Study: College tuition tax credits have 'negligible' effects

Federal tax credits for college tuition have no effect on college attendance and other educational indicators, according to a new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

“There are no discernible causal effects of the tax credits on any of the following outcomes: attending postsecondary school at all, attending at least half-time, attending a four-year college, attending a two-year college, instructional resources, core educational resources, the ‘list’ tuition and fees of the student’s college, the grant and scholarships the student receives, and the tuition the student pays,” according to the study.