COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio State University is poised to increase tuition for the eighth consecutive year.
Pending committee referral, Ohio State’s Board of Trustees will likely approve tuition, fee, dining, housing and student health insurance increases at its meeting Thursday afternoon. While many in-state students wouldn’t see their tuition rise due to Ohio State’s Tuition Guarantee program, incoming first-year students, graduate and professional students, and all out-of-state and international students would pay between hundreds and thousands more this fall.
According to Board of Trustees meeting materials, Ohio State argues the increases are necessary because of inflation driving up labor and material costs. While inflation has increased the total cost of college, the university notes that tuition makes up an increasing majority of student support funding – with just 25% of Ohio State’s student support money coming from the state of Ohio.
Under the proposal, undergraduate tuition and general fees would increase by 3% for incoming freshmen, not including housing costs, program-specific fees and nonresident surcharges. Continuing in-state students will see no cost increases due to the Tuition Guarantee, while out-of-state and international students would face an added $1,657 – a 5% increase. The international student surcharge, which is added on top of the non-resident surcharge, would not increase.
The 3% tuition increase matches last year’s increase and is the maximum amount allowable under state law.
Housing and dining costs will also increase 3%. Traditionally, the costs haven’t been included under the Tuition Guarantee Program – which locks in an Ohio resident student’s tuition for four years – but Ohio State has included it since fiscal year 2022.
The resulting effect on a student’s cost of attendance varies, depending on meal plan and housing tier. For the Columbus campus, housing increases range from $228 to $292, while meal plans will be between $134 and $162 more expensive. The cost for Rate I housing and a 10-swipe meal plan – the most common choices for undergraduates – would cost $14,810, or $428 more than in the 2023-2024 school year.
Student health insurance costs, meanwhile, would increase almost 5% from last year, costing between $176 and $704 depending on the plan. According to board meeting materials, the vast majority of U.S. students – 86% – do not elect student health insurance, but international students are required to do so.
Using the most common room and board combination, one year at Ohio State’s main campus would cost:
The above totals don’t include financial aid. Tuition and fees remain the same from last year for students enrolled only online. In all, 75% of undergraduate students will not see cost increases due to the Tuition Guarantee, including incoming first-year students. For the 25% who will see increases, the total cost of attendance will rise between 3.1% and 4.3%.
With the proposed increases, Ohio State would rank fifth among Ohio's public universities for in-state tuition and be the second-most expensive university for out-of-state students, trailing by $2 behind Miami University. The most common housing and dining combination is also the second-most expensive in the state.
Ohio State is proposing a 3% increase in graduate tuition, costing $404 more. Out-of-state and international students are expected to pay 4% more in non-resident surcharges, making tuition a total $1,513 costlier.
According to trustee meeting materials, the increases would make Ohio State the most expensive public university in the state for graduate students.
Not including program-specific fees – which are also expected to increase – one year in graduate or professional school at Ohio State's main campus would cost:
Read the full breakdown of proposed tuition and fee increases below.
