Over here the average degree costs around $12,000 - $15,000 AUD, more for things like medicine, dental, veterinary etc but give or take. And there is a scheme available called HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme) where you just pay your union fee's upfront and whatever else beyond the tuition and then you have up to 7 years to pay it off, when the debt is cancelled if you do not make enough income to pay it completely by the time those years are passed. Repayments start once you earn over a certain amount and only work out about 7% or something of your income and the interest on it is only a minimum amount as well, MUCH smaller than a personal loan or other such method. With the numbers of students wishing to go on to further their education, something like that should surely work in America. Its expensive for the govt initially, but after time it encourages more people to go on once they've finsished school and in time you've got a more educated qualified workforce. Everyone wins. Of course, eventually people begin whinging again about fees, but they're always going to increase regardless. Education has to be accessible. No 2 ways about it.