Ball State University will increase its tuition by three percent for next school year.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, it will also increase student fees, room, and board costs.

Alan Finn is Ball State’s Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer.  He says the Muncie school is proud to be more affordable than many Indiana schools, except for Indiana University-Bloomington and Purdue University.

“They have a lot of non-resident international students to pay a much different tuition structure than in-state students.  We are, as we all know, right – 85 to 90 percent – educating Hoosiers.”

For full-time on-campus in-state students, the increase in tuition and a three percent increase in mandatory student fees will add $318 to their tuition bill next year.  That comes to $10,758.  For out-of-state students, the increase is $842 and Ball State tuition and fees will cost $28,766.

Finn says Ball State kept its increase below the non-binding recommendation from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education at 3.5 percent.  Finn says the school has consistently kept is increases below that recommendation for the last twelve years.

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The cost of meal plans – known around universities as “board” – will also increase by three percent next year.  As for the price of on-campus rooms, they’ll go up between about 1.4 -3 percent, depending on amenities.  Students who want air conditioning and private bathrooms will pay a higher increase.

Ball State officials say 79 percent of on-campus housing was occupied last year.  The school hopes for a three percent increase to that number next year, as well.

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The school’s approved general fund budget of $372,637,000 in operating expenses for the 2023-24 school year predicts about 100 more on-campus students than last year.