Washington State University is meeting with student leaders and others to discuss a proposed 2.4 percent tuition increase for the 2019‑20 academic year.
The proposal, which will be considered by the university’s Board of Regents on June 7, would apply to graduate and undergraduate students. It would be the first tuition increase in seven years for graduate and non‑resident students.
“Our tuition rates are among the lowest of our peer institutions and we work hard to keep them affordable and competitive,” said WSU Vice President for Finance and Administration Stacy Pearson. “At the same time, we’re dealing with increasing costs and our commitment to restoring a balanced operating budget.”
On Tuesday, WSU officials briefed elected student leaders from Student Government Council, WSU system’s student governing body representing ASWSU leadership from all six campuses, on the proposal.
Morgan Atwood, a Global Campus student who serves as president of WSU’s Student Government Council, appreciated the university’s efforts to engage students.
“The Student Government Council appreciates WSU’s transparency and commitment to providing students the most quality and comparable education while keeping their financial abilities in mind,” Atwood said. “SGC is committed to working with WSU to ensure students are fully involved throughout this entire process and advocated for.”
State law gives the governing boards of Washington’s public universities the authority to set tuition rates, though a series of economic indicators are used to set restrictions on how much certain tuition categories can be raised in any given year.
The proposed increase would generate an estimated $5 million in additional revenue per year.
That money would help WSU cover increased costs of health insurance and cost‑of‑living increases for faculty, including graduate students, and staff. Salary increases for faculty, graduate students and staff have been held to 1 percent in each of the past two years.
Meanwhile, average faculty pay at WSU lags 16 percent behind the peer average of Global Challenge States, as identified by the Washington Learns Commission. And, among the university system’s administrative professional staff, 79 percent of the positions pay less than the average salary of WSU’s Association of American Universities peer institutions, according to the latest survey by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.
Public comments about the proposed tuition rates can be sent to the WSU Budget Office at wsubudget.office@wsu.edu. They will be shared with the Board of Regents.
Below is a table showing current and the proposed tuition rates that will be considered by the Regents, including tuition levels for professional degrees.
| Tuition rates | Current | Proposed | Change | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Resident | $9,720 | $9,953 | $233 | 2.4% |
| Undergraduate Non-Resident | $23,956 | $24,531 | $575 | 2.4% |
| Undergraduate Resident Global Campus | $9,720 | $9,953 | $233 | 2.4% |
| Undergraduate Non-Resident Global Campus | $10,874 | $11,135 | $261 | 2.4% |
| Graduate Resident | $11,224 | $11,493 | $269 | 2.4% |
| Graduate Non-Resident | $24,656 | $25,248 | $592 | 2.4% |
| Graduate - Global Campus | $11,224 | $11,493 | $269 | 2.4% |
| Master of Nursing Resident | $17,234 | $17,234 | $0 | 0% |
| Master of Nursing Non-Resident | $32,256 | $32,256 | $0 | 0% |
| PharmD Resident | $21,990 | $21,990 | $0 | 0% |
| PharmD Non-Resident | $38,644 | $38,644 | $0 | 0% |
| DVM Resident | $24,994 | $25,744 | $750 | 3% |
| DVM Non-Resident | $60,550 | $61,156 | $606 | 1% |
| ESF College of Medicine - Resident | $37,240 | $38,357 | $1,117 | 3% |
| Masters in Athletic Training - Resident | $11,224 | $13,074 | $1,850 | 16% |
| Masters in Athletic Training - Non-Resident | $24,656 | $26,506 | $1,850 | 7% |
| Online MBA (per credit) | $813 | $834 | $21 | 2.5% |
| Online MBA - Military Rate (per credit) | $714 | $732 | $18 | 2.5% |
| Executive MBA (per credit) | $1,233 | $1,264 | $31 | 2.5% |
