HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Board of Governors for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education voted unanimously on Wednesday to freeze tuition for in-state undergraduate students for the 2024-25 academic year.
It's the seventh consecutive year the tuition rate will remain the same at all 10 universities.
The repeated freezes save students nearly 25% in tuition costs compared to the price if tuition had risen at the inflation rate for the last six years, PASSHE said in a press release.
“PASSHE is proud to keep tuition frozen for a seventh consecutive year, and we thank the governor and the legislature for their increased investment which helps make this tuition freeze possible,” said Chair Cynthia Shapira. “State funding is a lifeline for our students to afford college, and freezing tuition for another year was a top priority for PASSHE as we continue to transform the State System for the future, support opportunities for more people to get a valuable education and prepare graduates to fill shortages throughout the workforce and serve their communities.”
The state budget negotiated by Governor Shapiro and the legislature invests an additional $35.1 million, or 6%, in PASSHE universities.
“PASSHE appreciates the governor and legislature for their strong support of our students and this investment in the State System," said Chancellor Dan Greenstein.” “Keeping tuition frozen for a seventh consecutive year will help more students get a college education and deliver on PASSHE’s mission to provide a quality higher education at the lowest cost to students.
“Pennsylvania’s workforce depends on the talented and well-educated graduates from PASSHE universities. Together with the state, we are making higher education more affordable and accessible, and strengthening the college-to-career pipeline of innovative thinkers and problem solvers, which benefits the students, their families and Pennsylvania’s economy."
The Board of Governors sets the in-state undergraduate tuition rate for PASSHE universities. Each university sets tuition rates for graduate students and out-of-state undergraduates, as well as room, board and mandatory fees for all students.
The 10 state-owned public universities comprising PASSHE serve the most in-state students and at the lowest price of any other four-year college or university in Pennsylvania. Nearly 90% of PASSHE’s 82,000 students are Pennsylvania residents, and many are from low- and middle-income families.
PASSHE universities coordinate with the private sector to align academic programs to local workforce needs, and two-thirds of graduates majored in areas with in-demand jobs, helping to address worker shortages in the commonwealth.
The Board also applauded the governor and legislators for establishing the State Board of Higher Education in the state Department of Education to provide more support and coordination among higher education institutions to meet Pennsylvania’s workforce needs.
“PASSHE has experienced the benefits of working together within our system, and we believe a greater level of collaboration among all of higher education will be good for Pennsylvania,” said Chancellor Greenstein. “The new State Board of Higher Education represents an opportunity for meaningful cooperation in a strategic manner to help colleges and universities better serve students, meet workforce development needs and support all communities."
The PASSHE's member schools consist of Cheyney University, Commonwealth University (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield), East Stroudsburg University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown Univeristy, Millersville University, PennWest University (California, Clarion and Edinboro), Shippensburg University, Slippery Rock University, and West Chester University.
