WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA — Tuition will rise this year at the 10 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities, including three in Western Pennsylvania. .
The increase was approved Thursday by the organization's board of governors.
For 2026-27, in-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $172 per semester. The new tuition rate will be $4,169 per semester, or $8,338 for a full academic year.
The state schools in Western Pennsylvania that will be impacted:
Even with the tuition hike, the state schools will have the lowest university tuition in Pennsylvania.
“Every dollar counts for our students, and while we would prefer to freeze tuition as the board did for seven years, we kept this increase as low as possible,” said Cynthia Shapira, chair of the board of governors.
"If the state provides sufficient funding, the board is committed to rolling back the rate.”
The board also announced the establishment of a system-wide "PASSHE Pledge," a last-dollar scholarship initiative to cover remaining tuition costs for in-state undergraduate students who receive both a federal Pell Grant and a PA State Grant.
Under the pledge, eligible students across all 10 PASSHE universities would pay no out-of-pocket tuition costs after federal, state and institutional aid is applied. Fees, books, housing and meals are not included.
The board sets in-state undergraduate tuition rates. Each university sets graduate and out-of-state undergraduate tuition rates, along with student room, board and mandatory fees.
In a news release, the system asserted it has taken significant steps to protect affordability for student and families, including:
The remaining schools in the state system are:
About 83,000 students attend PASSHE universities.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Pittsburgh, PA Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.