Campus Life | September 2nd, 2025
Tuition Increase Proposed for Fall 2026, Set to go Before the Board of Trustees on Sept 18.
By: Leah Dudley
Florida A&M University has announced a proposed 15 percent tuition increase set to take effect in Fall 2026.
The proposed 15 percent increase would raise non-Florida resident tuition from $549.80 per credit hour to $606.66 per credit hour. The proposal would not change resident tuition, which would remain at $151.78 per credit hour. This means that tuition for a non-resident student taking 15 credit hours would increase by $852.90 per semester (excluding room and board).
Current tuition cost per credit hour found on iRattler ( released by President Beard’s administration July 2025)
In the University’s statement released to students’ Canvas accounts on Aug 15. Nichole Murry, acting chief financial officer, assured a commitment to maintaining affordable tuition.
“FAMU has not implemented a tuition increase since Fall 2013, reflecting FAMU’s long-standing commitment to keeping higher education accessible and affordable,” said Murry. “The increase will be used to meet increasing operation demands, maintain student services, enhance the student learning environment, and ensure that all students make an equitable contribution towards the escalating cost of instruction.”
Non-resident students have expressed their frustrations, stating that out-of-state costs were already a concern for enrolled students and a deterrent for accepted students.
“This is a concern in my household because of how expensive out-of-state tuition already is.” “ I just don’t like how the proposal targets out-of-state students,” says Jhaniece Johnson, a third-year public relations student from Kansas City, MA.
“I feel like the increase is outrageous. We just got a new president, and her salary is about $700k, so I’m pretty sure that’s why they are increasing it,” says Morgan Amakere, a third-year physical therapy student from South Carolina.
Enrollment at the university is currently down, and the question becomes, will the increase further deter students from enrolling?
“Tuition for out-of-state students was too high for my family to realistically afford. Even with scholarships, I’d be forced to take out loans to attend school, use my college fund, and get a part-time job to stay afloat,” says Kendel Felton, a first-year psychology student at Kennesaw State.
Dayvon Binder, a third-year criminal justice scholar from Columbus, Ohio, has committed to joining the armed forces to cover the costs associated with being an out-of-state student.
“When I first got here, the tuition was already bad enough. It was about $32,000, so I ended up joining the army, and now they pay for my tuition, but I still think the increase is a cash grab,” says Binder.
Some students have even considered transferring to another school.
“It’s really upsetting because I just want to go to school,” says Shamya Chery, a second-year pre-physical therapy student from Atlanta, Ga. “ I might just have to transfer.”
Faculty and staff members have also expressed concern about the potential tuition increase.
“I think it is very disheartening that students have to experience this, as out-of-state costs are already high,” says Tristian Hutton, a recent graduate and production assistant at the university from Winter Haven, Fla. “I think the increase is less about needing students to contribute and more about greed.”
The proposed tuition increase is scheduled to be presented to the FAMU Board of Trustees for approval at approximately 9:00 a.m. September 18, 2025. For more information, students are encouraged to visit https://www.famu.edu/about-famu/leadership/board-of-trustees/index.php and contact the Office of Financial Aid: https://www.famu.edu/students/office-of-financial-aid/.
