ASU students pay about 20 percent less than the national average for in-state tuition, but non-resident students are paying about $400 more than average annually, according to a new report.
A College Board report released Monday showed that nationally in-state charges for public four-year institutions had gone up 6.6 percent from last year. Charges for non-resident students increased 5.9 percent.
Both figures about double the rate of inflation in the United States, according to the report.
For the 2007-2008 school year in-state students paid $4,972 for tuition and fees, a 6 percent increase from the previous year. Non-residents paid $17,003 in tuition and fees, a 7.3 percent increase from the previous year, according to the College Board report.
In-state tuition in Arizona used to be the cheapest in the nation, but moderate increases have been good for ASU, said Terri Shafer, a University spokeswoman.
"We now have more resources to provide for high-quality student education," Shafer said.
Financial aid has also increased, she added.
According to the College Board report, on average, in-state students paid $6,185 for the 2007-2008 school year for four-year, public universities. Non-residents paid $16,640.
More than 4,000 colleges and universities took part in the annual College Board survey.
Colin McDonald-Smith, a computer science sophomore from Vancouver, Wash., said he was disappointed with non-resident tuition increasing faster than resident tuition.
"I understand why out-of-state [tuition] goes up so much more than in-state," McDonald-Smith said. "[But] I'm going to be here for five years, so [tuition is] going to be 30 percent higher if it continues at this rate."
Applied psychology sophomore Roland Jumbo, a resident student, said he has to work 42 hours a week between two jobs to pay for his scholarship aided tuition.
When he found out about the tuition increases last year at ASU, Jumbo said he had to work more hours to stay financially stable.
"I had to gain more hours working so I could pay for everything," he said. "Most college students are on a budget, so any [tuition] increase challenges their ability to pursue a college education."
Jumbo, who lives on the Polytechnic campus but also has classes at the Tempe campus, said he drives more than 80 miles four times a week to get to his job in Peoria.
Pre-business sophomore Mandie Wickenhauser said in addition to liking the weather and having friends at ASU, she chose to come to ASU from St. Louis, MO, because of the large scholarship she was offered from the University.
"I have a scholarship here, so I don't really pay [that much]," Wickenhauser said. "Tuition in general is expensive."
Reach the reporter at mculber@asu.edu.
