The Rutgers University Board of Governors approved a $4.8 billion budget June 22 that includes a 2.6% increase in tuition and fees for the 2021-2022 academic year, following a tuition freeze and a fees reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We know that tuition increases are difficult for our students, especially after a challenging year, and we would avoid any increase if the numbers would allow it,” said Mark Angelson, chair of the board of governors, in a prepared statement. “We are committed to providing an affordable, high-quality education, and we urge our students and their families to focus, as we do, on the average net cost to students who receive financial assistance.”

Tuition will increase 2.5% and fees will increase 2.9% for most undergraduate and graduate programs. For the last five academic years, the university averaged a 1.2% increase in tuition and fees, including the 2020-2021 tuition freeze and 15% campus fee reduction.

“This budget allows us to provide what is most important – excellent academic instruction and research opportunities for our students, first-rate patient care and far-reaching public service while keeping cost increases as low as possible following an extremely difficult year unlike any Rutgers has experienced,” President Jonathan Holloway said in a prepared statement.

Tuition and fees account for nearly 29% of university revenues and help fund academic programs and university services such as academic advising, library services, computing services, student health services, counseling and financial aid.

“This is a prudent budget that addresses our fiscal realities. The fact that we are not yet back to the pre-pandemic ‘normal’ – especially with respect to revenues from housing, dining and similar sources – means that we will still have to keep careful controls on discretionary spending throughout the coming fiscal year,” said Michael Gower, executive vice president, chief financial officer and university treasurer, in a prepared statement.

Typical in-state, full-time arts and sciences undergraduate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick will be billed $15,804 in combined tuition and mandatory student fees. At Rutgers University-Newark, tuition and fees for a typical full-time arts and sciences undergraduate is $15,208, and, at Rutgers University-Camden, a typical arts and sciences undergraduate’s tuition and fees is $15,657.

Nearly 80% of students have their bills reduced by federal, state, private or institutional financial aid. The estimated average net price to attend Rutgers-New Brunswick for in-state, first-year students receiving scholarship and grant assistance is 56% of the total cost of attendance. Rutgers-Newark students on average pay 49% of the total cost, and Rutgers-Camden students pay 53% on average.