With many colleges and universities continuing to raise tuition rates each year, WGU Missouri is proving once again to be an affordable exception to the rule. WGU Missouri announced today that it will not increase tuition or fees for another year. The nonprofit, online university is the state-endorsed affiliate of Western Governors University, which has held tuition flat since 2008.
WGU Missouri’s tuition is charged at a flat rate of $2,890 per six-month term for most programs, regardless of the number of courses completed. And, while the average cost of textbooks at other universities is nearly $1,200 per year, the university’s resource fee of $145 per term includes access to e-textbooks for all courses—as well as a host of other innovative, technology-based learning resources.
“Access to affordable education is one of the hallmarks of WGU Missouri and we are proud to continue offering low, flat-rate tuition to our students,” said WGU Missouri Chancellor Dr. Angie Besendorfer. “Holding tuition steady is just one more way we demonstrate that high quality education does not have to be prohibitively expensive to Missouri students.”
WGU Missouri’s innovative learning model, called competency-based education, allows students to advance as soon as they demonstrate mastery of course materials. This model allows many students to accelerate their progress toward a degree, saving both time and money. The average time to complete a bachelor’s degree at WGU Missouri is less than 3 years, making the average cost for a bachelor’s degree about $18,000.
In addition, a degree from WGU Missouri pays for itself faster. A study conducted by Harris Poll for WGU found that WGU students experienced an average increase in income of $10,400 in the first one to three years after graduation, making the return on investment of a WGU degree about two years.
WGU Missouri is committed to helping students graduate with less debt. In addition to affordable tuition and fees, WGU has initiated a program called the Responsible Borrowing Initiative. This program encourages students to borrow only what they need and provides detailed information on loan payments.
In less than two years since the program was implemented, student borrowing at WGU has decreased by more than $125 million, a reduction of 29 percent.
For more information about WGU Missouri’s programs and tuition, visit missouri.wgu.edu/tuition.
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.
Established through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $6,000 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).
More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.
*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).
Contact for media inquiries:
Kelly MacNeil
314.677.2303
Contact for enrollment information:
855-948-8493