News
Regents Approve 2.5% Tuition Increase for Dalton State
04/16/19
The Georgia Board of Regents approved a 2.5 percent tuition increase for Dalton State College for fiscal year 2020.
Tuition and mandatory fees for a resident of Georgia or Tennessee taking 15 credit hours will rise $39 per semester from $2,123 this year to $2,162 next year. Students from outside of Georgia or Tennessee will see a rise from $6,334 to $6,478.
The increase follows a year when tuition rates were not raised, and student fees were raised only $17.
“We are pleased with this modest tuition increase because it will have minimal impact on our students, and it will provide the College with increased revenues to address rising costs of healthcare and other employee benefits, as well as the costs of maintaining and operating a campus with multiple facilities,” said Dr. Margaret Venable, president of Dalton State. “We remain an affordable institution that delivers academic rigor and a quality education.”
Even with this 2.5 percent increase, the University System of Georgia has held increases to an average of 1.7 percent annually over the last five years, which is less than the rate of inflation. Tuition rates in Georgia remain an average of 25 percent less than those charged by peer institutions in other states, according to a recent state audit report.
“Limiting tuition increases to 2.5 percent will help enable institutions to balance the critical needs of affordability and quality for students and families,” said Chancellor Steve Wrigley. “At the same time, USG will continue building upon systemwide initiatives to ensure on-time college completion, increase student access to free textbooks, and reduce student borrowing. USG institutions are advancing our priorities of affordability, efficiency, and degree attainment while continuing to provide students with a high-quality education.”
USG last year launched a systemwide, comprehensive effort to increase students’ successful degree completion and on-time graduation. This initiative, known as the Momentum Year, is the first of its kind in the country. At the same time, USG is implementing a systemwide financial literacy initiative called Know More, Borrow Less. The initiative is designed to reduce student borrowing, increase their understanding of debt, and provide them with timely, customized information about their student loans.
Additionally, Dalton State participates in the USG’s free, open-source, online textbooks through Affordable Learning Georgia.