Tuition Hikes at Pa. Universities Keep Coming

College was already an exceedingly expensive part of education in Pennsylvania, but after the education cuts that were released in the latest Pennsylvania budget, the cost of college is climbing fairly quickly. While state college tuition is due to rise 7.5 percent as a result of the massive cuts to education, Temple University is raising tuition for the coming school year by 10 percent. Unfortunately for students set to enroll in the fall, the tuition hikes at Pa. colleges and universities keep getting announced.

The University of Pittsburgh recently announced that it will hike tuition for Pennsylvania residents 8.5 percent, adding to the cost of what was already the second highest tuition among public universities in the United States. Pitt medical students are in for even more of a sticker shock as their tuition will climb 12 percent. The school with the highest tuition, as far as public universities go, Penn State, is due to announce their tuition rate for the 2011 school year very soon. Of course, a hike in tuition is almost a foregone conclusion for all schools associated with Penn State.

When announcing the tuition hikes the universities are attempting to clarify any concerns that students and parents may have about transferring the entire cost of the loss of state funding to their shoulders. College administrators are very clear about using cost savings as well as tuition hikes to cover the deficits in order to minimize the impact to curricula. While many cost-saving issues likely include laying off staff and not filling vacant positions, universities may have to get creative when it comes time to save money. However, skyrocketing prices could obviously affect enrollment in both the long and short-terms.

Even with state grants due to rise for anyone qualified to receive the free money, the overall cost of attending a Pennsylvania school as a Pennsylvania resident is rising fast. Anyone not lucky enough to qualify for grant will be forced to make up the tuition out-of-pocket or with more student loans. Plus, many of the bigger schools are raising tuition more than any increase in grant money will cover. Add in the questionable job market facing graduates along with a difficult economy and the overall picture for college in the Keystone State is not looking up.

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.