On Oct. 25, the Office of the Provost announced that the university will raise undergraduate tuition by 3% for the 2022-23 academic year. The $45 per credit hour increase will leave students paying more than $1,600 more than in the 2021-22 academic year, totaling $55,249 before room and board and other fees.

The Board of Trustees approved the increase while taking into account the negative financial impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on families with students at DU. Colleges and universities across the country were also hit hard by the pandemic, with undergraduate enrollment dropping sharply in 2020 and many colleges still struggling to bring in new students.

DU has fared better than many schools on that front, with Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Clark noting that the tuition increase was not higher than 3% “because our enrollment has remained steady and strong.

Weak enrollment, coupled with rising costs from inflation, supply chain issues and other factors, has caused many colleges and universities to raise their cost of attendance in order to continue to operate and expand.

While the increase is not as high as it could have been, the additional cost may be a significant burden on DU students and their families.

The U.S. economy’s annual growth rate dropped to 2% and personal income decreased by 1% in recent months, making DU’s planned tuition increase all the more significant for families when it comes time to pay the bill for next year.

With 87% of undergraduate students receiving some form of financial aid, this increase will be felt by many in the DU community. The Office of Financial Aid determines who receives aid, and in what form and amount each year, taking changing financial circumstances into consideration.

As the cost of higher education rises year after year, concerns continue to grow over the $1.5 trillion in owed student loan debt that Americans face.