<P> For - profit higher education (known as for - profit college or proprietary education in some instances) refers to higher education educational institutions operated by private, profit - seeking businesses . University of Phoenix has been the largest for - profit college in the US . </P> <P> Since 2010, for - profit colleges have received greater scrutiny and negative attention from the US government, state Attorneys General, the media, and scholars . </P> <P> In 2016, average estimated annual student costs (excluding books) were $16,757 at public institutions, $43,065 at private nonprofit institutions, and $23,776 at private for - profit institutions . Between 2006 and 2016, prices at public colleges and universities rose 34 percent above inflation, and prices at private nonprofit institutions rose 26 percent above inflation . </P> <P> Students often use scholarships, student loans, or grants to supplement their tuition costs, rather than paying all tuition out - of - pocket . Several states offer scholarships that allow students to attend free of tuition or at lower cost, for example the HOPE Scholarship in Georgia and the Bright Futures Scholarship Program in Florida . A considerable number of private liberal arts colleges and universities offer full need - based financial aid, which means that admitted students will only have to pay as much as their families can afford (based on the university's assessment of their income). This can turn some of the most prestigious institutions into the cheapest options for low - income students . In most cases, the barrier of entry for students who require financial aid is set higher, a practice called need - aware admissions . Universities with exceptionally large endowments may combine need - based financial aid with need - blind admission, in which students who require financial aid have equal chances to those who do not . </P>

Total amount of college students in the us