Public university tuition remains a bargain despite recent increases

ANYONE who has ever gone car shopping knows that the price you see on the sticker is rarely the price you pay. The same can be said of college tuition. Recent headlines about "soaring" tuition and fees have no doubt left many with a bad case of sticker shock ["Tuition and fees soaring at colleges across nation," page one, Oct. 21]. The more surprising story might be, "tuition at public universities offered at deep discount."

The 14-percent increase in tuition at Washington's public four-year colleges and universities this year is a headline-grabber, but it is far from the whole story. At the University of Washington, it was possible to consider a 14-percent increase only because of a set of very favorable, if seldom reported, circumstances — circumstances that not only make a tuition increase reasonable, but make it a bargain to get an education at a world-class university.

Tuition at the UW historically has been very low. Even with the 14-percent increase, our tuition remains the lowest among our peer public institutions around the country. Making this below-market price even more appealing, the federal government included in the stimulus package a number of measures aimed at keeping college costs affordable for families, including increased funding for Pell Grants and an expanded federal tax credit that for the first time reaches into the middle class. And because we and our state Legislature care deeply about maintaining the economic diversity of our student body, $1.7 million more of tuition revenue was directed to need-based financial aid.

This increase in financial aid complements our already robust commitment to keeping the UW accessible and affordable for Washington's low- and lower-middle-income families. Under the Husky Promise this year, nearly 7,000 students — one in every four of our resident undergraduates — are paying zero tuition at the UW. We are fully committed to maintaining access to our university for those who are qualified and who otherwise cannot afford it. It's our promise, and we stand by it and are very proud of it.

When you take all of this into account — all of the aid and support that is being made available to students — the net tuition cost of a college education falls far below the reported sticker price. Indeed, while annual tuition and fees at the UW run $7,692, our students receive about $2,700 on average in grant aid, thus bringing the net tuition cost down to about $5,000. That's a discount of 35 percent — more than a third off the sticker price.

So why increase the sticker price of tuition when it's going to be sold at a discount price? One of the primary reasons is the withdrawal of state tax support from public universities. At the UW, we just lost 26 percent of our state general fund budget. While we continually look for more ways to reduce costs, seeking new efficiencies alone cannot make up for a cut of that magnitude. To maintain the level of educational excellence our students deserve and to ensure they get the classes and services they need to graduate on time, we have to secure other funding. Many of our students can afford to pay full tuition. Those who cannot afford to pay it get a discount or pay nothing.

The economic advantages of a college education are familiar and sound. College graduates earn considerably more than their counterparts without degrees. Their increased earning power helps fuel the economy and generates increased tax revenue. It's a terrific investment — in our citizens from all economic backgrounds and in our future as a state. What better bargain could there be than an average 35 percent discount off the price of college to improve your life and your community?