University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin residents could pay more in tuition to attend the Universities of Wisconsin as soon as this fall if a proposal, announced Tuesday, is approved.
Tuition increase
What they're saying:
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced his proposal to increase tuition for resident undergraduates by up to 5% for the 2025-26 academic year on Tuesday.
Rothman’s proposal would increase tuition by 4% at all universities, with an optional 1% additional increase for a maximum of 5%. The Universities of Wisconsin said all campuses except UW-Green Bay plan to adopt the additional 1% if the proposal is approved by the UW Board of Regents.
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Further, the system said UW-River Falls is seeking an additional increase as part of an ongoing effort to support student success initiatives, which would bring its resident undergraduate increase to 5.8%.
"Preserving quality while maintaining our ability to be a leader on tuition affordability in the Midwest is a top priority," Rothman said in a statement. "After a decade of a tuition freeze and lagging state aid, we believe we have struck a balance for students and families with this proposal and the recent state investments in the UWs as part of the 2025-27 biennial budget."
Big picture view:
The Universities of Wisconsin said resident undergraduate tuition increased 7.7% during the 10-year period from 2015 to 2025, which was well below neighboring states. Those states saw tuition increases that ranged from 21.7% to 28.8% during that same period.
What's next:
The UW Board of Regents will consider the proposed tuition increase on Thursday, July 10.
Proposed resident undergraduate tuition
By the numbers:
Overall, the system said the total proposed cost of attendance for resident undergraduates will increase an average of 3.8% when segregated fees and room and board costs are considered. The regents approved segregated fees in April.
Universities would increase nonresident undergraduate tuition by either the same percentage or same dollar amount as resident undergraduate tuition, under the proposal.
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The proposed resident undergraduate tuition and segregated fees for each university in 2025-26 are as follows, in alphabetical order:
- UW-Eau Claire: $10,067
- UW-Green Bay: $8,985
- UW-La Crosse: $10,360
- UW-Madison: $12,166
- UW-Milwaukee: $10,916
- UW-Oshkosh: $8,993
- UW-Parkside: $8,658
- UW-Platteville: $8,812
- UW-River Falls: $9,249
- UW-Stevens Point: $9,477
- UW-Stout: $9,859
- UW-Superior: $9,272
- UW-Whitewater: $8,819
Budget deal
Dig deeper:
The proposed tuition hike comes after Gov. Tony Evers and Republicans who control the state Legislature reached a budget deal that included increased funding for the system.
The Universities of Wisconsin would see a $256 million increase over two years, the largest funding increase for the UW system in about two decades. UW Regents had asked for an $855 million overall increase and Republicans in June floated the possibility of an $87 million cut.
In a news release, the system said the funding increase is "dedicated to specific initiatives," and state funding represents roughly one-fifth of the system's total revenue.
Wisconsin budget: Evers, Republicans reach deal Tuesday
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Republican lawmakers reached a deal on Tuesday that could mean tax cuts and more money for special education and universities.
"Thankfully, the governor and Legislature approved a significant budget increase, the largest in over two decades, which enables us to preserve access and affordability," Rothman said in a statement. "Our public universities have become tuition-dependent due to lagging state funding in prior years, and the turnaround this budget cycle will help us continue providing educational opportunities to the next generation of Wisconsinites."
State employees, including at the university, would get a 3% raise this year and a 2% raise next year under the budget deal.
Evers signed the biennial budget in the early morning hours of July 3.
The Source: The Universities of Wisconsin released information about the proposed tuition increase. Information related to the biennial state budget is from prior reporting from FOX6 News and The Associated Press.