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How costs have surged for US middle-class families

The Associated Press

The picture painted by a report from the Center for American Progress released Wednesday is a gloomy one.

For a typical married couple with two children, the combined cost of health care, day care, housing and savings for college and retirement jumped 32 percent from 2000 to 2012 — after adjusting for inflation. Average income barely rose in that time once you factor in inflation.

The figures marked a sharp change from the preceding 12 years ending in 2000, when average income for a four-person family rose 20 percent, after inflation, and college and health care costs rose more slowly.

Here’s how costs have grown in some key categories:

— HEALTH CARE.

Premiums and deductibles are higher than they were about a decade ago. And more people are paying them. Average out-of-pocket health care costs for a family of four with an employer-provided health plan jumped 85 percent to $8,600 a year from 2002 to 2012, according to the CAP report. The figures are adjusted for inflation and are for preferred-provider organization plans, which restrict coverage to certain doctors.

Only half of Americans who obtained health care coverage through their jobs had faced deductibles in 2002, according to the nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Management. By 2011, that figure had reached three-quarters.

Americans must channel more of their take-home pay to medical care: Health care spending in the United States rose from an average of 5.4 percent of all spending in 2000 to 7.1 percent in 2013, according to Labor Department data. The increase from 1989 to 2000 was much smaller: From 5.1 percent to 5.4 percent.

— HIGHER EDUCATION.

The average amount a middle-class family with two kids must save for college education — even after you include grants and other aid — jumped 39 percent from 2000 to 2012 to $5,300, the center’s study says. That’s based on costs for four-year public colleges. Tuition and fees at those institutions soared 86 percent, adjusted for inflation, from 2000 to 2012. That was much sharper than the 52 percent rise in the preceding 12 years, according to data from the College Board.

One reason those costs have skyrocketed is that state aid to higher education has tumbled 24 percent in the past decade on a per-student basis, the College Board says. That’s forced students to bear more of the cost.

— CHILD CARE.

Child care costs for a family of four have soared an average of 37 percent in the past 12 years and now exceed the typical cost of renting a home in every state. Census data point to a long-term trend: Average weekly child care costs for families with working mothers, adjusted for inflation, jumped from $84 in 1985 to $143 in 2011.

— HOUSING.

For the typical four-member family, housing costs have jumped 28 percent in the past 12 years, the center’s report finds. That partly reflects higher home prices, which have rebounded sharply since the Great Recession. As a result, the number of new mortgages issued fell to a 17-year low this spring.

Renters also face higher costs. More than half of renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing — the level above which the government considers housing to be unaffordable.

— LESS SAVING.

Those trends have made it harder for middle-class families to save and build wealth.

For families in the middle 20 percent of incomes, median net worth fell 17 percent to $55,400 in 2013 from $66,600 in 2010, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Survey of Consumer Finances. Net worth equals the value of homes, savings, investments and other assets minus mortgages, credit card and other debts.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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