Each year, states provide funding to independent (private) higher education institutions through both
general operating appropriations and student financial aid. However, these funds are excluded from
most SHEF analysis, which focuses on public institutions. This issue brief on state funding for private
institutions provides an overview of how these funds vary across states and how they have changed
over time. In general, state support for private institutions has declined at a steeper rate than
state support for public institutions. While unadjusted total state funding for private institutions
has increased by about $600 million since 2001, this increase has not kept up with inflation or
enrollment growth at private institutions.