The University of Missouri board of Curators has approved a 3-5% undergraduate and graduate tuition increase for the 2024-2025 academic year.
The Board of Curators said in a statement that the rates are to maintain UM’s reputation for being a top value in higher education nationally and allow the UM System to continue investing in student success.
“The tuition increase will ensure that we keep delivering results that change lives and support the economic development in Missouri,” said University of Missouri President Mun Choi.
Students aren’t happy about the increase, and a lot of them chose UMKC because of its affordability compared to most other universities.
“Upping tuition may discourage potential incoming freshmen from considering UMKC as an option,” said Liv Courtney, an incoming earth and environmental science junior.
Ella Kennedy, an incoming health sciences sophomore, explained that she chose UMKC because the cost was low and federal grants and loans covered the cost. Now it’s getting to a point where it may not cover those costs.
“I am scared for the future and whether it’s going to increase more,” said Kennedy.
Rogelio Rodriguez, UMKC Democrats Executive member and incoming senior also wasn’t very happy with the changes to tuition.
“They have spoken about investments before and I think people want to physically see with our eyes where our money is going,” said Rodriguez.
“ UMKC’s increase is going along with Columbia’s increase so that’s also 5% for two very different schools of very different sizes with very different student body populations,” said Rodriguez.
Roughly 31,318 students attend Mizzou a year and roughly 15,300 students are enrolled at UMKC.
The Board of Curators said the tuition increase will continue to provide funding to more course sections, advisors, faculty, tutoring support, new classrooms and laboratories, new instruments, and research opportunities.
For Rodriguez, who is an incoming senior finishing up his undergraduate degree and paying in-state, that is a little over an $1,000 per semester difference compared to when he was a freshman.
In terms of the tuition increase, “It was kind of out of nowhere for some people. For a lot of us seeing that email it’s like OK now we have to worry about a 5% increase in tuition,” said Rodriguez, “Especially for a lot of us going into our last year, it sucks, it’s not a fun surprise to see.”
