Ohio approves Wright State program that hikes tuition price but locks in rate

Wright State University is implementing a tuition guarantee program next fall.

Wright State University is implementing a tuition guarantee program next fall.

Wright State University’s next group of freshmen will pay higher tuition but the cost will remain the same for the following four years.

The state department of higher education approved the university’s “Wright Guarantee” program on Feb. 5 after the board of trustees signed off on it on Dec. 15.

The program means that freshmen at WSU’s main campus will pay $4,627 per semester, a 6 percent increase from last fall’s freshmen, according to the college.

Students on Wright State’s Lake campus will pay $3,096 per semester which also amounts to around a 6 percent increase. The 6 percent tuition hike is the highest allowed by the state for schools with tuition guarantees.

Although the price will be locked in for next fall’s incoming class, the university would still be able to increase tuition at the rate of inflation for the following year’s freshmen class.

The fixed rate also includes housing and dining costs over a four-year period, according to WSU.

It’s estimated that the tuition increase would generate around an additional $1.4 million in revenue in the first year at Wright State, said Walt Branson, WSU vice president for finance and chief business officer.

Variations of tuition programs are already in place at several other Ohio colleges, including Ohio University, Miami University, Ohio State University and the University of Dayton.

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