GOP Commitment to College Affordability Benefits Students: NC Ranked Top 5 in Student Investment

Average $12,365 Per Student Spending Represents Strong Commitment to College Affordability

North Carolina’s average per-student allocation at its public university system is one of the top five in the country. The state spends an average of $12,365 per student, allowing students and families to benefit from lower tuition rates and student fees.

Recent data published by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System shows that North Carolina’s average ranks fifth out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In recent years, the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly found creative ways to keep college education affordable, including capping student fee increases, fixed-rate tuition, and establishing the N.C. Promise tuition guarantee.

N.C. Promise caps tuition for in-state students at $500 per semester at three UNC System schools: UNC-Pembroke, a historically minority-serving institution; Elizabeth City State University, a historically black university; and Western Carolina University. Since implementing the tuition plan, all three campuses have seen enrollment increases.

The N.C. Promise tuition rate also caps out-of-state students’ tuition at $2,500 per semester. For many students, the N.C. Promise helps them stay in college. In a recent student survey, one WCU student remarked that N.C. Promise “… allowed me, financially, to study and remain a student at Western. I am very supportive of the reduced tuition as it allows students like me to come to a highly regarded institution.”

Republicans in the General Assembly passed laws aimed at making college more affordable. In 2016 student fee increases across the UNC System were capped at no more than 3% per year. In-state undergraduate students also benefit from having a fixed tuition when they enter the UNC System. A fixed tuition price guarantees that the price a student pays as a freshman will remain the same for their four years in college, as long as they remain continuously enrolled during that time.

“This data shows the incredible investments Republicans in the General Assembly have made to ensure college education remains affordable and equitable,” Sen. Deanna Ballard (R-Watauga) said. “Legislators are committed to making sure all students have access to a high quality, affordable education that prepares them to enter the workforce. Our dedication to keeping college affordable is a model other states should emulate.”