Oregon’s Biggest Universities Are Increasing Tuition Fees

To keep pace with inflation and rising costs, universities in Oregon are looking to student tuition fees to help fill budget gaps.

The biggest public post-secondary schools, including Oregon State University (OSU), Portland State University (PSU), and the University of Oregon (UO) are all increasing tuition fees for the 2024-2025 school year, despite that all three raised their tuition rates last year.

Universities In Oregon Raising Tuition Fees

The cost of getting a higher education in Oregon is going up in tuition-setting season for colleges and universities.

At OSU, the Board of Trustees voted to raise tuition costs on Friday. Averaging out to a $11 to $12 increase per credit hour, they are:

• Resident undergraduate students’ fees at the Corvallis campus will increase by 4.91%.
• Fees for undergrads at the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend will increase by 4.7%.
• Tuition rates increase by 4.65% OSU’s Ecampus.

This means that tuition for the 2024-25 school year will range between $11,325 for students enrolled before July 2020 and $12,045 for this fall’s new entrants to the university.

On the same day, PSU trustees approved a tuition increase of 4.8% for resident undergraduate students. The vote by UO’s trustees will see a 3% increase in tuition for their new undergrads.

Approving an increase over 5% would trigger a review and needs the approval of the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

OSU Looking Into Increased Aid For Students

OSU’s chief financial officer, Mike Green, indicated that the institution has plans to increase aid to over $100 million to help students make up for rising costs. The only student member on the Board of Trustees, Kassy Bannano, confirmed that students are feeling the effects of inflation, and many struggle to meet basic needs such as housing, food, and transportation. She expressed concern about the lack of student participation in the tuition-setting process.

Bonnano said the university needs more creative ways of paying for things beyond tuition. She said the absence of robust student participation in the tuition-setting process must change.

University Tuition Increase Above Preferred Range

A previous proposal from OSU’s budget committee set out a 7.05% increase in tuition fees for next year. This exceeds the board’s preferred range of a 2-5% annual increase. OSU President Jayathi Murthy made a recommendation for a lower rate to maintain affordability.  This would also help increase retention and graduation rates at the school.

OSU’s recent 10-year business forecast includes a 7% increase in tuition for the 2025-26 school year, and thereafter 3.5% annual increases. The OSU tuition and fee-setting documents show that a lower rate now could mean higher tuition increases in the coming years.