In keeping with its commitment to putting the brakes on annual increases in costs to students and families, Ithaca College’s charges for tuition, room, and board for next year are set to rise at the lowest levels in over half a century.
At its recent meeting, the Ithaca College Board of Trustees set tuition for the 2017–18 academic year at $42,884. For students who live on campus and pay room and board, the total cost will be $58,158, an increase of only 2.45 percent from the current year. This continues a decade-long downward trend in those rates.
“It is our mission to provide an exceptional educational experience to our students, but that experience must also be financially attainable,” Ithaca College President Tom Rochon wrote in a letter to parents announcing next year’s charges. “All of our efforts at controlling costs would mean little, of course, if we did not also focus on the quality of an Ithaca education. We are continuing to invest in the people, programs and facilities that will provide the best possible learning environment.”
Rochon pointed out that the college’s commitment to remaining affordable is also underscored by the inclusion in next year’s budget of over $120 million for institutional financial aid, the highest amount ever.
Ithaca College has typically set tuition changes later in the academic year. Beginning this year, however, the U.S. Department of Education is making the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available three months earlier than in the past. Students can now apply for federal financial aid beginning October 1, rather than January 1. The goal of early FAFSA is to expand college opportunity by ensuring that students and families have more time to consider their college options with an understanding of the financial resources available to help them pay for college.