After three years, Idaho’s tuition freeze could be coming to an end.
Idaho’s four-year schools are requesting at least a 5% increase in student tuition and fees. The State Board of Education will meet Monday morning to consider the request.
According to a State Board staff report, here’s a look at current resident undergraduate tuition and fees — and the proposed increases.
| School | 2022-23 tuition/fees | 2023-24 proposal |
| University of Idaho | $8,396 | $8,816 |
| Boise State University | $8,364 | $8,782 |
| Idaho State University | $7,958 | $8,356 |
| Lewis-Clark State College | $6,996 | $7,388 |
The U of I, Boise State and Idaho State increases would come to 5%. Lewis-Clark is requesting a 5.6% increase.
The four schools agreed to freeze undergraduate, in-state tuition in December 2019, in an attempt to convince more Idaho high school graduates to continue their education. The freeze didn’t apply to student fees, graduate tuition and out-of-state tuition.
University officials have said their schools are nearing a budgetary breaking point, due in part to inflation, and have suggested that they will need a tuition increase to keep pace with rising costs.
The tuition and fee increase proposal comes weeks after the Legislature approved a $678.6 million budget for the four-year schools. This includes $353.9 million from state general funds, such as sales and income taxes, or a 4.7% increase.
The four-year schools expect to collect $301.7 million in tuition.
In other business Monday, the State Board is expected to set salaries for the four college and university presidents.
According to the board’s meeting packet, these proposals break down as follows:
- Scott Green, U of I: $465,235, up 5.5%.
- Marlene Tromp, Boise State: $459,666, up 5%.
- Kevin Satterlee, Idaho State: $441,000, up 5%.
- Cynthia Pemberton, Lewis-Clark: $288,750, up 5%.
Check back Monday for full meeting coverage.
