Out-of-state students will save $50 per credit hour on tuition at NorthWest Arkansas Community College beginning with the fall 2015 semester.
The college’s Board of Trustees recently approved a reduction in the out-of-state tuition rate from $175 per credit hour to $125 per credit hour.
“We believe this change will make college more affordable for those students who have wanted to take college classes with us, but felt the out-of-state tuition rate put their dream of a college education out of reach,” said Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson, the college’s president.
A wide range of students will benefit from the change, said Steven Hinds, executive director of public relations and marketing.
“The potential beneficiaries of this change include students who are taking classes online with us, students who qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status or students who live in bordering states such as Missouri and Oklahoma, but outside the narrow service area currently receiving the in-state tuition rate,” he added.
Jorgenson said the college administration believes this action is a way to make college more affordable in an era when many institutions are being forced to increase tuition rates to balance budgets. NWACC’s Board of Trustees raised some student fees, but did not increase tuition costs for the 2015-16 academic year. This marked the third straight year the community college has not increased its tuition rates. The cost per credit hour for those students living within the college’s taxing district (Bentonville and Rogers school districts) is $75 per credit hour, and the out-of-the-district, but in-state rate is $122.50 per credit hour.