The Board of Trustees of Ball State University approved tuition and mandatory fee rates Friday that further elevate the University’s position as one of the most affordable schools in the Midwest, especially among Indiana universities and Mid-American Conference schools.
There will be no rate increases for room, board, or parking fees for Ball State students in the next academic year.
A modest tuition and mandatory fees increase (1.45% in each of the next two academic years) extends a decade-long trend of remaining at or below the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) cap recommendations for these costs. The sustained period of low tuition growth is the longest for Ball State since World War II. The combined (room, board, tuition, mandatory fees, and parking) increase in cost for 2021-22 is the lowest in 20 years at Ball State.
“We know affordability is among the key concerns for our students and families,” Ball State Board of Trustees Chair Renae Conley said. “Our Board focuses on keeping rates unchanged or very low if increases are necessary. We have done that again, as we have done historically for the last decade.
“Our students depend on us, and so do Indiana taxpayers,” Conley said. “It is our responsibility to be good stewards of the University’s resources.”
Ball State’s prudent fiscal management – which has included cost containment, when possible – has further solidified the University’s position as the leader in the Mid-American Conference for the lowest tuition rate among all 12 schools.
University officials aligned fiscal decisions with Ball State’s strategic goals as they set tuition and mandatory fee rates.
“Student experience remains at the forefront of our decisions, and that includes decisions we make fiscally,” Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns said. “While we have managed expenses responsibly, we have also done so strategically so that we maintain the capacity to provide the personal educational experience that our students value and deserve.”
Since 2013, Ball State’s cost per degree awarded has only increased by 1.5%. That is compared to the consumer price index (CPI) rising 10.4% and the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) increasing 18.4%. The per capita income for Hoosiers has risen 29.5% in that time frame, which highlights Ball State’s affordability.
Next year, in addition to these small increases, the University will distribute more than $44 million in institutional financial aid and approximately $20 million in federal COVID relief funds to its students.
Among other actions, the Board of Trustees on Friday also approved the general fund budget, salary and wage plan, and allocation of student services fees for 2021-2022.