MINNESOTA — The average amount of student loan debt a graduate has from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is $26,568. That number is even higher for graduates of the state's other public universities.

Students at Minnesota State University-Mankato will have to pay back an average of $31,483 when they graduate. That may explain the outrage that resulted when NBC Nightly News produced a story on how baby boomers — people born between 1944 and 1964 — are taking classes at the University of Minnesota for just $10 per credit.

Hundreds of baby boomers are taking classes at the University of Minnesota as part of its Senior Citizen Education Program — and all for just $10 per credit. "This is our opportunity to study those things we've spent a lifetime being curious about," one student tells @KevTibs. pic.twitter.com/RVklrA8iuQ

— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) June 10, 2019 How did the boomers score such a sweet deal? It's a part of Minnesota's Senior Citizen Education Program, an initiative written into Minnesota law and made available at all public colleges and universities in the state: "Except for an administration fee established by the governing board at a level to recover costs, to be collected only when a course is taken for credit, a senior citizen who is a legal resident of Minnesota is entitled without payment of tuition or activity fees to attend courses offered for credit, audit any courses offered for credit, or enroll in any noncredit courses in any state supported institution of higher education in Minnesota when space is available after all tuition-paying students have been accommodated." For a student who doesn't qualify for the program, the estimated cost of in-state tuition at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is $15,104. That doesn't include other expenses such as books and supplies or room and board.



So it should come to no surprise that millennials — not exactly happy with the skyrocketing cost of college — were not thrilled to hear about public universities giving out a senior discount. This is a weird baby boomer flex on the millennials buried in student loan debt, but OK. $10 a credit. Ooof.

— The Thrills (@thethrillsband) June 10, 2019 Neat, now that they've made it damn near financially unaffordable for everyone else.

— Brittney (@kurizmatik) June 10, 2019 So, no student loan debt for these folks who could really afford to pay the real cost?

— Dave "public land owner" (@dcarrots) June 10, 2019 But it's a double standard to expect kids straight out of high school to pay over 50x the amount these baby boomers are getting. Like make it equal, I'm not sure why it makes sense for them to get these incredible rates when millions of kids can't afford theirs.

— James Kosharian (@JamesKosh4) June 10, 2019 I've been curious about a lot of things my whole, albeit admittedly shorter, life. It costs more than 10x that for each credit hour at our local COMMUNITY COLLEGE. I don't begrudge this opportunity for folks older than me, but education shouldn't be unobtainable for rest of us.

— MK Ulta (@SNCCiMinaj) June 11, 2019 And the cost of college for young people won't go down anytime soon. The University of Minnesota Board of Regents will vote on the 2.5 percent increase on June 19, reports the Minnesota Daily.