College Cost BCS: The Orange Bowl

Both Clemson and West Virginia pack powerful offenses – both quarterbacks finished in the nation’s top 10 in passing yards. But odds are in Clemson’s favor: the team is still riding high after securing the ACC championship for the first time in more than 20 years.

1st Quarter: Football Operating Budget

Both teams reported surpluses in their football budgets (albeit some of the smallest among university teams participating in BCS games this year). Like most others, officials at both Clemson and West Virginia universities said extra revenues are directed toward other sports that do not break even. While fans on both sides came to watch the passing powers of quarterbacks Geno Smith and Tajh Boyd, this first quarter is all about the kickers.

Clemson 3 – West Virginia 3

2nd Quarter: Percent Change in Tuition

Key plays in this quarter: keeping tuition increases below the average (7.9 percent) for a field goal or below the current rate of inflation (3.4 percent) for a touchdown. The Tigers struggle against the Mountaineer defense and only manage another field goal with their 7.5 percent increase in tuition. The Mountaineers gain momentum and Smith throws it in the end zone for a lead, thanks to the university’s manageable 1.9 percent increase in tuition.

Clemson 6 – West Virginia 10

3rd Quarter: Net Price

To score after the half, the Tigers and Mountaineers must have net prices that are lower than $5,500, the first-year Stafford Loan limit. Field goal range is $9,810, the national average. West Virginia, still running high after a strong first half, drives it down the field quite easily with a net price of $7,469. Clemson balks. The Tigers’ Boyd throws a surprising interception, and although the Mountaineers aren’t able to put more points on the board, the Tigers fumble on their next possession. With a net price of $17,840 – the highest of the public universities participating in the BCS series – Clemson is ill-prepared for this match-up.

Clemson 6 – West Virginia 13

4th Quarter: Debt-to-Credential Ratio

While more Tiger fans have packed the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, they can’t be heard over the now raucous Mountaineers. The final 15 minutes comes down to the institutions’ debt-to-credential ratio, or the average amount of debt a graduate leaves with. The Tigers’ Boyd redeems himself and floats the ball beautifully into the end zone for the Tigers’ first real play of the game: a debt-to-credential ratio of $15,903, about $12,000 less than West Virginia. And that puts us into OVERTIME!

Clemson 13 – West Virginia 13

Overtime: Overall Graduation Rate

The debt-to-credential ratio considers the total number of degrees awarded against the total amount of money borrowed by undergraduates. This way, we can identify institutions that are not only graduating students, but also sending them off with less debt. A high ratio indicates that either students are undertaking a lot of debt to finish school – because of high costs or insufficient financial aid – or the university is not churning out as many graduates as it should. So why is West Virginia’s debt-to-credential ratio more than $28,000 – the highest of any institution participating in this series? One factor could be its graduation rate: 59 percent. Although respectable when compared with public, four-year institutions nationally, it’s quite dismal for a flagship university – not to mention, at the bottom of all graduation rates for the universities participating in this series. (Clemson’s is 76 percent). That’s enough to put Clemson over the edge, sealing a game that was all but lost until the fourth.

Final score: Clemson 20 – West Virginia 13

For complete details on the methodology, see our introductory post here. Stay tuned Monday, when LSU and Alabama will face off in the BCS Championship.

If you missed it, see how your teams fared earlier this week in the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Sugar Bowl.

Tagged as: Athletics Costs in Higher Education, BCS, Clemson University, College Cost BCS, College Costs, College Tuition Increases, Debt to Degree, NCAA Football, Net Price, Trends in College Pricing, West Virginia University