Peninsula College students will pay more in tuition starting next fall after the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges approved a 3.3 percent per credit increase for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The increase, approved Dec. 5, will add about $54 per quarter or $163.05 a year to the average full-time Washington community college student’s tuition bill. It applies to resident and non-resident students enrolled in certificate, associate of science and bachelor’s degree programs.

The increase was necessitated by rising operational costs and the impact of inflation, the board said.

According to Peninsula College, the state pays about 76% of the cost to educate a full-time resident community college student, with the student responsible for the remaining 24 percent.

Krista Francis, the college’s vice-president of student services, said the 3.3 percent increase does not apply to fees for parking, transportation, student life and lab and technology charges associated with certain classes. Any changes in those areas would be determined separately.

The Peninsula College Board of Trustees does not approve yearly tuition increases. However, it approves the yearly budget where tuition is a source of revenue.

State law caps tuition fee increases at public colleges and universities based on the average annual growth rate for the median hourly wages over the past 14 years. The state Office of Financial Management calculated that rate to be 3.3 percent.

Schools like Peninsula College won’t know exactly how much their tuition rates will be next year until they receive that information from the SBCTC.

“We like to inform students as soon as possible,” Francis said. “We’d like to do that this winter quarter, but they have to get it to us first.”

Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.