Clemson University approves tuition increases for 2018-19 (2024)

Clemson University approves tuition increases for 2018-19 (1)

Tuition at Clemson University is going up by $129 per semester for South Carolina residents and $535 for students from out-of-state, an increase of 1.75 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

The school's Board of Trustees approved thehike, along with higher rates for housing and meals, Friday.

That makes the sticker price for in-state undergraduates$7,485 a semester, and $18,362 for students from out of state.

University officials note, however, that students from South Carolina on average pay only about 36 percent of the cost of tuition because of grants and scholarships, and more than half of all Clemson students graduate without any student loan debt.

“I’m always sensitive to cost – the cost of tuition, the cost of education,” Clemson President Jim Clements told reporters after the board’s vote. “But one thing we provide at Clemson is super-high quality. So I hope that our students know that we’re a top 25 public university and they’re getting a great return on their investment. They’re getting a high-quality education.

“We do the best we can to keep costs as low as we can.”

The tuition increase was the lowest among increases of the seven state institutions of higher education that have approved tuition rates for 2018-19, according to figures compiled by Clemson, not counting satellite campuses. Only USC Upstate, whose tuition is going up 1.5 percent, was lower.

Students have come to expect increases each year.

“Tuition’s been steadily going up,” said Cole Morgan, a Clemson business management major from Chapin. “It certainly hasn’t gone down anytime recently. I don’t think it’s going anytime soon.”

Friday’s news, he said, was “not good to hear, but it’s not a surprise.”

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But the tuition increases come at a time when average South Carolina families are increasingly being priced out of the state’s research universities, according to a report released Thursday by the state Commission on Higher Education.

The median family income of students at tClemson, USC and the Medical University of South Carolina rose from $41,360 in 1997 (in 2015 dollars) to $72,210 in 2015, the report says.

Meanwhile, state funding for Clemson fell from $112.8 million in 2007-08 to $80 million in 2016-17, according to another report by CHE.

Clemson officials said they were pleased with the increased state support in this year’s budget, which helped keep the tuition increase lower than it would have been otherwise.

Earlier this month, the University of South Carolina raised its tuition by 2.9 percent, and less for some of its campuses, which the school said was its smallest tuition increase in 20 years.

But South Carolina’s colleges and universities rank seventh-highest in the nation in tuition costs, according to the Southern Regional Education Board.

And although Clemson’s new tuition increase is below the current rate of inflation, as calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, tuition costs have increased seven-fold since the late 1980’s, the CHE report notes.

Tuition among the state’s higher education institutions jumped by 761 percent between 1987 and 2015. That was well above the rate of the increase in national healthcare costs (240 percent), housing in South Carolina (130 percent) and median incomes in the state (85 percent), according to the report.

Meanwhile, the percentage of first-generation college students in the state has fallen steadily over the past 20 years, the report says.

And the percentage of South Carolina high school graduates age 17-19 entering higher education fell from 83.5 percent in 2006 to 76 percent in 2016.

The lottery-funded scholarships, which once more than covered tuition costs, now cover only about half the cost of tuition on average, according to the CHE report.

The CHE has been arguing that the state’s colleges and universities should cut expenses before raising tuition.

“While the CHE understands the difficult decisions that universities must make when planning their budgets each year, as college costs continue to rise, and students look for relief from crippling debt, we should be focused not on raising tuition but instead on cutting the total cost of college, reining in university spending and opening up the books across our university system so taxpayers can see how tax dollars are being spent,” CHE Chairman Tim Hofferth said.

Clemson officials point out that Clemson trimmed its expenses over the past year by more than $13 million through better sourcing and procurement, reallocating $5.1 million to academics and “mission criticalinvestments." The university’s costs, adjusted for inflation, have decreased by 16 percent over the past decade, Clemson officials said.

But the tuition increase was needed because of higher health and retirement costs mandated by the state, to undertake campus safety and student life improvements, for infrastructure replacement and renovations, and for “critical investments in quality” to maintain its standing as one of the top 25 public universities in the country, as rated by U.S. News & World Report.

Tuition isn’t the only cost of attending Clemson that went up. For first-year students, staying in a dorm or student apartment will increase by between 1.7 percent and 4.7 percent, depending on which type housing. That amounts to an increase of $48 to $145 per semester.

For continuing students, on-campus housing will go up between 4.2 percent and 4.5 percent, or between $116 and $171 a semester.

Clemson's housing costs remain in the middle of the pack among universities in the Southeast of similar size, according to the university's calculations.

The cost of meals is going up by 2.9 percent to 4 percent, with the average cost of a meal on the “unlimited” plan at around $5.

Some students took a philosophical view of the rate increases.

Parker Tilley, secretary of public relations for Clemson Undergraduate Student Government and a finance and accounting major from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said he believes the administration has worked hard to save money and keep costs as low as possible.

“Clemson has been ranked as one of the best return-on-investment universities that you get,” he said. “And while the cost increases, at the end of the day we still want to make sure that Clemson is a top tier school.”

