MURFRESSBORO — Several member of the Moore County High School Class of 2024 will be headed to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in the fall and the cost of being True Blue just went up 5.39 percent.

Middle Tennessee State University’s Board of Trustees raised tuition and mandatory fees by 5.39 percent for the upcoming 2024-25 academic year during its quarterly meeting Tuesday, June 11, at the Miller Education Center.

The increase in undergraduate, graduate, and out-of-state tuition rates, recommended by the board’s Finance and Personnel Committee, was necessary to meet inflationary adjustments, rising utility costs, increased scholarships, expanded academic programs and other demands.

According to the state university, MTSU is still expected to remain lowest in tuition and fees among the state’s three largest universities, including the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and the University of Memphis.

“The committee reviewed materials containing the tuition rates of other Tennessee public institutions, as well as peer institutions, and found that even with the proposed fee increase, MTSU ranked as very affordable in comparison,” said Committee Chair Pete DeLay.

The increase means an undergraduate in-state student taking 15 credit hours would pay an additional $518 per year. Also, trustees approved an increase of 3.5% in housing rates. •

{The Lynchburg Times is a nonpartisan, independent community newspaper serving Lynchburg, Tennessee and the surrounding counties. We are dedicated to public service journalism for the greater good of our community. You can support us, by clicking here.}