COLUMBUS Ohio
Costs of attending a state college or university will continue to rise this fall for many students despite a two-year undergraduate tuition freeze celebrated by lawmakers and university officials.
The freeze temporarily halts what had been an average 9 percent annual tuition increase over the past decade that left Ohio’s public universities nearly 50 percent more expensive than the national average. The Legislature is pumping an additional $254 million into higher education over two years to support the freeze.
But many students who choose to live on campus or participate in a campus meal plan will again see significant increases this fall in their total college expenses. Some universities also have increased tuition for out-of-state and graduate students.
The increases in room and board schools are planning for the fall are similar to recent raises in tuition, with many hovering around 5 percent or more.
The costs of campus living depend on market conditions in the area, said Eric Fingerhut, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents. University officials said the room and board increases are going toward building and renovating residential and dining facilities.
At Ohio State University, a student living on campus last school year paid 6 percent more in tuition and 0.3 percent more in room and board. This fall, tuition for undergraduates at the nation’s largest campus will remain at $8,667 a year. But room and board is rising 4.7 percent to $7,236. That’s an increase of $345. Had tuition alone gone up by 6 percent again, students would have seen an increase of about $520.
