory rooms: $5,225
--- Board: $4,299
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $36,459 (1% increase from prior year)
--- Tuition and fees: $25,495
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,009
--- Board: $4,956

Seems to be a trend here...

Now introduce the Federal Government taking over ALL student loans... Oh boy...

2017–2018
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $20,050
--- Tuition and fees: $9,037
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,227
--- Board: $4,786
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $43,139
--- Tuition and fees: $30,731
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,967
--- Board: $5,441

The last year on that page...
Keep in mind, that page has a bias, see if you can recognize it.
Room and board is starting to climb along with the tuition, because Subsidized student loans yo! Get Dat Gubment Dough!


And it's all because tests are racist... But being able to pay or go into debt for $80K to $200K is NOT racist.
Not only that, employers now have to pay higher salaries because pretty much everyone with the degree that they now require has student loans that need paid off, plus their cost of living.

I know this was a long post, and for that I apologize. But our reliance on the government AND "higher education" as it is has created this. Asking for more of it is a BAD idea IMHO.

I went to university in Canada and then got a higher paying job in the US. It's atrocious how expensive school is in the US.

 

[1_rick]

Ideally a person should want to get a degree in a field they enjoy and find interesting.

Sure--but that needs to be tempered by the need to make a living. As you say, junk degrees that won't land you a job are a bad idea. For most people, going for a PhD is probably a bad idea because the market for people with them is pretty darn small.

 

[vegeta535]

Sure--but that needs to be tempered by the need to make a living. As you say, junk degrees that won't land you a job are a bad idea. For most people, going for a PhD is probably a bad idea because the market for people with them is pretty darn small.

Funny part is these people believe they are so intelligent and think so highly of themselves while here I am a college drop out making 3x what they make lol. Sure I have my job but it gives me a very good living.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Sure--but that needs to be tempered by the need to make a living. As you say, junk degrees that won't land you a job are a bad idea. For most people, going for a PhD is probably a bad idea because the market for people with them is pretty darn small.

It is, but at the same it must be pretty nice to land a tenured position

 

[Bowman15]

Sure--but that needs to be tempered by the need to make a living. As you say, junk degrees that won't land you a job are a bad idea. For most people, going for a PhD is probably a bad idea because the market for people with them is pretty darn small.

You'd think somebody that wants to study geology for a living and makes an average salary of 25-35K would understand how long it takes to pay off 250K of students loans. Like that is anybody's fault but their own.

PS: Just used as an example, have no idea what geology pays in that field.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

While I agree, I don't typically spend $100,000+ to learn more about something I am interested in. In the late 70's, aptitude tests as they were for job applicants were essentially declared "discriminatory" (link is just one example)... That also coincides with the birth of the Federal Department of Education (1979). So now every position with a decent salary started to require a degree.

Look at this Site... you can skip the exposition and just look at the costs...
https://thestacker.com/stories/3861/how-college-costs-have-changed-last-50-years

Throughout the 1970's, The average costs of college and private universities stayed roughly the same for the entire decade. $2,500 & $10,500 respectively.

Then, 1980, After the DoE and more employers feared being sued for using aptitude tests for hiring purposes, You start to see the trend emerge in annual tuition, then in other costs as well.

1969–1970
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $8,131
--- Tuition and fees: $2,354
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,426
--- Board: $3,351
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $16,807
--- Tuition and fees: $10,259
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,861
--- Board: $3,687

10 years later...

1979–1980
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $7,439
--- Tuition and fees: $2,357
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,318
--- Board: $2,764
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $16,021
--- Tuition and fees: $10,308
--- Dormitory rooms: $2,655
--- Board: $3,058

Now we have a Department of Education.... Let's see if things change...

10 years later:

1989–1990
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $9,722
--- Tuition and fees: $3,478
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,043
--- Board: $3,202
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $24,005
--- Tuition and fees: $16,408
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,781
--- Board: $3,816

Okay, Just because it was never that high in the 70's, and it's been a steady increase year over year, that doesn't mean anything. Could just be a trend that reverses itself, right?

10 years later:

1999–2000
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $12,127
--- Tuition and fees: $4,908
--- Dormitory rooms: $3,692
--- Board: $3,527
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $30,393
--- Tuition and fees: $21,422
--- Dormitory rooms: $4,751
--- Board: $4,220

oof, well, it's now twice what it was throughout the 70's (remember, these numbers are all adjusted for inflation)

I'm sure we'll level out again soon though.

10 years later:

2009–2010
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $17,214 (4.8% increase from prior year)
--- Tuition and fees: $7,689
--- Dormitory rooms: $5,225
--- Board: $4,299
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $36,459 (1% increase from prior year)
--- Tuition and fees: $25,495
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,009
--- Board: $4,956

Seems to be a trend here...

Now introduce the Federal Government taking over ALL student loans... Oh boy...

2017–2018
- Public 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $20,050
--- Tuition and fees: $9,037
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,227
--- Board: $4,786
- Private 4-year colleges (inflation adjusted)
- Total tuition, fees, room, and board: $43,139
--- Tuition and fees: $30,731
--- Dormitory rooms: $6,967
--- Board: $5,441

The last year on that page...
Keep in mind, that page has a bias, see if you can recognize it.
Room and board is starting to climb along with the tuition, because Subsidized student loans yo! Get Dat Gubment Dough!


And it's all because tests are racist... But being able to pay or go into debt for $80K to $200K is NOT racist.
Not only that, employers now have to pay higher salaries because pretty much everyone with the degree that they now require has student loans that need paid off, plus their cost of living.

I know this was a long post, and for that I apologize. But our reliance on the government AND "higher education" as it is has created this. Asking for more of it is a BAD idea IMHO.

The cost increases at colleges has very little to do with the Department of education.

This presumes that pricing is going off because now everyone needs a degree, and there is a supply shortage, driving up pricing.

That isn't the case at all. Many colleges are closing right now. College enrollment is actually dropping.

The pricing increase has very little to do with the cost of education itself. Professors are not paid more (adjusted for inflation) than they used to be.

It has much more to do with kids looking for "the college experience". When I went to school the dorms and classrooms were basic cinder-block style walls, metal bed frames basic desks. Health clubs? Yeah, it was an old smelly gym basement with rusty weights. The dining halls were essentially K-12 cafeterias. Aitr conditioning? Ha. yeah right. We didn't have that.

This was a typical state school experience in th elate 90's / early 2000's.

Now students are demanding fancy facilities, lots of amenities, health clubs, activities, fancy dining, m ulti-million dollar concernt and sports venues, etc. etc. This is the primary source of cost increases. Students are demanding what essentially amounts to a country club experience bundled in with their education. Often they seemingly value the country club experience more than they do the education, and then they wonder why the costs are so high. Makes me wonder if these kids are really college material at all.

Problem is it is very difficult to decouple this now. Students touring schools are going to see older, less luxurious buildings and just assume, wow, this school must suck, and elect to go elsewhere, furthering the luxury-school arms race, because they simply cannot afford to not attract students.

The blame lies almost entirely with the messed up priorities of college-bound students.

 

[1_rick]

It is, but at the same it must be pretty nice to land a tenured position

Most profs don't get tenure anymore. getting 10 year would be like winning the lottery after winning the lottery of getting a such a job.

 

[5150Joker]

Most profs don't get tenure anymore. getting 10 year would be like winning the lottery after winning the lottery of getting a such a job.

I never understood why the concept of a tenured professor was ever a thing. What other job promises guaranteed employment where you can basically do whatever you want with little repercussions? I had a few tenured professors in college who would say things like “well I can do so and so and who cares because I’m tenured and they can’t do anything”. Always found it strange.