Lehigh University’s board of trustees has approved a 3 percent increase in tuition for the 2015-2016 academic year, according to an email from the Lehigh administration to The Brown and White.
Tuition will increase by $1,340, raising the cost of attending Lehigh as an undergraduate, including tuition, room and board and a technology fee, to $58,510.
According to the Lehigh administration, this increase is expected to be one of the lowest tuition increases in the nation.
Lehigh also increased tuition by 3 percent for the 2014-2015 school year. According to “CollegeBoard,” in the 2014-2015 year, 65 percent of full-time students attended private nonprofit four-year schools that increased tuition fees by 3-6 percent. Only 30 percent attended schools that increased by less than 3 percent and 2 percent of students were faced with increases of 9 percent or more.
Nationally, tuition and fees at private institutions rose by 3.7 percent overall, with the average tuition and fees rate, without room and board, being $31,231. According to U.S. News and World Report, Lehigh’s 2014-2015 tuition and fees rate was above the national average at $44,890.
According to the Lehigh Office of Financial Aid’s frequently asked questions website, price of attendance over the past 10 years has increased on average about 4.9 percent each year.
With this tuition increase, Lehigh administration said the university aims to provide appropriate financial aid to students in need.
“The university remains committed to offering students an extraordinary living and learning experience while prudently managing university resources,” according to an email from the Lehigh administration.
In an email to the Lehigh community regarding the tuition increase, Patrica Johnson, the vice president of Finance and Administration, also emphasized Lehigh’s focus on financial assistance.
“Lehigh is deeply committed to need-blind admissions and support for students with demonstrated financial need,” Johnson said. “We remain dedicated to an unwavering standard of excellence in your educational experience and in providing you with the resources you need to succeed here and in your life beyond the university.”
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