Youngstown State University will vote on Thursday to raise the price students must pay to get an education.

Continuing students, who arrived on campus before the Penguin Promise initiative was put into place, tuition will be raised 2%. 

Undergraduate tuition will remain the same starting this coming fall semester for all sophomore, junior and senior level students. All incoming students will see a tuition increase of 4.6% or $5,205.24 per semester for full time, which will not increase for four years under Penguin 

Tuition increases are not uncommon at continued educational institutions. The National Center for Education Statistics collected data showing public universities like YSU averaged a 1.3% tuition increase between 2010 and 2020.

Masters and doctoral programs at the school will increase too. Those graduate students will see rates go up by less than 1% of current costs.

But data suggests YSU's tuition increase for 4-year undergraduate degrees is higher than the national average.

The proposal to raise costs also comes four months after the university disclosed it would be cutting 26 academic programs. Students and faculty protested the announcement. They voiced concerns over the quality and what lack of choices in an education might mean.

YSU spokesperson Ron Cole was contacted to explain what made the tuition increase necessary. He referred 21 News back to the proposal. 

"It's kinda complex reporting on tuition these days," Cole wrote in an email.

The school has seen a large enrollment decrease in recent years. About 11% less students attended the school in Fall 2021 compared to Fall 2018. The enrollment drop was projected to decrease revenue from tuition and fees by $5.6 million in 2021.

The school also disclosed that the new Penguin Promise program will cost between $5,205 and $5,385 for students.

University officials will vote on the increase on Thursday