HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s (PASSHE) Board of Governors today voted to increase tuition by $196 for the 2009-10 academic year.
The new annual tuition rate for full-time, resident, undergraduate students beginning this fall will be $5,554 – the lowest rate among all four-year colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. With the modest increase, PASSHE’s total tuition and fee increases over the last five years likely will remain among the lowest at all public university systems in the United States.
“We have to balance between the important needs of the universities to provide a very high quality education and the terrible burden this current economy is placing on our students and their families,” said Board Chairman Kenneth M. Jarin. “Our very modest tuition level will remain so relative to other state university systems and certainly in relation to other universities in Pennsylvania. That’s important in this economy.
“We as a Board must continue to applaud our university presidents for the way they have managed their institutions through these very difficult times.” Mr. Jarin added.
PASSHE Chancellor John C. Cavanaugh said the Board “was clearly mindful of the economic situation facing our families” in coming to its decision on next year’s tuition rates.
The Board approved a range of tuition rates as part of its action, including new rates for resident graduate students and all nonresident students. The resident graduate tuition rate in 2009-10 will be $6,666, an increase of $236. Nonresident graduate tuition will increase by $378, to $10,666. Full-time, nonresident undergraduate student tuition will range from $8,332 to $13,886, depending on a variety of factors, including the university and program in which a student enrolls.
The tuition technology fee will increase by $25 to $206 for the full academic year for full-time resident students and by $37 to $310 for full-time nonresidents. All funds raised by the technology tuition fee are used to directly benefit student learning. Universities have used the funds to install new computer labs and to design multi-media classrooms, among other projects.
The total cost of attendance for a resident student who resides on campus during the 2009-10 academic year, including tuition, required fees, room and board, will average about $14,500. About 90 percent of PASSHE students are Pennsylvania residents and about one-third live on campus.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 112,500 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 405,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.
The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.