For example, in Hawaii, studentenrollment in public schools jumped about 3 percent between 1992 and 2009 yet non-teaching personnel jumped almost 69 percent.
With colleges providing more campus goodies and paying professors more money, while studentenrollment levels remain largely unchanged, the cost to educate each student rises dramatically.
Also, the companies are ramping up construction at time when college-student enrollment has slipped, falling 1.8% in 2012 from 2011, according to the nonprofit National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.