For most young Americans, college has always been considered a vital part of their success in the adult world; But when they reach this educational rite of passage, many find that they must take out inflated loans, work part-time jobs, or even be dissuaded altogether by the exorbitant costs of higher education. We must abandon this current antiquated system in favor of government-subsidized tuition. Therefore, college education should be free because of its benefits to the economy, creating equal opportunity, and resolving the student loan crisis. The first federally supported student loan program began in the 1950s under the National Defense Act (Sourmaidis). . This was offered primarily as an incentive for students to earn math and science degrees to compete with Soviet Russia after the launch of the Sputnik satellite (Sourmaidis). In that year, the number of graduates was only 432,058 (Sourmaidis) and since then demand has continuously increased, as have prices. This trend allowed the student loan crisis to occur, which is a problem we face today. In 2016, American students accumulated a whopping $1.3 trillion in student loan debt. Just 10 years ago, the national budget was only $447 billion (Clements). This ever-present cumulative burden has caused many post-graduate Americans to delay major life events such as marriage, homeownership, and children due to this substantial encumbrance (Clements). Debt will continue to grow if attention is neglected, so the most effective action to take would be to eliminate the costs altogether. The argument for free higher education is not only an economic question but also a moral one. Currently, social mobility in the United States is halfway or nearly halfway to funding this program without major repercussions; such as “Close corporate tax loopholes that allow companies to legally avoid paying their full share of taxes” (Redd) or we might even consider “Implement new taxes on speculative Wall Street transactions” (Redd) as Senator famously advocated Bernie Sanders and finally “Crack down on wasteful government spending” (Redd). All of the solutions mentioned could lead to free higher education at no cost to American taxpayers. Ultimately, the United States should create free, government-subsidized higher education for its benefits to the economy, creating equal opportunity, and solving the student loan crisis. While it will require funding, there are certainly harmless alternatives that could provide it rather than putting further stress on average American taxpayers..