Is the cost of college still worth it? Here's what Pittsburgh-area universities and experts say.

For generations, going to college was considered one of the safest investments a high school graduate could make, but in today's world, the price tag is high, enrollment is changing, and new trends and technology are ever evolving.

As artificial intelligence reshapes the workforce as we know it and social media brands and influencers take off, more students and families are asking if a college degree is still worth the cost.

KDKA Investigates looked into the trends we're seeing in our region.

"The cost of college, I believe, college is always worth it, no matter what," Quinn Randall, a current student at the University of Pittsburgh, said.

Randall is studying to become an anthropologist but fears that, with the way AI is changing the workforce, it could be difficult to get a job after college.

"I think AI is definitely a little bit of a threat to that, for sure, and it's worrisome," Randall said. "I don't know if I can do anything to stop that."

"I think that I have a lot of friends who are computer science majors, and that's not even really a thing anymore because of how more statistical and analytical careers are kind of being undermined by AI now," said Julia Hart, a University of Vermont student who's from Pittsburgh.

It's concerns like these that some are considering when determining whether or not to go to college.

KDKA Investigates decided to look into enrollment numbers at our local universities and colleges. 

The University of Pittsburgh, Slippery Rock, Chatham University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania all saw increases in enrollment for the 2025-26 school year. 

Penn State saw a slight decline from the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school year, with 936 fewer than the year before.

"When classes begin on Aug. 24, 2026, more than 500 new undergraduate students will join the Chatham community, marking significant growth over last year and setting a new enrollment record," a Chatham University spokesperson said.

Linda DeAngelo, a professor of higher education at Pitt, said there is a factor that could eventually lower the numbers, specifically in our region.

"We are just seeing that birth rates have really dropped, and we're entering nationally right in what we call in higher education an enrollment cliff, right? Where there are just fewer traditional-age students that are going to college," DeAngelo said. "Depopulation in certain areas has really contributed to enrollment trends that we're seeing nationally."

According to WICHE's Knocking at the College Door projections, data shows the U.S. reached a peak number of 3.9 million high school graduates last year but predicts that number will steadily decline over the next 15 years. 

Data shows a 17% decline in Pennsylvania.

"Now, that doesn't mean that individual institutions aren't thriving. Individual institutions are thriving, but in terms of the sector itself, we're feeling those effects in the sector," DeAngelo said.

As culture changes with social media and AI, the labor market is changing as well.

"Entry-level jobs, and particularly in white-collar professions, some of those are not as readily accessible to our new graduates," DeAngelo said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of June this year, the unemployment rate for graduates between 22-and 27 year olds was 5.7% compared to 4.1% of all workers.

"Entry-level jobs, yes, we're going to see differences in how we prepare for what types of jobs, right? And the skills, and that's why AI literacy now is so important, and what we're really taking on in colleges is how do we prepare people for this economy? But we've done this before. We've done this before," DeAngelo said.

DeAngelo is talking about changes in technology over the last several decades. We've gone from typewriters to laptops to landlines to cellphones and dial-up internet to WiFi.

"Higher [education] is wonderful at adapting and still has that value for students and for the community," DeAngelo said.

Since the 1980s, DeAngelo said we've seen tuition increases outpacing inflation, and while the price to pay for a degree varies from school to school, she said college is more important now than ever.

"Higher [education] has proven over and over again its ability to adapt as society adapts, and so, as we go through these changes with our labor market and changes in how we relate to one another, higher ed will be there to serve its community," DeAngelo said.

We collected data from several local colleges to learn the price of tuition for in-state students and if the price has stayed the same over the years.

A student at Slippery Rock will pay $8,338 this year. A spokesperson said tuition increased 4.3% or $172 per semester compared to last year.

Point Park University students will pay $40,260. A 3% increase from last year.

"We remain focused on affordability through financial aid and on delivering a career-focused education grounded in experiential learning and professional connections. We are encouraged by our enrollment momentum, including double-digit growth in our incoming first-year classes over the past three years," a Point Park spokesperson said.

At the University of Pittsburgh, students will pay on average $24,368. Last year's average was $22,138.

St. Vincent College reports that out-of-pocket costs for incoming students have been stable year-over-year.

"We were able to award the most generous merit scholarships in our history to students thanks to the support and generosity of our alumni and friends," a St. Vincent spokesperson said.

Annual tuition for students attending IUP this year is $8,338. An increase of $344 this year. A spokesperson said this is the first tuition increase since 2018.

"We are as a society in a significant period of transformation, and higher [education] is part of society and also part of that transformation," DeAngelo said. "But higher [education] has proven over and over again its ability to adapt as society adapts, and so, as we go through these changes with our labor market and changes in how we relate to one another, higher ed will be there to serve its community."

Point Park University released a statement to KDKA saying, "In an AI-driven world, the value of college is not simply access to information. It is the ability to think critically, create, communicate, collaborate, and apply new tools responsibly in real-world settings. That is what Point Park provides every day through hands-on, experiential learning guided by faculty members with current, real-world experience in their fields."

Duquesne University echoed that statement, saying, "At Duquesne University, we believe a college degree is more valuable than ever, particularly in the age of AI. Here, students graduate with the critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability to be prepared for anything in an AI-driven world."