The Rogue Community College Board of Education on March 16 approved a tuition increase of $4 per credit for Oregon students for the 2021-22 school year. The 3.5 percent increase for in-state tuition is slightly less than last year’s 3.57 percent increase as well as the 10-year average increase of 4.5 percent.
Most RCC students will not see an increase in fees next year. The college services fee remains at $17 per credit and the technical fee will stay at $7 per credit.
To keep costs down for the majority of students, the board approved new fees for certain health care programs to cover costs specific to those programs. The new fees are financial aid eligible.
Tuition increases will begin summer term. RCC will increase in-state tuition by $4 per credit, for a total of $120 per credit. Out-of-state students will pay $148 per credit, an increase of $5, while tuition for international students will be $400 per credit, an increase of $13.
Additional fees were implemented for several health care programs. Students in human services and several health care programs will pay a $100 fee for their practicum course. Affected programs include EMT and paramedicine, human services, medical administrative assisting, medical assisting, pharmacy technician and phlebotomy.
A new fee of $45 per term was approved for students in the massage therapy program. Three first aid courses will see minimal increases of $5 or less in course fees.
Nursing students starting this fall in the college’s associate degree nursing program will pay a new fee of $1,600 per term in addition to standard tuition and fees, as will students in a new dental hygiene program that’s being developed. New students in the practical nursing program will pay a $500 fee per term in addition to standard tuition and fees.
“The new fees for these programs represent a change in philosophy,” said Lisa Stanton, chief financial officer for the college. “These programs have a small student-instructor ratio as well as specialized labs and equipment. Instead of spreading the cost of these higher-expense programs to all students, the college has adopted fees for specific programs.”