St . Scholastica’s tuition hike smallest among state’s private colleges

Duluth News Tribune (MN) - Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Section: Education

A new survey finds that Minnesota's private colleges and universities are limiting the increase of their tuition and fees to an average of 4.8 percent this fall, with the College of St . Scholastica having the smallest increase.

St . Scholastica is increasing tuition by 3 percent.

"We were very conscious of how the economy was affecting families," said Eric Berg, vice president of enrollment management at the college . "We didn't intentionally try to come in lower than any other colleges ."

Tuition increases at Minnesota colleges have averaged 6.2 percent over the past decade, and the 4.8 percent increase is the smallest since 1978.

A survey released Monday by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities shows that most schools also are increasing the financial aid they offer.

Macalester College President Brian Rosenberg said the below-average tuition hike and increased financial aid are products of the recession. The average tuition at Minnesota's private , nonprofit colleges is $29,506 a year, but once various forms of aid are figured in, the average student pays half of that.

Tuition at St . Scholastica is $27,114 plus a single health services fee of $170.