If I may, the tuition has skyrocketed because it's basically subsidized by the federal government via student aid. The schools basically are guaranteed to get the tuition because the feds will pump loan money in to the system so the schools raise tuition knowing they're going to get it. The circle keeps going and the numbers get bigger.
Actually it's not that simple. I've worked in higher ed for nearly 30 years. Tuition has certainly gone up, but state support (which is where colleges get their money, not from the feds), has consistently gone down. Tax payers simply don't want to pay for higher ed. So more of that burden is shifted to students. Yes, some proprietary institutions feed on the ill-informed and encourage students to max out their aid. But most do not. They provide students with aid counseling and try to inform students of the dangers of loan debt. But unfortunately, it's hard for students to understand the long term picture. Declining state support combined with available loans and short-term thinkers is a big part of the issue.
Another part of the issue is the facility arms race. When I went to college my dorm room consisted of 4 cinder block walls, a couple of beaten down old desks, two shelving units, a one bathroom with a few stalls and showers per floor. Now everybody expects individual suites with private baths, technology up the yin yang, huge rec facilities, climbing walls, pools, hot tubs, etc. Well, all of that costs money. It is crazy! Schools that can't keep up are at a major disadvantage.
And yes, salaries are an issue. But not always in the way people expect. At major universities, salaries of med and law school Deans are redic. But at many, like where I currently work, even the Prez makes about $200,000. In any other Industry, somebody overseeing over 500 employees and a budget of tens of millions would command far more. But similar to the arms race, more advisors and other direct support positions are needed. In fact, at most institutions, part-time faculty make up the majority. And they are poorly paid.
So long story short, many factors contribute to rising tuition. There are other alternatives, like community and technical colleges. But these are not for everybody. So the result is the situation we are in now.
