The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education today approved moderate increases to tuition and mandatory fees for Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities. Tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students will increase an average of 4.0 percent statewide for the 2018-19 academic year.
“While we appreciate that our state system of higher education did not receive an additional budget cut for FY 2019, our public higher education institutions have operated in an extremely challenging fiscal environment for years,” said Dr. Ronald H. White, chair of the State Regents. “Moving forward, we will continue to maintain our focus on increasing college degree completion to strengthen Oklahoma’s workforce and economy.”
On average, a full-time Oklahoma college student will pay $224.43 more for tuition and mandatory fees in 2018-19.
“The State Regents and our colleges and universities remain committed to keeping higher education affordable for all Oklahomans,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “In the wake of successive years of budget cuts to higher education, this moderate increase in tuition and fees will enable state system campuses to meet mandatory costs while continuing to provide excellent academic programs and services for Oklahoma students.”
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater and Tulsa, will increase in-state tuition and mandatory fees by 3.2 percent. The University of Oklahoma, Norman, is not increasing tuition and mandatory fees in 2018-19.
Public regional university tuition and mandatory fee increases average 4.6 percent for in-state undergraduates.
Oklahoma’s community colleges will increase in-state tuition and mandatory fee rates by an average of 3.8 percent.
State law requires tuition to remain at levels below the average among comparable institutions, and Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities continue to keep tuition well within those limits.
“Any tuition or fee increase is approved only after thoughtful and deliberate consideration of the impact on students,” said Oklahoma City Community College President Jerry Steward, who serves as chair of the Council of Presidents. “Oklahoma college and university presidents are committed to finding new ways to generate revenue beyond tuition. We are continually exploring ways to cut costs, improve efficiencies, and leverage partnerships that keep Oklahoma colleges and universities among the most affordable in the nation.”
The law also requires the State Regents to make a reasonable effort to increase financial aid across the state system proportionate to any increase in tuition. Tuition waivers and scholarships provided by state institutions will increase 2.3 percent from FY 2018.
In addition, the State Regents administer Oklahoma’s Promise, a state scholarship program that allows high school students from middle- and low-income families to earn a college tuition scholarship. Beginning in 2017-18, the Oklahoma Legislature expanded eligibility for the program by increasing the family income limit from $50,000 to $55,000. An estimated 17,900 students will receive the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship in 2018-19.