Tri-C raises tuition, fees

The Cuyahoga Community College increased its tuition and fees, raising the cost by $5 per credit hour.

The increase went into effect May 27.

The new cost per credit hour — $124.54 for Cuyahoga County residents — remains the lowest in Ohio for the upcoming academic year, with students paying just 18% of the full cost of their education, according to a news release.

“While this tuition increase is necessary to ensure the college’s ability to provide high-quality academic and workforce training programs and critical student support services, we remain committed to keeping education affordable and ensuring student access at Tri-C,” Board Chair Helen Forbes Fields stated in the release.

The tuition adjustments will cost the typical Tri-C student approximately $40 per semester. That money will go toward expanding student support initiatives that have helped lift the college’s graduation rate to record highs, the release stated.

The college provides multiple options for students to lower their academic costs.

These include the Tuition Guarantee Program, which freezes tuition at the hourly rate an eligible student paid at the time of their initial enrollment and guarantees that rate for three years, and the Tuition Assistance Program for Cuyahoga County residents facing financial hardship due to the pandemic.

Emergency federal funds allocated in response to the pandemic are still available to students as well. The grant dollars can be used for tuition and fees as well as food, housing and health care costs that could impact educational advancement.

Tri-C and the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation also awarded $4.2 million in scholarships to nearly 3,000 students during the 2020-2021 academic year, the release stated.