Enhancing Affordability - 2012-13

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New Affordability Measures at Private, Nonprofit Colleges and Universities - 2012-13

Last update: April 5, 2012

The following examples of new affordability initiatives demonstrate the creative ways in which private, nonprofit colleges are working to keep students' and families' out-of-pocket costs as low as possible. They are part of a growing campus affordability trend that has accelerated since the economic downturn.

Measures such as these are making a difference. Average inflation-adjusted net tuition and fees at private colleges has actually dropped by 4.1 percent from 2006-07 to 2011-12. Despite the predictions of many experts at the onset of the economic downturn, most private, nonprofit colleges continue to meet, if not exceed, their enrollment targets, largely because of their efforts to enhance affordability and value. Nevertheless, more must - and will - continue to be done by colleges to stay affordable and within reach of families from all backgrounds.

A PDF Version (which also includes 2011-12 examples) is also available. The PDF is an updated version of the document that NAICU provided to policymakers in December 2011, in response to the White House and Congress's renewed focus on campus affordability efforts.

This list will be updated regularly over the coming months, as more 2012-13 campus measures are announced. Please note: These are the examples NAICU knows of; there will be other private, nonprofit colleges introducing similar measures this fall. In June 2012, NAICU will report the results of our 2012-13 survey of private college tuition and student aid increases.

See also: "Statement by NAICU President David Warren on the College Board's 2011-12 College Pricing and Student Aid Reports (Oct. 26, 2011).

Also available: Initiatives launched in 2011-12, 2010-11, 2009-10, 2008-09, and earlier.




Tuition Cuts

Burlington College
Burlington, VT

Burlington College is discounting tuition by 25 percent for the summer 2012 semester.

Cabrini College
Radnor, PA

Cabrini College is cutting tuition by 12.5 percent for 2012-13 and will increase it no more than 3.45 percent through 2014-15. Institutional aid to students will remain as is.

Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA

Duquesne University will offer a 50-percent discount on tuition and fees for all freshmen who enroll in the school of education in 2012. The discount is good for all four years students are in the program.

Lincoln College
Lincoln/Normal, IL

Lincoln College is cutting tuition and fees by 24 percent at its Lincoln campus, and by 28 percent at its Normal campus.

Seton Hall University
South Orange, NJ

Seton Hall University is reducing tuition and fees by two-thirds ($21,000) for academically high achieving students, to match Rutgers University's in-state rate.

University of Charleston
Charleston, WV

University of Charleston will cut tuition by 22 percent for entering freshmen and transfer students in 2012-13.

William Peace University
Raleigh, NC

William Peace University is cutting tuition by 7.7 percent for 2012-2013, and freezing room and board at the current rate. Institutional aid to students will remain as is.

 

Tuition Freezes (0-percent increases)

Alderson Broaddus College
Philippi, WV

Alderson Broaddus College is freezing tuition at its current level for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. The college also froze tuition in 2011-12.

Ancilla College
Donaldson, IN

Ancilla College is freezing tuition at its current level for the 2012-13 academic year.

Barry University 
Miami Shores, FL

Barry University is freezing tuition at its current level for the 2012-13 academic year.

Burlington College
Burlington, VT

Burlington College is freezing tuition at its current level for fall 2012 for current and incoming full-time students, and guaranteeing it won't increase for four years. The college is also discounting tuition for the summer 2012 semester by 25 percent.

Calumet College of St. Joseph
Whiting, IN

Calumet College of St. Joseph is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-13.

Culver-Stockton College
Canton, MO

Culver-Stockton College is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-13.

Franklin Pierce University
Rindge, NH

Franklin Pierce University is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-13, and has eliminated all course fees. This follows a 2-percent increase in 2011-12 and a freeze in 2010-11.

Georgian Court University
Lakewood, NJ

Georgian Court University is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-13.

Goodwin College
East Hartford, CT

Goodwin College is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-13.

Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX

For 2012-13, Hardin-Simmons University is freezing tuition for the entering class at the 2011-12 level. The incoming class also will be able to guarantee the rate for as long as students are enrolled full-time at the university.

MidAmerica Nazarene University
Olathe, KS

MidAmerica Nazarene University is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-13.

Montreat College
Montreat, NC

Montreat College is freezing tuition at its current level for the 2012-13 academic year.

Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA

Mount Holyoke College is not raising tuition, room, or board for the 2012-2013 academic year, holding prices at the 2011-2012 rate. This is the college's first freeze since 1968.

Oak Hills Christian College
Bemidji, MN

Oak Hills Christian College is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-2013.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary of the Woods, IN

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is freezing tuition for 2012-13.

