Survey ranks UNLV tuition fourth lowest

Jennifer Knight

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2003 | 11:05 a.m.

Out of 68 universities surveyed, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, had the fourth lowest tuition rates, according to USA Today on Wednesday.

While the random sample of universities did not include all of the more than 4,000 universities nationwide, one policy analyst said it is still an accurate depiction of what is happening across the country.

"It looks like they surveyed mostly the flagship public colleges," said Will Doyle, senior policy analyst for the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in San Jose, Calif. "It looks like a pretty fair characterization of those institutions."

Doyle said when his center examined last year's college tuition rates and ranked them by state, Nevada had the third least expensive tuition in the nation.

But tuition increases have hit nearly half of the public universities nationwide this year, and higher-education spending in state after state is being cut to help governors make up for budget deficits even as tuition bills rise.

In the USA Today survey of 68 major public universities in all 50 states, 28 have increased both in- and out-of-state tuition and fees by more than 10 percent for the 2003-2004 school year. Ten have raised in-state tuition and fees by more than 20 percent.

In three states, Arizona, California and New York, all the schools surveyed reported in-state increases of more than 20 percent. Of the universities surveyed, only the University of Mississippi's tuition did not increase.

While UNLV raised in-state tuition rates by 8 percent this year from $2,616 to $2,826 a year for first-year freshmen, rates are still comparatively low. That fact is being used as a tool by UNLV recruiters to persuade students to attend college in their home state.

"In our presentations to high schools now, we compare the cost to UCLA and Arizona State," Pamela Hicks, UNLV's director of undergraduate recruitment, said.

While most public university officials are warning students that they will face larger classes, longer lines and fewer course options due to budget cuts, UNLV just announced the opening of 170 more class sections, allowing for more than 4,500 seats. Gannett News Service contributed to this story.