The University of Utah is set to raise tuition by 2.1% for the 2025-2026 school year, amounting to an additional $224 for students compared to the previous year.
This increase comes in the wake of a system-wide 2.23% hike approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education for the state’s eight public universities during their Tuition and Fees meeting on March 28.
While this increase is lower than last year’s 3.29% and the national inflation rate, the board highlighted that these adjustments provide significant affordability gains for Utah students.
Reactions among students about the tuition increase vary.
Sasha Lengwin, a junior majoring in Quantitative Analysis of Markets & Organizations, expressed relief at the size of the hike.
“I thought it was going to be much worse,” she noted, emphasizing that the University of Utah’s tuition remains lower than that of flagship schools in neighboring states like the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Arizona.
“I’m honestly not too upset about it because I’m getting a great experience,” she added.
Conversely, Cianna Burnette, a sophomore studying business, voiced concerns about the increase undermining the university’s reputation for affordability.
Burnette, who is responsible for covering her own tuition, described the added financial burden as “very unfortunate.”
“Especially since I’m struggling to pay the rest of my spring tuition as of right now,” she said, revealing that her total tuition costs for the current school year approached $16,000.
With next year’s tuition looming, she expressed anxiety, but is hopeful that taking online classes during the fall semester will ease her financial strain.
In contrast, senior finance major Jay Jensen, graduating this semester, reflected on the broader implications of tuition hikes.
He observed that, while the increase does not directly impact him financially, it signals a nationwide trend of reprioritization in higher education.
“It’s kind of concerning,” Jensen remarked, linking the challenges of maintaining funding for research initiatives to tuition levels.
He pointed out that federal support is critical for research at universities, and tuition contributions also play a role in sustaining vital academic projects.
“So, the question is kind of like, what are they spending it on?” he questioned, highlighting the need for transparency and tangible benefits of tuition increases for students.
Jensen stressed that students may not perceive the value of their tuition payments in their everyday experiences at the university.
Ultimately, as the University of Utah prepares for this upcoming tuition increase, students are left grappling with differing sentiments about the rising costs of their education and the implications for their academic futures.
image source from：https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2025/04/21/students-react-to-u-tuition-increase-for-the-2025-26-school-year/
