The new saying when it comes to the rising cost of a college education in Pennsylvania is that it could have been much much worse. Since the Pennsylvania budget included massive cuts to education, many universities that relied on the state for a portion of their funding have found themselves in the unenviable position of having to raise tuition to help offset the loss of funding. Temple University decided to go with a 10 percent hike, the University of Pittsburgh weighed in with an 8.5 percent hike, and now Penn State University has announced tuition hikes between 2.9 and 4.9 percent.
The actual tuition hike facing students, according to StateCollege.com, will depend on their location and level in the university. In-state undergraduates at University Park, or the main campus, will be facing the 4.9 percent increase, while out-of-state undergrads will be hit with a 3.5 percent increase. All satellite campus tuition rates will increase 2.9 percent. While the rates are increasing, raising tuition is not the only way Penn State is trying to cope with the $68 million cut by the state legislation.
In an effort to save costs, Penn State is also cutting some programs involved in the Agriculture Research area. Plus, the university is pushing pay freezes through for a variety of employees. Of course, other employees will be furloughed to help make the deficit disappear. Since the original budget proposal that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett proposed included a close to 50 percent cut to the university, parents and students should realize the tuition hike could have been much worse.
All things considered, the tuition hike at Penn State was smaller as a percentage than many public colleges being affected by the budget cuts, but since Penn State was one of the most expensive public universities in the United States the actual dollar amounts are on par or slightly higher than other educational options.
Ironically, the cut to education meant to save the government money, inevitably has resulted in thousands upon thousands of Pennsylvania students and families scrambling to cover a larger school bill. It remains to be seen how until long the "it could have been worse argument" begins to affect enrollment.
Jason Gallagher is a former travel professional and long-time Pennsylvania resident. These experiences give him a first-hand look at developing situations in the state and everything included in the travel industry from technology to trends.
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