The higher education system (or lack thereof) does not serve the country and its citizens. The growing number of admissions standards, the exponential rise in tuition fees, the financing of costs through loans, and the boasting of turning away students all contribute to a growing disparity between the quality of education that families in classes families can afford compared to low- and middle-income families. The rising costs of higher education in this country are problematic as they fuel disparities between economic classes. The problem lies in the amount of debt college graduates accumulate by the time they graduate. The Institute for College Access and Success (2013) reported that 70% of graduates had an average of $29,400 in debt. This issue focuses primarily on nonprofit and private institutions. The average annual salary for a college graduate is $57,616 (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). Many college graduates have accumulated debt worth half of what their starting salary could be. The Institute for College Access and Success (2013) reported that 20% of this debt “is made up of private loans, which are generally more expensive and offer fewer consumer protections and repayment options than safer federal loans3 » (p. 1). This is an oversimplification as it focuses on a very general population. Depending on degree and subsequent employment, income varies, as does the institution attended and the student's economic situation, which affect overall individual debt. Loans, of course, must be repaid by students, which ultimately affects the quality of their education. their lives after graduation because a certain portion of their income will be used to repay their loans. It also has a socio impact...... middle of paper ......h and the life of the great American school system: How tests and choices undermine education. New York: Basic Books. Reich, R. (2012a, March 7). College is the key to success [web journal article]. Retrieved from http://www.marketplace.org/topics/life/commentary/college-key-success Reich, R. (2012b, May 18). The starting address which will not be given [web log article]. Retrieved from http://robertreich.org/post/23301640941 Sandel, M. J. (2009). Justice: What is the right thing to do? New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The Institute for College Access and Success. (2013, December). Student Debt and the Class of 2012. From the Student Debt Project: http://projectonstudentdebt.org/files/pub/classof2012.pdfU.S. Department of Labor. (March 24, 2014). Employment projections. Retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm