Out-of-state undergraduate and all graduate tuition to increase for next academic year

The UNC System Board of Governors approved changes in UNC tuition and student fees for the 2024-25 academic year during its Feb. 29 meeting, including a five percent increase for out-of-state undergraduate students and a two percent increase for all graduate students.

In-state undergraduate tuition remains unchanged for the eighth year in a row, whereas undergraduate non-resident tuition has seen yearly increases since the 2020-21 academic year.

Starting this fall, undergraduates who are North Carolina residents will continue to pay $7,019 per year, while out-of-state tuition will be $39,228. Graduate student tuition for residents will increase to $10,764 and non-residents will pay $29,421.

In a presentation to the UNC Board of Trustees’ Budget, Finance and Infrastructure Committee on Nov. 8,  Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations Nate Knuffman said that tuition increases may only be considered for non-resident undergraduate students and graduate students.

The increases will generate revenue to fund faculty salaries, need-based financial aid, student-related administrative needs, academic support and operation and maintenance, according to the University.

Currently, the total cost of tuition and fees for out-of-state undergraduates is $39,092 — and $8,751 for in-state residents. The non-resident cost for UNC is more than any other UNC System institution and resident cost is the second-most expensive among any public institution in the state, following N.C. State University.

“Our Tuition and Fee Advisory Task Force had some very good discussion around the importance of what makes Carolina, Carolina — which is accessibility and affordability,” Kaufman said in his presentation to the BOT. “That was certainly weighed during the conversation, as was any impact on enrollment.” 

Compared to non-UNC System peers, such as the University of Florida, University of California, Los Angeles, UC Berkeley, the University of Washington and the University of Virginia, UNC maintains below the average resident undergraduate and graduate cost and average non-resident rate.

Starting next academic year, the University will begin to cover out-of-pocket costs for tuition and mandatory fees for North Carolina undergraduates whose families make less than $80,000 a year.

Tuition pays for the bulk of academic services, whereas student fees are more specialized, Jonathan Sauls, senior associate vice chancellor of student affairs, said.

“Campus fees tend to be fairly specific for a purpose,” he said. “There is an athletic fee, a health fee, a student union fee, and they are dedicated to support specific functions.”

When students pay these costs each term, the number they see includes both tuition and fees.

The only change in student fees passed for the 2024-25 academic year was a $12.77 increase that will go toward student activities, specifically the Student Union.

Sauls said the Student Union is not a state building, meaning repairs are paid for by reserves derived from student fees. In comparison to other schools in the UNC System, UNC's fees are relatively modest, he said.

“This $13 increase was really earmarked for two reasons,” Sauls said. “One is to address inflationary pressures in terms of labor markets — both professional staff, but also so that we can offer competitive hourly wages for our student employees.” 

Katy Hrazdira, a UNC sophomore from New York City, said she wants further explanation for the increase in out-of-state tuition.

She said she felt a steady increase in out-of-state tuition could be a “red flag” for non-resident students from low income families, if the higher cost is not paired with a raise in financial aid or scholarships.

“I have been curious as to what that additional money will go toward and whether that will have an impact on my experience or whether it'll just be something that goes unnoticed,” she said.

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