Once again, tuition rates are frozen in South Dakota. The benefit also extends to the technical school system.
In what has become something of an annual convention, tuition rates for the state public university and technical college system are holding steady. This week, the state Board of Technical Education formally approved the decision.
Nick Wendell is the board executive director.
“This has been a bit of a formality in recent years, but I still think it’s helpful for you to understand the tuition rate and the state fees that this board is responsible for setting on an annual basis," Wendell said. "Over the last three academic years, we have committed to a complete freeze in state tuition and fees, and our presidents have committed to a complete freeze in local fees.”
Wendell said that coincides with raises to faculty.
“We also received additional dollars to support a four percent salary policy increase in FY25 in exchange for a commitment to freeze tuition and fees – so that’s the dollar amount that was added to our state appropriation in FY25 to support that salary increase," Wendell said. "That was just over $1.3 million in FY25.”
All told, Wendell explained the breakdown of fees for the next school year.
“We’re proposing a state tuition rate of $124 per credit hour," Wendell said. "The facility fee is set at $36 per credit hour again this year as it has been in recent years. The final fee the state board is responsible for setting on an annual basis is the maintenance and repair fee. That’s collected and maintained locally at $6 per credit hour, and those are dollars the institutions invest in the ongoing maintenance and repair needs of their existing facilities.”
The tuition freeze was approved by the board at its latest meeting.