Michigan State University board hikes tuition for coming school year

FLINT — Michigan State University tuition will be a few hundred dollars more expensive for the 2024-25 academic year.

On Friday, during a meeting held in Flint, the university's Board of Trustees unanimously approved the changes, which will increase tuition for full-time undergraduate and master of business administration students by $235 each semester or $470 for each year, according to a news release.

The tuition increase comes about two months after the board unanimously voted to increase what first-year students pay for housing and dining by nearly 7%. It's the second straight year of a nearly 7% rise in costs for room and board.

The tuition increase amounts to a to 2.7% jump for in-state undergraduate students, the university said, adding that resident, nonresident and international students will all see the increase.

"Given the across-the-board increases in the university’s costs and expenses, it is incumbent of the board to be fiscally responsible with institutional resources," Dan Kelly, R-Clarkston, who is chair of the university board, said in the release. "After carefully reviewing the data, the board agreed upon the lowest recommended increase, which upholds our commitment to ensuring students have access to a quality, affordable, world-class education."

Rema Vassar, D-Detroit, expressed concerns over its impact, citing low graduation rates for Black students.

While she said it was "difficult" for her to vote in favor of the increase, she added that university President Kevin Guskiewicz had assured her the school was working to allocate more funding to underrepresented students and working to improve its graduation rate for students of color.

Additionally, graduate students, who pay by the credit hour, will see a $26 increase per credit hour. Tuition at the university's professional schools will increase by 4%, the university said.

The University of Michigan increased tuition for in-state students 2.9%, Western Michigan University raised tuition 4.5% for first-year, in-state students and Grand Valley State University hiked tuition 3.5%.

Kelly noted MSU's increase was modest compared to other schools across Michigan.

Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at 517-377-1026 or mjmencarini@lsj.com.