Undergraduate tuition at Washington University in St. Louis will be $39,400 for the 2010-11 academic year — a $1,600 (4.2 percent) increase over the 2009-10 current academic tuition of $37,800. The required student activity fee will total $394, and the student health fee will be no more than $580. Barbara A. Feiner, vice chancellor for finance, made the announcement.
Charges for on-campus double-occupancy housing for 2010-11 will range between $7,982 and $8,828, depending on whether a student selects newer housing. This is an increase of 4.3 percent over the current year’s housing. The meal plans for 2010-11 will range from $3,498 to $4,788, a 3 percent increase from this year’s range of $3,396 to $4,648.
In a letter to parents and students about 2010-11 tuition, room, board and fees, Edward S. Macias, Ph.D., provost, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and the Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences, said the following:
“I am writing to tell you the 2010-11 academic year tuition rate. I look forward with optimism to the future as we recover from the downturn of our national and global economy over the past 18 months. Like all of us, Washington University has felt the impact of these forces. Despite these challenges, we have continued to strengthen Washington University by improving undergraduate education and the services necessary for the success of your sons and daughters.
“While there has been some improvement in our endowment over the past several months, its value and therefore its income-producing potential is still 15 percent below where we were a year and a half ago. Despite this significant decline in the endowment, the university has increased the funds available to assist families that have experienced similar reversals in their own economic circumstances and who now qualify for need-based financial aid. Overall, in the past two years, financial aid for undergraduates has increased 22 percent. Currently, about 60 percent of Washington University undergraduates receive scholarships, grants and other awards through our strong financial assistance programs. During the fall semester, we announced a major scholarship initiative, titled ‘Opening Doors to the Future,’ to raise more than $150 million for endowed scholarships, as well as annual named scholarships. We are encouraged by the number of gifts that already have been made and the generosity of our alumni and friends, who understand the critical difference that financial aid can make.
“Across the university, plans have been put into place to reduce expenses in both compensation and operating costs in response to a projected annual shortfall of $30 million for the Danforth Campus schools and central administrative functions. Administrative staff salaries remained flat for the current fiscal year, and the chancellor volunteered a 10 percent reduction in his salary. Other cost-saving efforts include implementation of new, lower-cost technologies to replace printing, postage and distribution costs, improved automation of purchasing and other administrative processes, new efficiencies in energy use, as well as eliminating positions in areas where this will have minimal impact on direct services to students. Besides making significant progress in addressing the $30 million shortfall, this ongoing budgetary review process is bringing greater effectiveness and strength to the institution as well as improving operations and services.
“Despite university efforts to contain costs, some expenses cannot be restrained if the institution is to offer ever-improving programs. Examples include updating classrooms and laboratories, hiring the best faculty and facing rising health-care costs for employees.”
Students who qualify for need-based financial assistance will receive consideration for the costs increases, along with consideration of changes in their family financial circumstances.
Feiner noted that the university offers payment plans to help lessen family financial burdens, including the Partners in Education with Parents (PEP) plan that allows university charges for all undergraduate years to be paid in monthly installments over as many as 10 years at competitive fixed interest rates.
The advantage of this plan is that a family can decrease the effect of future tuition and room-and-board increases, depending on the level of participation the family chooses. There also is a monthly payment plan that allows families to spread all or most of a single academic year’s expenses over 10 equal monthly payments without any interest charges.
Below are the 2010-11 full-time tuition and fee schedules for the Washington University graduate and professional programs as well as tuition for evening and summer schools enrolling part-time students.
Graduate and professional tuition
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Design, and graduate programs in the School of Engineering: The 2010-11 tuition charge for graduate students in these programs will be $39,400, an increase of $1,600 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $37,800.
Graduate School of Art: The 2010-11 tuition charge for the Master of Fine Arts program will be $32,130, an increase of $1,240 (4.0 percent) over the current charge of $30,890.
Brown School of Social Work: The 2010-11 tuition charge for the Master of Social Work program will be $31,440, an increase of $1,260 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $30,180, and the Master in Public Health at $24,104, an increase of $966 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $23,138.
School of Law: The 2010-11 tuition for the Juris Doctor program will be $43,420, an increase of $1,750 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $41,670, and the LLM program at $43,610, an increase of $1,760 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $41,850.
Olin Business School graduate program: The 2010-11 tuition for the Master of Business Administration program will be $44,300, an increase of $1,775 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $42,525.
School of Medicine: Tuition for 2010-11 for the Doctor of Medicine degree will be set in March.
Evening and Summer School tuition rates, 2010-11
Undergraduate evening students: For undergraduate evening students enrolling in University College in Arts & Sciences or continuing education classes in the School of Architecture in 2010-11, tuition will be $555 per credit hour, compared with the 2009-10 cost of $515 per credit hour.
Graduate students in University College: Depending upon the graduate program in University College in Arts & Sciences, tuition ranges from $555 to $765 per credit hour for 2010-11, compared with the current range of $515 to $730.
Summer School in Arts & Sciences: Tuition in Summer School classes in Arts & Sciences will be $865 per undergraduate credit hour and $1,030 per graduate credit hour for summer 2010, compared with the 2009 Summer School rates of $795 and $965 per credit hour, respectively.