The cost of education is rising everywhere, and the U is no exception. With rising costs come questions about what students are really paying for. At the U, we are receiving a top-notch education with the biggest bang for our buck.
BYU also contends, despite rising tuition costs. Since it is a private school, it doesn’t rely on funding from the state as the U does. That should make its cost of education lower, but it doesn’t.
According to Lisa Zaelit, manager of Income Accounting and Student Loan Services at the U, the Utah Board of Regents meets every spring to determine tuition increases. These increases are then implemented before Summer Semester begins.
“We had an approximate increase of 8.5 percent for the 2009-2010 school year,” Zaelit said. This number is based on 12 credit hours for a regular undergraduate resident student.
Zaelit also said this is a reasonable increase, considering the state of the economy. Economics, grants, bonds and donors all play a part in how the Board of Regents makes its decisions.
In the two years before the 8.5 percent tuition increase, the U showed an increase of approximately 6 percent. Zaelit said this is comparable to the national average for state-funded public institutions of higher education.
According to BYU’s website, BYU showed an increase of 5.12 percent for the 2009-2010 school year. Although the increase was approximately 3 percent lower than at the U, it is still higher in its tuition cost per semester.
The cost to attend BYU for one 12-credit hour semester is $2,145, whereas at the U it is $2,060.24. This is not a significant difference, but the BYU tuition rate mentioned is only for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For non-LDS students, the rate is much higher, coming in at $4,290 a semester, regardless of residency.
BYU has achieved many great rankings for the educational experience at its institution, but it does get a bit pricey for that education if you are not of the same faith. For non-LDS students, going to BYU isn’t a great value.
If you want more for your tuition without changing your belief structure, the U is the place for you.
