College Proximity and College Costs: Is it More Expensive to Attend a Far-away College?

Many scholars have argued that it may be more costly to attend a far-away college than it is to attend a nearby college. If this is true, students who live in areas where colleges are few and far between may face higher costs than those with ample college options. This study assesses the plausibility of this line of reasoning by examining the association between geographic access to higher education, distance traveled to college, and college costs, as indicated by student debt. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, this study finds that people with lower levels of geographic access travel longer distances to attend college. In addition, people who travel longer distances are more likely to accumulate student debt. Finally, this study finds suggestive evidence that people with lower levels of geographic access tend to accumulate more student debt. These descriptive insights pave the way for future research on this topic. Ultimately, additional research in this area could be one of the keys to understanding and ultimately remedying geographic inequalities in postsecondary outcomes