2023-24 Tuition and Fee Proposals
Memorandum
To: Arizona Board of Regents
From: Robert C. Robbins, President – UArizona
Date: March 10, 2023
Subject: 2023-2024 Tuition and Mandatory Fee Proposals
Thanks to the incredible efforts of our students, staff and faculty, the University of Arizona is thriving – and the world has taken notice. As I have shared, U.S. News & World Report ranks us among the Top 50 Public Universities. The National Science Foundation’s annual Higher Education Research and Development Survey consistently places us in the top 20 public universities for research. Forbes calls us a Best Value University. Arizona Online is in the top 10 online bachelor’s degree programs for the third consecutive year. The list goes deservedly on and on, and I am so proud to lead this dedicated community.
With these accomplishments and our bright future in mind, I am honored to share our proposal for tuition and fees, which, combined with general appropriations, investment income, auxiliaries’ income, operational efficiencies, and available reserves, is how we invest in ourselves and ensure our ability to carry out our education, research, and land-grant missions.
All the enclosed materials and the outlined plans result from collaborative dialogue with student leaders from the Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA), ASUA Near You, and the Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC). Beginning in May, when new student leaders take office, university leadership hosts multiple conversations with them, engaging in a dialogue on the proposal after sharing detailed information about the university’s historical and current financial picture, projected trends in revenues and expenses, institutional peer data, and the need for additional institutional investments. Through these discussions and our analysis of enrollment trends, we have discerned that the value of the University of Arizona’s educational experience and growing demand in key non-resident undergraduate markets support the proposed increases.
This proposal demonstrates our sustained commitment to increase clarity for the public and provide stability and predictability to students and families while retaining the flexibility to meet our ongoing financial obligations. You will find our detailed proposal in the included documentation. Here are just a few highlights:
The 2023-2024 Academic Year
Current Undergraduate Students Stay the Same
Once again, 99% of our continuing undergraduate students will experience no increase in tuition or mandatory fees for 2023-2024 due to their enrollment in the tuition guarantee program. Our student leaders consistently share that the tuition and fees guarantee remains a program valued by students and parents, allowing them to plan for the cost of attendance across a student’s experience at the University of Arizona.
New, Incoming Undergraduate Students See Slight Tuition Increases
3%
Undergraduate Resident
4%
Undergraduate Non-Resident
Impact: our proposal, which is well below inflation rates, minimizes the impact on new incoming students, while recognizing the ongoing effect of inflation on the cost of instruction.
Graduate Students See Limited Tuition Increases
3%
Graduate Resident
Impact: our proposal, which is well below inflation rates, minimizes the impact on students, while recognizing the ongoing effect of inflation on the cost of instruction.
0%
Graduate Non-Resident
Impact: our proposal responds to our market position, well-above peer median.
4.75%
College of Medicine-Tucson
College of Medicine-Phoenix
Resident MD Student
Impact: our proposal responds to our market position, well below our peers and recognizes the increasing cost of instruction.
1.25%
College of Medicine-Tucson
College of Medicine-Phoenix
Non-Resident MD Student
Impact: our proposal responds to our market position, well below our peers and recognizes the increasing cost of instruction.
0%
College of Veterinary Medicine
Graduate Resident and Non-Resident
Impact: our proposal responds to new state investment and supports our shift toward increasing Resident student enrollment.
Nearly All Mandatory Fees Stay the Same
For the 2023-2024 academic year, there will be no change (0%) in Mandatory fees other than the Recreation Center Program fee, which automatically increases annually with the Consumer Price Index, and the Arizona Financial Aid Trust fee, which will increase based on any approved tuition increase.
In alignment with ABOR Policy 4-104, our subsequent proposals will include a plan to convert all class fees to a college-fee structure and all mandatory fees to a student-initiated fee structure, along with outlining how we will sunset class and mandatory fees for any students in the guarantee program admitted Fall 2023 or prior.
Looking ahead: Maximum Growth Rates for Tuition & Fees through 2029
We propose the following maximum growth rates for academic years 2024-2025 through 2028-2029:
3%
Undergraduate Resident Tuition
Maximum Growth Rate
Impact: proposed max growth rate is below inflation and will be partially offset through financial aid/support. Over 90% of undergraduate, resident students receive some form of financial assistance, reflecting our strong commitment to access and affordability.
5%
Academic Fees
Maximum Growth Rate
Impact: proposed max growth rate minimizes impact on students while retaining our need to remain flexible in the face of the highly volatile nature of associated goods and services.
3%
Graduate Resident Tuition
Maximum Growth Rate
Impact: proposed max growth rate is below inflation and will be partially offset through financial aid/support. Approximately 90% of graduate, resident students receive some form of financial assistance, reflecting our strong commitment to continued learning and affordability.
5%
Colleges of Medicine
Maximum Growth Rate
Impact: proposed max growth rate allows for responding to market pressures and cost of instruction, along with addressing rising rates at peer institutions
5%
College of Veterinary Medicine
Maximum Growth Rate
Impact: proposed max growth rate allows for responding to market pressures and cost of instruction, along with addressing rising rates at peer institutions.
5%
Meal Plans
Maximum Growth Rate
Impact: proposed max growth rate allows us to be responsive to the highly volatile nature of goods and services..
7.5%
Resident Hall Plans
Maximum Growth Rate
Impact: proposed max growth is significantly below private rate increases (11% average annual increases in Tucson private housing over the last 7 years)
I look forward to the upcoming opportunities to discuss our proposal with you as we advance the mission of the University of Arizona and deliver on the promise to serve the diverse population of our state in ways that meet the unique needs of Arizonans. Thank you for your ongoing support and leadership.