Due to inflation and the increased cost of living, tuition at Spring Hill College increased for all students by $1,720 per year. The increase began at the beginning of the fall 2023 semester.
Even with the rise in inflation, Spring Hill still remains below the average cost for tuition among 4 year private, not for profit colleges. Spring Hill’s Vice President for Business and Finance and Chief Financial Officer Brian Courtney, in an emailed response to the reasons behind the increase, stated, “Tuition increases at Spring Hill have been below the cost of living averages so that students and their families do not have to shoulder the entire amount of increased cost.”
Courtney continued, “Tuition adjustments make it possible for the College to continue to provide a quality education for students. Without adjusting tuition for the cost of living, the school would be unable to provide the same learning experience. Tuition pricing is evaluated each year in the fall. The Spring Hill Board of Trustees approves tuition rates at their October board meeting.”
Some students questioned the raise because they feared it could lower the value of their scholarships. Sophomore Andrew Dolan-Lewis stated, “From being here last year I think it’s a little rough since it was a little cheaper last year to now it being raised.” However, according to Courtney, “Tuition does not specifically affect scholarships. Merit scholarships are specific amounts, and endowed scholarships are based on the amount of the endowment, and dependent on market conditions.”
The college experienced a tuition reset in the fall of 2021. Under the leadership of former SHC president Dr. E. Joseph Lee, tuition was decreased from $41,868 to $21,100. The tuition cut was also accompanied by a housing and meal plan monetary decrease. This year, tuition has increased to $22,820 according to the official tuition breakdown on the SHC website.
Some students questioned if they were notified when the tuition had changed. Courtney responded, “These rates are then published publicly on the Spring Hill website by December for the following academic year. So yes, students have access to the information once it is published, around 8 months prior to the rates going into effect.”
To see the current tuition rates, students can find it on their BadgerWed or the SHC website under Financial Aid Overview.
