Summer is finally upon us, and students are taking advantage of the summer classes offered to advance their degree.
However, the cost of tuition for one three-credit course has some reconsidering that idea.
According to a study by Ohio State University, 63 percent of college students worry about having enough money to pay for school, while 43 percent are concerned about paying their monthly bills.
Katlynn Edwards, a social work major at Salt Lake Community College, says it’s hard for students like her to take more than one or two classes while working full-time jobs.
“The prices [at SLCC] overall are great, especially compared to other schools, but it gets expensive when you can only take one or two courses a semester,” she says.
For a typical three-credit course class, the total comes to $588.75 after fees have been calculated. A breakdown on the SLCC website shows that the $139.50 in fees are used towards school-related programs and expenses.
For instance, $14 goes towards student activities and $19.50 goes to the athletics department. Other departments include childcare, transportation and student services. Fees not included in this total would be the $40 fee per class for online courses and any other class specific fees that use special supplies.
The remaining $449.25 goes towards faculty pay and building and course maintenance.
Ben Booth, who works in SLCC’s Cashier Services as the school’s bursar, also points out that the real cost of tuition is significantly reduced for residents due to House Bill 248.
“The total cost of a full-time student is $5,259.00 for the 2019-2020 year. SLCC only charges 37% of that ($1,964.25) and the other 63% ($3,294.75) is subsidized by Utah State tax funds,” he says.
While only residents benefit from HB 248 year-round, during the summer non-residents benefit as well and pay the same amount for classes. Come fall and spring, the price increases for non-residents and stays the same for residents.
It may feel less expensive in the spring and fall because students often take more than one class and the cost decreases when more credits are taken. In fact, once a student hits 12 credits, the cost stays the same if taking up to 18 credits.
When compared to the whopping $1,835.20 it costs to take a three-credit course at the University of Utah, the price doesn’t seem too bad. But how does this cost compare to previous years at SLCC?
In the tuition archive, it shows that a three-credit course back in 2001 to cost $269, which is less than half the cost today.
Rising tuition rates are a major concern for students everywhere, and while SLCC’s costs are rising too, they remain one of the most affordable colleges in the state.
