WASHINGTON – The cost of higher education keeps getting higher, and universities in D.C., Virginia and Maryland are no exception.
Tuition and fees at the College of William & Mary have gone up 48.8 percent since the 2004-2005 school year, to $12,188 in 2010-2011.
In the same time period, they’ve gone up more than 40 percent at Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth and Radford universities. Tuition and fees went up 38.1 percent in that period at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, to $10,828 in 2010-2011.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni recently compared the tuition rates and fees at 39 Virginia universities as a percentage of median household income.
Tuition at Maryland’s public colleges and universities could go up by 3 percent for the third straight year, after a four-year tuition freeze.
The cost of attending private colleges and universities also has been rising. Tuition rose about 15 percent in the past five years.
Tuition at Georgetown University is expected to rise 3.5 percent to more than $42,000 this year. That’s the largest percentage increase since a 5.5 percent hike in 2009, according to The Hoya.
But some private institutions are actually starting to cut the cost of tuition.
Seton Hall University, in New Jersey, has slashed tuition and fees by close to $21,000 for incoming high-achieving freshmen. Tuition and fees in 2012-2013 will be just over $10,000, down from about $31,000.
The private universities say they are trying to become more competitive with public institutions. Seton Hall is one of six private colleges cutting tuition.
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