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UW Seeks Public Comment Tuition Recommendations
The University of Wyoming is seeking public comment on recommendations regarding student tuition for the 2026-27 academic year. The UW Board of Trustees at their meeting September 24-26, are expected to act on the recommendations from the university administration, and public input will help inform the trustees’ decision. The board is being asked to consider an increase in standard tuition rates in line with the current tuition policy.
What is being proposed is a four percent increase in undergraduate and graduate base tuition rates for Wyoming residents and a four percent increase in undergraduate and graduate base distance tuition rates for nonresidents. Main campus graduate tuition rates for nonresidents would increase by four percent. Main campus undergraduate tuition rates for nonresidents would increase by one percent, and College of Law tuition rates would increase by at least four percent. A table, outlining the standard tuition rates for the 2025-26 academic year and the administration’s recommendations for the 2026-27 academic year, may be found here. Those wishing to comment on the tuition increase should go here. The deadline for written comments is 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31.
Lucas Grant
August 20, 2025 at 6:49 pm
This across-the-board tuition hike waters down the true benefit of being an in-state student. While it is technically the same percentage increase for both in-state and out-of-state students, the flat percentage model disproportionately affects Wyoming residents by eroding the unique benefit of attending their own state’s flagship, publicly funded university.
The University of Wyoming was founded as a Land-Grant University, with the explicit mission of serving the educational needs of Wyoming residents. That responsibility carries with it an obligation to preserve accessibility and affordability for in-state students. Simply applying a blanket percentage increase to both groups ignores that core purpose.
Yes, out-of-state students will see a larger dollar amount increase, but they also entered the university under a different understanding—they chose UW knowing they would pay significantly more than Wyoming residents. Wyoming students, on the other hand, have always understood UW to be their affordable option, supported by state taxpayers. Increasing in-state tuition at the same rate as out-of-state tuition dilutes this covenant with Wyoming families.
If UW is to honor its role as a Land-Grant institution, it should provide preferential protection for Wyoming students by keeping in-state tuition growth meaningfully lower than out-of-state growth. A proportional or tiered model would still allow for needed revenue increases without undermining the foundational promise of affordable higher education for the people of Wyoming.