University of Pittsburgh main campus students from Pennsylvania will pay 3.5% more for tuition next year and those from out of state will see an increase of 5.5%. Tuition at regional campuses will increase by 2% for both in-state and out-of-state students.
Pitt’s senior vice chancellor and chief financial officer Hari Sastry told trustees Thursday that the increases are below current levels of inflation.
There are exceptions to the tuition increases. Students in the school of computing and information will pay an additional 2%, or 5.5% increase for in-state students and 7.5% for out-of-state students.
Sastry said the increase for students on the Oakland campus will amount to about $335 more per term and in-state students on the Bradford, Greensburg and Johnstown campuses will pay about $135 more per term.
“As in recent years, we will invest much of these tuition increases back into financial aid for students,” Sastry said. “In fact, looking at Pitt’s tuition over the last four years while growth tuition rates per student have increased by 10%, student financial aid has grown by about 30%."
The system’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $2.7 billion 2023 operating budget Thursday that reflects a 5.8% increase over last year’s budget.
During a joint meeting of the budget and executive committees that lasted about 10 minutes on Thursday, Sastry said that the budget reflects the university’s commitments outlined in its strategic plan, Plan for Pitt.
“Including strengthening research, recruiting and retaining high caliber students, enhancing diversity and supporting sustainability,” Sastry said.
The budget includes 4.25% raises for its workforce, though those rates will vary by employee, according to Sastry.
“It’s important to note that many faculty and staff have not received a salary increase in two years, a time marked by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and significant workforce disruptions,” he said Thursday.
The $667 million capital budget focuses on, “a range of projects that will preserve existing buildings as well as new projects to support such initiatives as health science programs and a new arena and sports center,” Sastry said.
He also thanked lawmakers in Harrisburg for maintaining Pitt’s funding and for, “their investments in the future of our Commonwealth as these funds are specifically used to provide tuition discounts for Pennsylvania students.”
In a message to Pitt faculty, students and staff Chancellor Patrick Gallagher also thanked stakeholders for advocating for lawmakers in Harrisburg to maintain Pitt's funding.
"A move that preserves our nearly 60-year partnership with the state. We will continue to use every penny of this funding to cut the cost of tuition by an average of nearly $15,000 annually, for each in-state undergraduate at Pitt," he said in his message.
No trustee made a comment on the budget during the meeting.