Clemson University approves tuition increases for 2018-19 (2024)

FAQs

Clemson University approves tuition increases for 2018-19? ›

Tuition at Clemson University is going up by $129 per semester for South Carolina residents and $535 for students from out-of-state, an increase of 1.75 percent and 3 percent, respectively. The school's Board of Trustees approved the hike, along with higher rates for housing and meals, Friday.

Did Clemson Trustees approve the fifth consecutive in state tuition freeze for 2024 2025? ›

In June, with the continued support of the South Carolina General Assembly, the Board approved an in-state tuition freeze for the fifth consecutive year. On July 18, 2024, the Board approved the administration's $2.1B balanced budget for FY25.

Have recent tuition increases at public colleges and universities been larger than in previous years? ›

The average annual cost of tuition at a public 4-year college* is 40 times higher than tuition in 1963. College tuition inflation averaged 3.63% annually from 2010-2011 to 2022-2023. The cost of tuition at public 4-year institutions increased 36.7% from 2010 to 2023.

How much does it cost to go to Clemson for 1 year? ›

Non-South Carolina Resident Cost of Attendance
Type of CostUndergrad On or Off CampusUndergrad Commuter(1)
Tuition$39,350$39,350
Fees(2)$1,516$1,516
Major Enrichment(2)$0 - $2,500$0 - $2,500
Books, Supplies & Course Materials$1,456$1,456
7 more rows

What is the average financial aid package for Clemson University? ›

Clemson University Financial Aid

Clemson University meets 47% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $13,352 a year. Around 46% of Clemson University undergrads take out student loans to cover any remaining costs.

How much is Clemson out-of-state in 2024? ›

Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 Undergraduate Tuition and Fees
Full-Time Undergraduate Tuition per Semester (Twelve hours or more)ResidentNon-S.C. Resident
Academic Fee$7,019$19,675
Matriculation Fee$5$5
Activity Fee$40$40
Software License Fee$21$21
7 more rows

What is the Clemson Cola for 2024? ›

Eligible staff making $50,000 or less will receive a base salary increase of $1,125*. Eligible staff making more than $50,000 per year will receive a COLA of 2.25%, calculated as a percentage of their base salary. All eligible faculty members will receive a base salary increase of $1,750.

How much has tuition increased in the last 20 years? ›

In the 20 years between 2000 and 2021, room and board increased about 44%, while tuition rose 65%. College room and board used to cost more than college tuition. College tuition was more expensive than room and board for the first time in 1999.

Why is college so expensive in 2024? ›

However, prices still continue to rise. The inflation rate from February 2023 to February 2024 was 3.2 percent. This means the cost of living is going up. Colleges hire many highly-educated professors who require high salaries and likely want to see pay go up as the cost of living increases.

Why did my college tuition go up? ›

The Traditional Campus Experience Costs More

And typically, that cost will be reflected in students' tuition rates - so as schools offer more amenities and programs to compete with other institutions, tuition will rise to reflect those additional operating costs.

Is Clemson worth the money? ›

Clemson University has been recognized by The Princeton Review as being one of the nation's best institutions to offer students the greatest return on educational investment. Out of 656 colleges and universities evaluated for this year's “Best Value Colleges of 2020” list, only 200 received the designation.

What is Clemson known for academically? ›

The most popular majors at Clemson University include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Engineering; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Health Professions and Related Programs; Social Sciences; Psychology; Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields; Computer and ...

How hard is it to get into Clemson? ›

Clemson University has an acceptance rate of 43%. Half the applicants admitted to Clemson University who submitted test scores have an SAT score between 1220 and 1410 or an ACT score of 28 and 32.

How to afford Clemson out-of-state? ›

The Clemson Non-Resident Grant is awarded to out-of-state students with financial need who score a minimum of 1250 on the SAT (math and critical reading) or 28 on the ACT (composite). You must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA and complete 24 credit hours each year to renew.

What GPA is required for Clemson? ›

With a GPA of 4.43, Clemson requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.

How much merit aid does Clemson give? ›

Merit-based aid, also called non-need-based aid, is awarded for a specific talent or academic achievement. The average non-need-based scholarship or grant awarded to first-year students at Clemson University – excluding any athletic scholarships, if applicable – was $4,726.

What is the acceptance rate for Clemson 2025? ›

As of the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, Clemson University's acceptance rate hovers around 43%.

How many students did Clemson accept? ›

Clemson's Regular Decision Acceptance Rate FOR THE 2020-23 Applying YEARS
YearApplicantsAdmittees
2022-202352,81422,704
2021-202247,00723,138
2020-202128,60017,715
Jul 3, 2023

Does Clemson require SAT 2024 2025? ›

Clemson has adopted a test-optional policy. Applicants are not required to submit a standardized test score to be considered for admission to Clemson.

Are Clemson Board of Trustees paid? ›

There shall be no salary or monetary compensation for members of the Board.

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