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University of Alabama System board approves modest tuition increases for 2025–26
Summary
The University of Alabama System trustees approved a resolution raising resident and nonresident tuition at UA, UAB and UAH for the 2025–26 academic year after presentations benchmarking the changes against peer institutions and citing rising operational costs.
The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees on a unanimous voice vote approved a resolution to raise undergraduate, graduate and professional tuition and fees for the 2025–26 academic year across the system's three universities.
System presenters said the proposed changes are modest, benchmarked against peer institutions and intended to cover rising operating and benefits costs while keeping system tuition competitive for in‑state students.
The resolution matters because tuition is the system’s second‑largest revenue source and trustees said small, planned increases help sustain instructional programs, pay market‑competitive salaries and support required technology and compliance investments.
Dr. Keith presented the system’s analysis and explained the increases are the result of sustained cost pressures including higher employer contributions to retirement and retiree health insurance and increased technology investments. He said the system has held tuition largely flat since a 2019 freeze and that the average annual percent change since that freeze is below inflation for residents and modest for nonresidents.
Trustees were shown semester tuition comparisons for full‑time (15‑credit) undergraduates. For resident undergraduates the system presentation showed a 2.67% proposed change for UA, a slightly over 3% request for UAH, and a 2.91% request for UAB (with additional differentials for engineering and business colleges). For nonresident undergraduates the presentation showed a 3.5% request for UA, 3% for UAH, and 3% for UAB (again with engineering/business differentials at UAB). The board materials noted that benchmarking places the system at or below peer averages.
Stephanie Mullins presented the professional schools proposals. The Hearsink School of Medicine, dentistry and optometry proposals were described individually: the School of Medicine and School of Dentistry sought a 3% increase for both resident and nonresident tuition; the School of Optometry requested a 3% resident increase and no increase for nonresidents, based on its benchmarking data.
Trustees asked questions during discussion. One trustee raised concern about the relatively low share of in‑state applicants to the School of Optometry and requested campus follow up. Mullins agreed to get that information to the trustee.
After discussion a motion to consider the UA System resolution was made and seconded; the committee voted and the resolution was approved.
What passed
- Resolution approving undergraduate, graduate and professional tuition and fees at UA, UAB and UAH for academic year 2025–26 (approved by voice vote). The motion text in board materials: “approve undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools tuition and fees at UA, UAB, and UAH for academic year 2025‑26.”
Next steps and context
Board leaders noted this is the first year the system approved tuition at the April meeting to allow earlier campus budgeting. Trustees and presenters said the increases were set after peer benchmarking and efforts to limit the impact on resident students; campuses will implement the new rates for the coming academic year and provide requested follow‑up information on professional school applicant pools.
