Administrators at Barton Community College don’t anticipate an increase in tuition and fees for 2014, BCC President Dr. Carl Heilman said.
“We think enrollment will grow 7 to 10 percent,” Heilman told the BCC Board of Trustees when it met last week. If enrollment continues to grow at the anticipated rate, Heilman said he’ll recommend no tuition increase next year. However, a decrease in enrollment could lead to a different recommendation.
Tuition increased $2 and fees increased $2 for the 2013-14 year, for a total of $91 per credit hour for in-state students. However, the college provides a $7 per credit hour scholarship to in-district students residing in Barton County.
Barton ranks eighth among 19 Kansas community colleges. Cloud County Community College has the highest resident tuition and fees at $102 per credit hour, followed by Johnson County and Highland, $100; Colby, $98; Pratt and Butler County, $95; and Neosho County, $93. Those with lower tuition and fees were Fort Scott and Dodge City, $90; Hutchinson, $89; Labette and Cowley County, $86; Kansas City, $83; Garden City, $80; Seward County, $78; Independence, $74; Allen County, $72; and Coffeyville, $65.
Barton was also eighth for non-resident tuition and fees, which are $122 per credit hour. The highest tuition in this group was at Kansas City Community College, $207, and the lowest was at Allen County, $72. And Barton ranks eighth for international tuition and fees at $174. Highland is highest at $295, and Seward County has the lowest international rate, $112.
Board President Mike Johnson noted that other community colleges may have to increase their tuition because of declining enrollment, which could improve Barton position in the price spectrum. However, college officials noted that the difference in tuition rates isn’t a major factor in students’ choosing community colleges, and schools with the lowest rates have some of the lowest enrollments.
“The real demarcation is between universities and community colleges,” Heilman said. He added that students look at facilities and infrastructure and the quality of instruction, and then look at cost.