No tuition hike at Georgia colleges and universities despite $66 million budget cut

Caption

Sonny Perdue, former governor of Georgia and current chancellor of the Georgia Board of Regents, speaks in a Regents meeting via livestream on May 16, 2023.

Credit: GPB via State of Georgia

Despite a $66 million cut to the University of System of Georgia's budget by state lawmakers, tuition will remain mostly unchanged for the upcoming academic year.

The Georgia Board of Regents voted unanimously not to raise undergraduate and graduate tuition rates for the 2023-24 academic year at 25 of 26 institutions.

"This would be the sixth time in eight years that tuition has remained flat for our students in the university system," Tracey Cook, Regents Chief Fiscal Officer, told the Board at its May meeting On Tuesday.

Middle Georgia State University, based in Macon is the only exception. Its tuition will increase by $19 for in-state undergraduate students and $66 for out-of-state undergraduate students to better align "with other institutions in that sector."  

"Among the 50 states, Georgia is the seventh lowest in the average undergraduate tuition and required fees as compared to its peers based on the College Board national data," Cook said.

USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue floated the possibility of a systemwide tuition increase shortly after the General Assembly slashed the system's budget in March, despite a state budget surplus of $6.6 billion. 

While Perdue called "holding the line on tuition" a commitment to keeping college affordable, he acknowledged the future is uncertain.

"That doesn't negate the financial headwinds and increasing costs our institutions face, and I look forward to working with Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly to do everything we can to try to restore funding," Perdue said.

At Tuesday's meeting, one Regents member mentioned the possibility that those funds might be restored. 

"The items presented are trying to balance affordability with quality of instruction," Regent Neil L. Pruitt Jr. said. "And we are relying on the restoration of the funds. What we're presenting to you today is what I consider a temporary fix for the year."

The General Assembly could restore the funds in the amended budget when it meets in January.