College is primarily about getting a quality education, we’re told. Everything else—including college athletics—is supposed to supplement getting that precious diploma. However, when you examine how big universities spend money, it’d be understandable if you began to question their priorities. Public universities competing in Division 1 athletics spend six times more on each athlete than they do on the average student, according to an analysis of school and federal figures. Between 2005 and 2010, spending on student-athletes rose more than twice as fast as that on non-athletes. “Participation in intercollegiate athletics in the United States comes with a hefty price tag, one that is usually paid in part by state and institutional funds,” says Donna Desrochers, author of the report from the Delta Cost Project (part of the American Institutes for Research). Indeed, while college athletics can take in huge amounts of money—particularly at schools with nationally ranked football and basketball programs—most athletic departments are still subsidized through student fees and governmental programs. As such, the rise in athletic spending deeply impacts how much non-athletes have to pay for their schooling. Between 2005 and 2010, spending on students at these major universities ticked up 23 percent, but tuition increased by 38 percent. Why? Well, in that same period, spending on student athletes soared 51 percent. (USA Today)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and two children. Follow him on Twitter.