Rutgers Board of Governors Approves 2.3 Percent Tuition and Fee Increase for Undergraduates

The Board of Governors of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, today approved a tuition and fee increase of 2.3 percent for the 2018-2019 academic year for undergraduate students.

“We understand that any increase is difficult for our students, but we must balance that with the need to provide access to the highest quality education for our students,” said Sandy J. Stewart, chair of the Board of Governors. “This moderate increase allows us to maintain the top academic programs that Rutgers offers to our outstanding students.” 

Today’s action continues Rutgers’ trend of modest cost increases at the state’s largest and most comprehensive higher education provider. This year’s increase of 2.3 percent matches the university’s 2.3 percent average tuition and mandatory fee increases of the last five years and is 28 percent below the 10-year average increase of 3.2 percent.

“For the past five years, we have worked hard to keep tuition increases to an absolute minimum,” said Robert Barchi, university president. “Rutgers, along with all public colleges and universities across the country, is facing significant financial challenges and making difficult choices to keep tuition and fee increases as low as possible while maintaining our commitment to excellent programs, teaching, research and service.”

Rutgers’ tuition increase is lower than 2018-2019 increases at several institutions in neighboring states Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware, where tuition will rise between 3 percent and 4 percent. For the previous five years, meanwhile, Rutgers’ average increase of 2.3 percent is on par with average tuition and fee increases at all New Jersey public colleges and universities for the same period, and it is in the mid-range of average five-year increases among Big Ten universities.

For the 2018-2019 academic year, a typical in-state, full-time Arts and Sciences undergraduate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick will be billed $14,975 in combined tuition and mandatory student fees, an increase of 2.3 percent. For such a student living on campus, total charges (tuition, fees, room and board) will increase to $27,681, up 2.18 percent from last year. At Rutgers University-Camden, rates will increase by similar percentages for typical Arts and Sciences undergraduates to $14,836 and, for those living on campus, to $27,172 for total charges. At Rutgers University-Newark, tuition and fees would increase to $14,410 and $27,946 for total charges for students living on campus.

While the 2.3 percent increase is for most undergraduates at Rutgers, specific tuition, fee, room and board charges may vary across the university’s colleges and schools.  In many cases, individual student costs are reduced by federal, state or institutional financial aid.  Tuition increases at Rutgers are driven by increasing expenditures, primarily employee salaries, with a focus on access and affordability for students.

At today’s meeting, the board also approved a $4.3 billion budget for the academic year 2018-2019.  “This budget allows us to maintain the quality of our current academic programs while we continue to look for cost savings and efficiencies,” Barchi said.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the state of New Jersey’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Established in 1766, the university is the eighth-oldest higher education institution in the United States. More than 69,000 students and 22,500 faculty and staff learn, work and serve the public at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Rutgers University-Newark, Rutgers University-Camden, and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and at additional locations across New Jersey and around the world.