MU
no. 1 in Big 12 Conference: highest tuition rate
Julia
Shuck, posted Sept. 26, 2006
“I graduated the top of my class and am only getting
$2,500 a year in financial aid,” Ashley Bastin, MU freshman,
said. “My friend graduated with a 2.0, received a full
ride to a private university closer to home while I had a
4.0 and didn’t get near that much to help pay for a
public university.” The cost of tuition and lack of
financial aid became a topic of interest after State Auditor
Claire McCaskill reported Missouri Universities were charging
more in tuition and fees than any other public school in the
Big 12 Conference, which includes University of Texas, Nebraska,
Okalahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma
State, Kansas State and Iowa State.
According to the audit, while Missouri has one of the lowest
tuition-increase rates in the conference, 27 percent in three
years, other states such as Kentucky, who have increased 47
percent, are still cheaper to attend. The average cost per
year of tuition in 2006 was $5,829 in Missouri and $4,881
in Kentucky.
Missouri Universities will be receiving $20 million for higher
education funding this year and a two-percent increase in
funding for next year. According to McCaskill, these small
increases aren’t much when compared to inflation rates.
The report found that the two main sources of income for Missouri
Universities – state funding and tuition – are
forced to balance each other to meet the budget. Lack of state
funding has caused tuition rates to increase past inflation
and household income in the past seven years. Since Missouri
has cut back on spending for higher education low and middle-class
students have been hit hard. For many, funding isn’t
available through need or merit, so the cost of tuition has
to be paid for by family and loans.
“A majority of the costs come from fees, mainly for
the classes you are enrolled in which cots $227.30 per credit
hour and additional fees include a technology fee of $11.30
per credit hour, $125.60 for a recreation fee and $79.01 health
fee, on top of that,” Mary Allison with MU Admissions
said. Other major fees charged by MU are $342.20 for out-of-state
students per credit hour, a $108.24 student activity fee,
a laboratory equipment fee, if applicable. Specific colleges
also have additional fees. CAFNR adds $37.30 for each class
taken within the college.
