Washington & Jefferson reduces tuition 44%
Recognizing that its current published tuition price of $49,650 could be a barrier for prospective students, Washington & Jefferson College is taking the step of dropping it by more than $22,000, or 44.4%.
Starting in the 2023-24 academic year, the tuition price will be $27,605, making it more accessible in searches and more competitive with both private and public institutions.
W&J has always worked to meet the financial needs of students – 100% of students receive some type of scholarship or grant – but the administration felt traditional tuition pricing in higher education has long been unnecessarily complicated and believe the move was important as questions of affordability and the cost of higher education continue.
Research recently commissioned by W&J found that a high percentage of prospective students and parents chose not to consider the college solely because its published price looked unaffordable.
“We have developed a simplified pricing model to better reflect what W&J students actually pay for tuition before scholarships and other forms of financial aid are applied to further reduce their cost of attendance,” the college states on its website. “This will make W&J’s affordability readily apparent to prospective students and their families who are now more cost-conscious than ever when considering higher education institutions.”
Students will still receive scholarships, merit and/or need-based aid, but the amounts will be scaled downward, correlating with the new pricing structure.
W&J said its endowment is among the largest in the region, thanks to the generosity of thousands of alumni.
According to College Board, which tracks trends in college pricing and student aid, the average cost for tuition and fees for in-state students at four-year private institutions for the 2022-23 academic year are $39,400.
W&J has not increased its tuition for two consecutive years.
In a video, W&J President John C. Knapp said, “We’re well-aware that families are more cost-conscious than ever today and we’re responding to that by simplifying our pricing, making it easier for anyone considering college to know just how affordable W&J is and what a great value we are in this region.”
The 242-year-old college notes on its website that it is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s “Best Value” colleges, is that its incoming class is its largest in the last five years.
Knapp said W&J recently added 19 new areas of study, a campus-wide program in ethical leadership, and a new Center for Professional Pathways to provide four years of preparation for students’ success after graduation.