Pa. state universities are set to increase tuition again, pending state budget deal

Students at Pennsylvania's 10 state-owned universities will see another tuition hike next year - unless state legislators pull through with an additional $31 million that school leaders say is necessary to offset rising costs.

Board members with the state system approved a $344, or 4.3%, annual increase in tuition for in-state undergraduate students, bringing costs to $8,338.

More funding from the state system could reverse this decision, though it isn't likely. Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed flat funding for the state-owned universities, along with state-related universities Penn State, the University of Pittsburgh and Temple University, in his 2026-27 budget proposal.

State lawmakers are still negotiating the final budget, which was due June 30. Last year, the budget wasn't passed until November, and the state-owned universities had to begin dipping into their reserves to cover costs.

The state system - which includes Slippery Rock University, the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania Western University - had requested over $651 million in state funds, up 5% from its 2025 appropriation of about $620 million.

If legislators approve the system's funding boost fully or in part, tuition could either freeze or not be raised as much, Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino told the Post-Gazette.

Fiorentino said he's remaining both "optimistic and realistic" about the prospects of seeing a bump in funds.

"We will be ready for whatever happens," he said.

The board approved the tuition increase unanimously. Student board member Ali Sina Sharifi said rising costs place a "burden" on students and families, but conceded that board members must remain "realistic" about uncertainties and challenges facing higher education.

"A tuition increase may be vital in keeping universities running," said Sharifi, who attends Shippensburg University. "It is a painful reality.

"We can only prepare ourselves for the future and hope that the state provides (the system) with the necessary funding so that the quality education remains accessible to all."

This is the second consecutive year of tuition increases for the public universities after seven years of freezes. Tuition stood at $7,716 per year between 2018 and 2024.

Affordability remains at the top of mind for the system, Fiorentino said. The system also announced Thursday a pledge program that will cover remaining tuition costs for in-state students who qualify for two need-based grants, the federal Pell and state-administered Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

"(The state system) remains the most affordable four-year option in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Fiorentino said during Thursday's meeting. "We know every dollar matters for students and their families, and I do not make this recommendation (for a tuition increase) lightly."

Last fall, the 10 state-owned universities collectively enrolled 83,005 students, reporting their first single-year enrollment increase in more than a decade. Retention was at 81%, its highest level on record, and community college transfers grew more than 14%.

In Western Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock reported a 3% uptick in students, IUP saw stable enrollment and PennWest's enrollment fell 2.6%.

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