Sewanee: University of the South
Sewanee, TN

Sewanee: University of the South is freezing tuition, room, and board for the next four years for the class entering the university in fall 2012. Next year's tuition also will remain at this year's level for returning students. This follows a 10-percent cut in tuition, fees, room, and board in 2011-12.

Tabor College
Hillsboro, KS

Tabor College is freezing tuition for 2012-13.

Thomas College
Waterville, ME

Thomas College is freezing tuition and fees for 2012-13.

Urbana University
Urbana, OH

Urbana University is freezing tuition, room, and board for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Westminster College
Fulton, MO

Westminster College (Mo.) is freezing tuition at its current level for 2012-13.

Wilson College
Chambersburg, PA

Wilson College is freezing tuition for 2012-13.

 

Free Tuition/No-Loan Policies

Dartmouth College

Beginning in fall 2012, Dartmouth College will provide free tuition and eliminate loans from the financial aid packages for students with family incomes of $100,000 a year or less, raising the income threshold from $75,000. This move is effective for eligible current as well as incoming students. Dartmouth's program was implemented in 2008-09.

 

Fixed-Tuition Guarantees: No increases during the years a student is enrolled

Burlington College
Burlington, VT

Burlington College is freezing tuition at its current level for fall 2012, and guaranteeing it won't increase for four years, for current and incoming full-time students. The college is also discounting tuition for the summer 2012 semester by 25 percent.

Columbia College
Columbia, MO

Columbia College has announced a new tuition plan that will hold a freshman student's tuition constant for five years. Tentatively set to begin fall 2012.

Kettering University
Flint, MI

Beginning in the 2012-13 academic year, Kettering University will offer a fixed-tuition guarantee for all undergraduate students for up to 10 successive academic terms of full-time study. In addition, Kettering will eliminate all academically related fees.

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

Beginning in 2012-13, Roosevelt University and nearby community colleges will offer students a seamless educational experience for students with a guaranteed tuition rate. Students complete an associate's degree and matriculate to Roosevelt at a frozen tuition price point across four years.

Sewanee: University of the South
Sewanee, TN

Sewanee: University of the South is freezing tuition, room, and board for the next four years for the class entering the university in fall 2012. In addition, next year's tuition also will remain at this year's level for returning students. This follows a 10-percent cut in tuition, fees, room, and board in 2011-12.

 

Four-Year Graduation Guarantees

Ashland University
Ashland, OH

Ashland University is introducing a Four-Year Graduation Guarantee for incoming students in fall 2012. If students don't finish in four years, Ashland will pay up to an additional year of tuition for the extra time it takes them to finish, as long as they adhere to their graduation plan.

Baldwin-Wallace College
Berea, OH

In fall 2012, Baldwin-Wallace College is introducing the "Four-Year Graduation Guarantee" program. The college will ensure that students graduate within four years or it will cover the cost for the extra time that it takes.

Jacksonville University
Jacksonville, FL

Beginning fall 2012, Jacksonville University will offer a four-year graduation guarantee to traditional freshmen.

Medaille College
Buffalo, NY

Beginning in fall 2012, Medaille College will offer incoming freshmen a four-year graduation guarantee.

Midland University
Fremont, NE

Starting in fall 2012, Midland University will offer a four-year graduation guarantee.

 

Three-Year Degree Programs

Ashland University
Columbus, OH

Beginning in fall 2012, Ashland University will offer 12 bachelor's degrees that can be completed in three years.

Baldwin-Wallace College
Berea, OH

Beginning in fall 2012, Baldwin-Wallace College will introduce a three-year degree pilot program.

Thomas More College
Crestview Hills, KY

Thomas More College is beginning a three-year degree program in 2012-13, which will be available in all undergraduate programs except nursing and education. With admittance into the program comes a fixed tuition rate for all three years.

Urbana University
Urbana, OH

Beginning in 2012-13, Urbana University will begin modifying degree programs and course schedules to allow motivated students to obtain degrees in three years.

Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston, MA

Wentworth Institute of Technology will start its first three-year baccalaureate degree program in fall 2012.


** Click here for the complete list of three-year degree programs launched since 2009

 

Partnerships with Community Colleges

Baylor University
Waco, TX

Beginning in 2012-13, Baylor University will begin the pilot phase of the new Baylor@MCC Co-Enrollment Program with McLennan Community College. Students who qualify academically for Baylor, but can't be admitted due to space constraints, can attend the first year or two at MCC then move on seamlessly to graduate at Baylor. Advisers from both institutions help students select courses that satisfy program requirements.

