SALT LAKE CITY — College students will have to pay a little more next year at the eight public degree-granting universities across the state of Utah.
But officials with the Utah System of Higher Education say it could have been much worse. The price bump is actually a near-decade low and below last year's increase.
"The board met on Friday to establish tuition and fee schedules for 2026 — that’s the year beginning July 1," said Nate Talley, deputy commissioner and chief financial officer with USHE. "The legislative appropriations this year called for two-and-a-half percent cost-of-living adjustments, along with some other movements in compensation and mandatory costs ... the legislature recognizes tuition and fees as a revenue source, and so they pass on some of those costs to institutions."
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On average, it's a sub-inflationary 2.23% hike, less than 2025's 3.1% increase.
"The board has heavily emphasized and prioritized affordability," Talley added,
Here's how it breaks down per school.
- At the University of Utah, each student will pay $224 more, a 2.1% bump.
- At Utah State, tuition goes up $223, a 2.57% hike.
- At Weber State, students pay $68 more, just over a 1% increase.
- At Southern Utah University, it's $131, 1.89% more.
- Utah Tech goes up $175, a 2.58% increase.
- Utah Valley University is raising $168, also a 2.58% increase.
- Salt Lake Community College is $117 more next year, a 2.64% hike.
- At Snow College, a student will pay $99 more, a 2.29% increase.
Talley recognized the institutions individually for their proposals to limit any kind of increase amid the current inflation concerns for families and pointing out Utah's still got some of the best value for your buck.
"Utah is highly invested in the value proposition of higher education, and the board, the commissioner’s office and our institutions really instantiated that with this year’s tuition and fee proposals and approvals," Talley said.
Approving tuition and fee adjustments is a part of the duties of the Utah System of Higher Education, but their work isn't done. Later this year, they'll be tasked with a request by the state legislature to re-allocate funds at the state's colleges and universities.
