MAY 21, 2020 State Policies on Postsecondary Tuition Setting, Capping and Freezing

Colleges and universities across the country are announcing tuition freezes for the upcoming fall semester, in an effort to address financial hardships that students might be facing in the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While tuition caps and freezes can seem like a straightforward solution to affordability woes, the state policies dictating these actions are much more complex — and the added budgeting challenges of our current climate are likely to magnify these complexities. This updated 50-State Comparison — now in its third iteration — sheds light on the roles and responsibilities pertaining to tuition-setting at the state level and identifies which state legislatures impose restrictions.