St. Joseph, Mo. —March 31, 2015—The Board of Governors at Missouri Western State University has set tuition rates and room and board rates for the 2015-2016 school year.

“Our goal in setting fees every year is to balance Missouri Western’s financial obligations with our desire to keep a quality education affordable, and I believe these rates reflect that balance,” said Dr. Cale Fessler, vice president for financial planning and administration.

“We anticipate increases of at least $450,000 in mandatory expenses next year, with relatively flat state appropriations. But for all of our students, tuition will rise only modestly next year, and we will remain one of the most affordable options for higher education in the state.”

The tuition rate for in-state undergraduate students on the St. Joseph campus was set at $197.79 per credit hour, based on 15 credit hours per semester, an increase of 0.91 percent over the current approved rate of $196 per credit hour.

During the 2014-2015 academic year students actually paid less than $196, because refunds of $3.35 per credit hour were approved. Those refunds were not carried forward.

In-state undergraduates taking classes at the Kansas City Northland campus or Penn Valley will pay $242 per credit hour, an increase of 2.5 percent. Out-of-state undergraduates will pay 2.5 percent more, ranging from $311 for students in Kansas City and Penn Valley to $416.31 on the St. Joseph campus. Online tuition is going up 2.7 percent for in-state students ($263 per credit hour) and 2.5 percent for out-of-state students ($366).

Graduate tuition will increase between 2.5 percent and 2.6 percent for all students.

Room and board rates will also rise modestly. Room rentals will increase 2.5 percent to 3 percent, ranging from $2,188 per semester for a double room in Scanlon Hall to $3,257 per semester in Griffon Hall. Board rates will increase by $58 per plan, or between 3 percent and 3.75 percent.

“Operation, maintenance and utility costs continue to rise,” Dr. Fessler said about the room and board rates. “In addition to these normal increases, we have heard the concerns of our students and are aggressively addressing upgrades for Internet capabilities in the residence halls.”