The HEPI wrapped up last year by announcing that the average yearly rate of inflation for higher ed over the last five years was 2.4%, with 2018 marking the third-highest score in the previous decade. Faculty salaries, which get the most weight in the index, came in slightly above the five-year average, as did pay for administrators and service employees. Only two of the eight categories tracked — administrator salaries and fringe benefits — came in under the five-year average in 2018.
Despite the slight reduction, colleges are looking to be more efficient on cost as state support continues to lag and demographic projections threaten tuition revenue.
