Wayne State University approves 4.5% tuition increase for undergraduate, graduate students

(CBS DETROIT) - Wayne State University has approved a 4.5% tuition increase for undergraduate and graduate students.

According to a new release, tuition for undergraduate, lower-division students who are utilizing the flat-rate tuition will increase by $281 per semester.

Housing rates for the upcoming school year will not increase.

"The board's decision to increase tuition was difficult and only agreed to after systematic analysis and detailed discussions," board chair Shirley Stancato said in a statement. "This increase will allow Wayne State to maintain the academic excellence that our students expect."

WSU officials say the university's average tuition and fee increases for undergraduates have been the lowest among Michigan's 15 public universities in the last three years. WSU implemented the flat-rate tuition pricing model last year, allowing students to enroll 12 to 18 credit hours for the same price.

More than 70% of undergraduate students received some financial aid, and 59% of incoming students did not have to pay tuition last year.

"We have worked very hard at Wayne State to remove financial hurdles and provide multiple pathways for students to earn a degree because we know that access to top-tier higher education is the surest path to a meaningful career and positively impacting the trajectory of a family's life," said WSU President Kimberly Andrews Espy in a news release.