Brace yourself for higher tuition at most PA colleges

If you have kids in college or about to start college, it's not too late to think about a trade instead.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors has decided to increase tuition by $181 for the 2008-09 academic year.

The state-owned universities that are part of the PASSHE system are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.

A spokesman for PASSHE tells parents to look on the bright side: The tuition boost is
below inflation rate for fourth straight year.

The new annual tuition rate for full-time, resident, undergraduate students beginning this fall will be $5,358 – the lowest rate among all four-year colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, according to a press release. PASSHE's total tuition and fee increases over the last five years have been the lowest among all public university systems in the United States, according to the release.

From Kenn Marshall, Media Relations Manager:

The Board also set new tuition rates for resident graduate students and all nonresident students. The resident graduate tuition rate in 2008-09 will be $6,430, an increase of $216. Nonresident graduate tuition will increase by $344, to $10,288. Full-time, nonresident undergraduate student tuition will range from $8,038 to $13,396, depending on a variety of factors, including the university and program in which a student enrolls.

The tuition technology fee will increase by $6 to $181 for the full academic year for full-time resident students and by $9 to $264 for full-time nonresidents. All funds raised by the technology tuition fee are used to directly benefit student learning. Universities have used the funds to install new computer labs and to design multi-media classrooms, among other projects.

The total cost of attendance for a resident student who resides on campus during the 2008-09 academic year, including tuition, required fees, room and board, will average about $13,000.

For more about the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, visit its Web site at www.passhe.edu