The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voted Thursday to increase tuition for University of Wisconsin-Madison in-state undergraduates by 4%, the first university tuition hike in over a decade.
Starting in the 2023-24 academic year, tuition for in-state undergraduates will increase by $372 per year to a new annual rate of $9,946 per year, according to a university press release. Segregated fees will increase by $46, meaning in-state students will see a $418 total increase in tuition and fees.
Tuition for out-of-state undergraduate students will increase by 3% — or $1,137. Total tuition and fees for out-of-state undergraduates will rise to $40,611. Additionally, University Housing costs will increase by $200, while meal plans will increase by $50.
UW-Madison estimates increased tuition rates will generate around $21.5 million in additional revenue for the university. The additional revenue will go toward “expanding access to high-demand courses, growing need-based aid, and providing new teaching and student services positions,” according to the press release.
“After a decade of frozen in-state tuition, additional investment is needed to maintain our quality,” Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said in the press release. “At the same time, it is critical to maintain and further build our commitment to ensuring that access to the university remains affordable, especially for students from Wisconsin with financial need.”
Students receiving Bucky’s Tuition Promise and Bucky’s Pell Pathway, two programs which provide assistance to low-income Wisconsin residents, will not see their cost of attendance increase. These programs are funded entirely by private donors and money from other institutional resources.
The UW System plans to introduce the Wisconsin Tuition Promise next fall, a financial aid program similar to Bucky’s Tuition Promise for campuses other than UW-Madison. UW System officials previously committed to funding the program's 2023 student cohort using $13.8 million in funds.
UW System spokesperson Mark Pitsch was not immediately available for comment Thursday to answer whether the $13.8 million raised would cover increased tuition costs.
Tyler Katzenberger is the managing editor at The Daily Cardinal. As a former state news editor, he covered numerous protests and wrote state politics, healthcare, business and in-depth stories. Follow him on Twitter at @TylerKatzen.
Drake White-Bergey is the editor-in-chief and photo editor emeritus of The Daily Cardinal. As a photojournalist, his coverage focuses on politics and protests. Drake is a fourth-year student studying History and Journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. You can follow him on Instagram at @whitebergey.photography and on Twitter at @DWhiteBergey.