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

Beginning in 2012-13, Roosevelt University and nearby community colleges will offer students a seamless educational experience for students with a guaranteed tuition rate. Students complete an associate's degree and matriculate to Roosevelt at a frozen tuition price point across four years.

Saint Peter's College
Jersey City, NJ

Beginning in 2012-13, a new partnership allows students at Hudson Community College who attain an associate's degree to transfer their credits to bachelor's degree programs at Saint Peter's College, and pay tuition and fees equivalent to a state university.

University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

In fall 2012, University of San Francisco is expanding its 2+2 partnerships with local community colleges to its Sacramento campus, followed by two other USF branch campuses likely in spring 2013. Traditional undergraduate students compete two years at a community college, and then transfer to the local USF campus for their last two years, without having to relocate. Tuition for these students is discounted by 33 percent.

 

Student Aid Initiatives

University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, KS

For 2012-13, University of Saint Mary is significantly raising the dollar amount of academic scholarships for most students. For first-time students, individual scholarships amounts will be raised by an average of over 40 percent from current year levels. For transfer students, scholarships have been raised by an average of over 50 percent.

 

Special Scholarship Programs

University of Dayton
Dayton, OH

For 2012-13, first-year University of Dayton students can receive up to $4,000 over four years for textbooks if they apply, visit campus, and complete a financial aid form by March 1, 2012.

 

Significantly Lower Tuition Increases

Ashland University
Ashland, OH

Ashland University is increasing tuition, room, and board by 1.1 percent for 2012-13, the smallest increase on record.

Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME

Bowdoin College is increasing its comprehensive fee by 3 percent for 2012-13, tied with 2011-12 as the lowest increase since 1971.

California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA

California Institute of the Arts is proposing a 2 percent tuition increase for 2012-13, the lowest percentage increase in three decades.

Catholic University of America
Washington, DC

Catholic University of America is increasing tuition and fees by 2.9 percent for 2012-13, the lowest percentage increase in at least 30 years.

Centre College
Danville, KY

Centre College is increasing tuition by 2.9 percent for 2012-13, the lowest increase in recent memory, and part of the institution's commitment to hold increases to 3 percent or less for the coming years.

Heidelberg University
Tiffin, OH

Heidelberg University is increasing its comprehensive fee (tuition, fees, room, and board) by 2.8 percent for 2012-13, the second lowest increase in decades.

Huntington University
Huntington, IN

Huntington University is increasing tuition by 2.5 percent for 2012-13, the lowest increase in recent memory.

LaGrange College
LaGrange, GA

LaGrange College expects its percentage increase in tuition for 2012-13 to be the smallest in 20 years.

Mississippi College
Jackson, MS

Mississippi College will increase tuition 2.8 percent for 2012-13, the eighth straight year the college has held annual tuition increases between 2 and 3 percent.

Northeastern University
Boston, MA

Northeastern University is increasing tuition and fees by 3.9 percent for 2012-2013, the lowest percentage increase in more than 30 years. The university is also continuing the trend of increasing financial-aid spending by twice the rate of tuition increases. When financial aid is factored in, the "net increase" in tuition will be 2.7 percent.

St. John's College
Annapolis, MD/Santa Fe, NM

St. John's College is increasing tuition by 2.9 percent for 2012-13, the second lowest percentage increase in 30 years.

Stanford University
Stanford, CA

Stanford University is increasing tuition by 3 percent for 2012-13, the lowest percentage increase in 40 years.

University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

The University of Pennsylvania is increasing total undergraduate charges by 3.9 percent for 2012-13, the second lowest increase in 44 years. It also is increasing its financial-aid budget by 7.7 percent over 2011-12.

Ursuline College
Pepper Pike, OH

Ursuline College is increasing tuition by 3.5 percent for 2012-2013, the smallest increase in 13 years.

Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University is increasing tuition by 1.9 percent for 2012-13, the lowest percentage in 25 years.

Curricular Innovations

Lipscomb University
Nashville, TN

Beginning in 2012-13, Lipscomb University will reduce the number of units needed for graduation, from 132 to 126 hours, lowering the total cost of tuition and time to graduation.

 

Accelerated Joint Bachelor's-Master's Degree Programs

Saint Peter's College
Jersey City, NJ

Beginning in 2012-13, Saint Peter's College will offer five-year combined bachelor's-master's programs in accountancy and in criminal justice.

Simmons College
Boston, MA

Beginning in fall 2012, Simmons College is offering 3+1 programs that allow students to receive both bachelor's and master's degrees in just four years.

Wilson College
Chambersburg, PA

Beginning in fall 2012, Wilson College will offer a 3+1 program for undergraduate students that allows them to graduate in four years having completed their bachelor's and master's degrees in the humanities.