The South Dakota Board of Regents is planning to increase tuition at the state’s public universities for the first time in several years.
Officials on Thursday announced a 2.9% increase for most universities for the upcoming academic year.
This comes tuition fees remained mostly flat the past five years, including three consecutive tuition freezes the past three years. These freezes were made possible by increased support from the state, which was benefitting from higher revenue and a variety of Covid-era federal funds. But this session, the Legislature saw its tightest budget in years, and the Board of Regents was one of the areas that felt the impact.
Board of Regents President Tim Rave called the increase "modest," and said South Dakota's public universities remain among the most affordable in the nation.
"This adjustment is necessary to address rising operational costs and inflationary pressures, but we remain steadfast in our mission to provide accessible, high-value education for our students," Rave said.
A press release from the Board of Regents said the tuition increase is designed to minimize the impact on students while ensuring institutions have the necessary resources to invest in faculty, academic programming, and student success initiatives.
"Higher education is a powerful investment for the future, and we are dedicated to keeping that investment as affordable as possible," said Board of Regents Executive Director Nathan Lukkes. "By maintaining one of the lowest costs of attendance in the country, South Dakota's public universities continue to be an outstanding value for students seeking a high-quality postsecondary education."
The 2.9% increase takes effect in the summer 2025 term for BHSU, DSU, NSU, SDSU and USD. One university – the School of Mines – faces a higher 5% increase to “align the institution with their peer universities and help support their special mission.”
