A Detroit university just agreed to provide city high school grads free tuition - and it's pointing to a nationwide trend toward lessening the burden of college costs
- Wayne State University, located in Detroit, Michigan, just announced a plan to provide free tuition for area high school graduates. The Detroit Free Press first reported the news.
- Michigan is in the top ten worst states for student loan debt, and state schools charge slightly higher tuition than the national average.
- As the cost of college rises, some schools and philanthropists recently made announcements to pay tuition or student loans for graduates.
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Detroit high school grads now have a chance to attend college for free.
Wayne State University, located in Detroit, Michigan, just announced a plan to waive tuition for area high school graduates if they reside in the city.
The Detroit Free Press's David Jesse, who first reported the story, said all students who attend Detroit public, charter, and private schools are eligible for the tuition. Students can make any amount of money to qualify.
Michigan ranks ninth for how much residents are burdened with student loan debt, and the state's average cost to attend college was slightly higher than the national average. The University of Michigan - which charges about $2,000 more in in-state tuition than Wayne State - announced a plan in 2017 to provide free tuition for low-income, in-state students.
Nationally, the student debt total has eclipsed $1.5 trillion.
Business Insider reached out to Wayne State for additional comment.
Read more: 11 mind-blowing facts that show just how dire the student-loan crisis in America is
As the cost of college soars, schools across the country have begun scrapping tuition altogether. New York University - with the help of Home Depot billionaire Ken Langone - announced a plan to pay tuition for every medical student last year. The University of Virginia waived tuition for residents whose families earn less than $80,000 a year.
Some philanthropists have also paid off student loan debt for grads, like billionaire Robert F. Smith's decision to pay educational debt for Morehouse College's entire graduating class.
Democratic presidential contenders like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren plan to eliminate college tuition altogether. Warren also took it one step further after vowing forgive up to $50,000 of student loan debt for 42 million Americans.