Cost Structure of College Education

Higher education is an important form of investment in human capital. In fact it can be regarded as a high level or a specialized form of human capital contribution of which to economic growth is very significant. It is rightly regarded as the engine of development in the new world economy. The contribution of higher education to development can be varied: it helps in the rapid industrialization of the economy by providing manpower with professional technical and managerial skills. In the present context of transformation into knowledge societies higher education provides not just educated workers but knowledge workers to the growth of the economy. It creates attitudes and makes possible attitudinal changes necessary for the socialization of the individuals and the modernization and overall transformation of the societies. Most importantly higher education helps through teaching and research in the creation absorption and dissemination of knowledge. Higher education also helps in the formation of a strong nation and at the same time helps in globalization. Higher education allows people to enjoy and enhance life of mind offering the wider society both cultural and political benefits. This work is an attempt to analyze the cost of college education to evaluate and guide the resource allocation decision and utilization pattern. In the context of college education an attempt has been made to explore the broad structures of college education.