In a move that speaks volumes about their dedication to education affordability, the Austin Community College (ACC) District has kept its tuition and fees steady for the 11th consecutive year. The ACC Board of Trustees, in a unanimous decision during their regular meeting on April 1, agreed to not increase the cost of attendance for the 2024/25 academic year. "I don't know how many colleges can say for they have kept tuition and fees the same for over a decade. I am proud of this board's commitment to support all of our students — and a big part of that is making college affordable," Dr. Barbara Mink, ACC board chair, as reported by ACC District.
The decision ensures that in-district students will continue to pay $67 per credit hour, with total fees amounting to $85 per credit hour. Their counterparts residing outside the district will also benefit as the out-of-district fee remains unchanged at $201 per credit hour. This consistent pricing makes ACC one of the most cost-effective options, with tuition rates approximately 31% lower than what they could have been, should they have to be annually hiked up to keep pace with an assumed inflation rate of 2.5% over the past decade, according to ACC.
Statistics provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and cited by ACC reveal that the in-district cost for one year of college at ACC is just $2,550, considerably less than other institutions in the area. For comparison, the in-district cost for the same amount of credit hours at Alamo Community College is $3,412, while Texas State Technical College, The University of Texas, Texas A&M University, and Texas State University all have costs ranging from over $7,000 to upwards of $12,000 for the year.
The good news for local students doesn't stop there. ACC's Board of Trustees approved a pilot program slated to begin in the fall of 2024. The program promises to waive tuition and general fees for all graduates of 2024 high school and GED® completers. "Starting fall 2024, students who graduated from high school or earned their GED® after July 1, 2023, will receive free tuition and general fees from ACC," as per ACC. The approved rates and new programs are scheduled to go into effect for the fall semester with registration set to open on Monday, May 13.
