The Price We Pay: Reimagining Affordability and Restoring Trust in Higher Education

What does “affordable” really mean, and who gets to decide? In this keynote, Justin Draeger explores the price we pay for a pricing system that has become increasingly complex, opaque, and misaligned with the lived experiences of students and families. One that too often confuses students, burdens institutions, and erodes public trust. Drawing on new national research, student and practitioner perspectives, and years of policy and leadership experience, Draeger unpacks the hidden costs of how we currently define and deliver an “affordable” postsecondary education. He challenges us to rethink affordability not just as a price point, but as a reflection of our values, and invites us to imagine a clearer, simpler, and more student-centered path forward.