On April 20, BYU announced that tuition will increase by 3% for the 2023-24 academic year.
The tuition increase has become an annual tradition at BYU since 2010, with an increase of 2-3% yearly.
Undergraduate tuition will increase by $96, from $3,152 to $3,248. Graduate students’ tuition will increase by $118 and tuition for graduate students in the Marriott School of Business and BYU Law students will increase by $220.
Undergraduate tuition for Spring and Summer 2024 terms will also increase from $1,576 to $1,624 — $48 more. Spring and Summer rates for advanced-standing students will be $2,042 — an increase of $60.
The 3% increase will cover “cost increases in areas such as supplies, library needs and laboratory materials,” according to a press release.
Mark Frame, a graduate student studying education, said the increase is not as big of a deal because of how much lower BYU’s tuition is compared to other Utah universities.
“Compared to other schools, BYU has always been quite a steal,” Frame said.
Kamorah Wolfgramm, an undergraduate student studying exercise and wellness, said that she does not personally feel like the increase is a big deal.
“I don’t think it’s a huge deal because all of the other colleges I was going to go to are way more expensive, but I can see how it could be a big deal for other people,” Wolfgramm said.
For comparison, the cost of attendance at the University of Utah is $9,002 per semester for in-state residents and $30,488 for non-residents.
Emma Engebretsen, an undergraduate student at BYU, said the increase is not significant because the price of the education at BYU is worth so much more than the cost of tuition.
“I know that the education we are getting here, we are not having to pay a lot of what it is actually worth,” Engebretsen said.
Because BYU is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, most of the university operating costs, including tuition, are paid from tithes from its members, making the tuition much more affordable for students.
Unlike other universities in Utah, BYU does not have higher tuition rates for students based on if they reside in Utah.
However, because the Church helps pay for costs, students who are not members of the Church pay twice as much in tuition.
According to Engebretsen, if tuition was significantly higher she would be more concerned about how the cost would impact her.
“If it was a a lot more money then I would ask a lot more questions,” Engebretsen said.
Matthew Cotter, an undergraduate student at BYU with an open major, said he trusts the BYU administration and their intentions of increasing the tuition at BYU.
“I trust the BYU administration. They don’t seem to be a burden on the students and if it is something they are requiring it is probably necessary to better fund the school,” Cotter said.
Cotter said he is concerned by how tuition is significantly higher compared to tuition rates in 2010.
“If you look at it from the past, it has grown a lot and it does start to add up,” Cotter said.
In 2010, the tuition rate for undergraduates was $2,210, nearly $1,000 less than the 2023-24 tuition rates per semester.
According to Frame, the increase in tuition is also a natural part of the inflation that is impacting costs all across the nation.
“Even though no one likes spending more money, it seems like it is necessary at this point,” Frame said.
