EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story stated that Troy had eliminated in-state and out-of-state tuition. This is incorrect and has been corrected.

TROY, Ala. (WHNT) – The University of Troy has announced plans to maintain tuition fees for Fall 2022 and maintains a unique cost structure in higher education.

Originally introduced before the Fall 2021 term, the University’s Clear Cost Plan established a single tuition rate for all students, whether online or in-person; the only variance depends on the level of study: undergraduate, graduate or doctoral. The plan also waived several fees, including lab fees, registration fees, course fees, and recreation fees, to name a few.

A December 2021 Report from the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization Partners for College Affordability and Public Trust recognized Troy for his efforts to keep costs flat. According to Troy, these efforts began when Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., was appointed Chancellor in 1989.

At the time, Troy had three separately accredited campuses – Dothan, Montgomery, and the main Troy campus. Hawkins conducted a status audit of Troy to identify challenges. A major problem identified was the duplication between the three campuses.

We had three teachers’ manuals. We had three financial systems. We had three brands. And one of the tasks of this study was to tackle the duplication and lack of cohesion of this system.

Chancellor of the University of Troy, Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr

As a result, the three separate universities were all merged into a single institution operating under the same accreditation; cost savings over the first decade were estimated at $20 million.

And that wasn’t the end of the focus on keeping costs low for students – that goal continues to this day.

As a board, our philosophy is not to raise tuition fees unless absolutely essential. We want to keep tuition and room and board costs as low as possible where [students] don’t run out of credit card or student loan debt weighs on them for years and years.

Gibson Vance, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Troy Pro Tempore

Troy’s senior management and trustees continue to focus on optimizing faculty and staff utilization, program productivity, and space utilization across all four campuses – Dothan, Montgomery, Phenix City and the flagship campus in Troy.

Tuition fees for 2022-23 will remain at:

• $388/credit hour for undergraduates
• $475/credit hour for graduate students
• $550/credit hour for doctoral students

Under Troy’s Clear Cost pricing, fees eliminated include overhead ($42/credit hour), course fees ($8-$40/credit hour for some courses), recreation fees for students ($100/semester in fall/spring; $50 in summer), online course fees ($50/credit hour), as well as lab and registration fees.

Troy said these changes make undergraduate tuition lower than the combined undergraduate tuition and fees at all other public four-year universities in Alabama.