학술논문
Why Is Math Cheaper than English? Understanding Cost Differences in Higher Education
Document Type
Journal Articles
Reports - Evaluative
Reports - Evaluative
Source
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
0734-306X
Abstract
This paper establishes five new facts about instructional costs in higher education using department-level data from a broad range of institutions. Costs vary widely across fields, ranging from electrical engineering (90% higher than English) to math (25% lower). This pattern is largely explained by differences in class size and faculty pay. Some STEM fields experienced steep declines in expenditures over the past 17 years, while others saw increases. Changes in class size and teaching loads alongside a shift toward contingent faculty explain these trends. Finally, the association between online instruction and instructional costs is statistically indistinguishable from zero.