PASSHE Sets 2026-27 Tuition Rate with Rollback Option to Reduce if State Funding Increases

The Board of Governors today set the 2026-27 in-state undergraduate tuition rate for PASSHE universities and committed to roll back the rate if the state provides sufficient funding to maintain flat tuition as part of the state budget currently being negotiated. Setting tuition now provides clarity for students before the academic year begins next month while preserving flexibility for state leaders during budget negotiations.

PASSHE universities ̶ the state universities of Pennsylvania ̶ remain the most affordable four-year college option in the commonwealth. For 2026-27, in-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $172 per semester. The new tuition rate will be $4,169 per semester, or $8,338 for a full academic year, the lowest university tuition in the state.

"Affordability is essential to universal access to post-secondary education, and is one of the core purposes of ESU and our sister institutions," said Kenneth Long, President of East Stroudsburg University.

"ESU is the only four-year public university in the region, and our ability to deliver on this promise plays an essential role in continuing the economic vitality of the Pocono Mountains. Our graduates make meaningful contributions to our region, and the data shows that more than 80% of our graduates remain in the Commonwealth. The Board of Governors remains committed to keeping higher education accessible, supported by our legislators and Governor Shapiro, so that ESU students can receive a high quality education at an affordable cost. There is a significant return when we invest in our students."

The Board of Governors kept in-state undergraduate tuition frozen from 2018 to 2024, creating significant savings for students. Even with this increase, next year's tuition will be 18% lower than if tuition increases had kept pace with inflation.

PASSHE universities have taken significant steps to protect affordability for students and families, including:

• Saving $700 million since 2019 through efficiency improvements and cost controls.
• Providing more than $160 million annually in university-funded aid that directly reduces student costs.
• Expanding emergency aid programs to help students overcome financial hardship and stay on track to graduation.

Students who can afford to enroll and complete their degrees enter careers that Pennsylvania's employers and communities depend on. The Commonwealth is projected to have a shortage of more than 200,000 workers with postsecondary credentials by 2032, and ESU and its fellow PASSHE institutions play a vital role in meeting that need. The system enrolls about 83,000 students, nearly 90% of whom are Pennsylvania residents, and nearly 20,000 students graduate from PASSHE universities each year.