Columbia, Mo.— The University of Missouri Board of Curators voted on Tuesday to approve a new differential tuition structure for each of the University of Missouri System’s four universities, which will go into effect for the Fall 2023 semester. The differential tuition model will consolidate supplemental course fees and the information technology fees into a differential tuition rate based on a student’s primary program of study.
“By modernizing our tuition structure, we will simplify students’ bills and make the cost of attendance more predictable,” President Mun Choi said. “Our priority is student success, and this new structure will enable students to graduate sooner and with less debt.”
The new tuition structure consolidates 64 separate supplemental course fees for undergraduates and combines them into three to six differential tuition rates based on a student’s program of study. These rates will be determined based on both the cost to deliver the degree and the job market for that particular degree. The differential tuition structure simplifies billing and makes the cost of attendance easier to understand and more predictable over a student’s academic career.
In addition to a differential tuition model, the University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri University of Science and Technology will implement a flat rate for full-time students taking a course load of 12 to 18 hours in a semester. Under this structure, students are incentivized to take at least 15 hours each semester, which will help them graduate faster. It also offers students flexibility to explore other course options they might not have otherwise considered due to added costs.
Rates for the new model will be determined by the Board in spring 2023.
Fall 2022 tuition rates
The Board also voted to increase tuition across all four UM universities by approximately 4.5% for undergraduate Missouri residents. With these increases, tuition at UM institutions remains competitive with public research universities in surrounding states. This increase remains below the rate of inflation, which is 8.5%.
“Our universities will remain among the most affordable and best value of our peer institutions,” Board Chair Darryl Chatman said. “These increases ensure we are able to deliver the standard of excellence in education our students expect while remaining competitive.”
MU will increase undergraduate resident tuition by $14.50 per credit hour, which would be approximately $217.50 a semester for a student taking 15 credit hours. The University of Missouri-Kansas City will increase tuition by $14 per credit hour, Missouri S&T by $14.30 per credit hour and the University of Missouri-St. Louis will increase by $17.10 per credit hour.
Tuition for graduate resident students will also increase across all four universities. Resident graduate tuition will increase by $20.70 per credit hour at MU, $21.15 at UMKC, $22.50 at Missouri S&T and $26.10 at UMSL.