Students attending Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) will see increases to tuition and other fees charged for the 2026 academic year.

The Missouri State University Board of Governors Executive Committee gave preliminary approval to those increases during its meeting on Wednesday, April 16, in Springfield. Final action will be taken by the full board during its meeting in May.

Basic tuition for in-state students will go up $8, from $155 to $163 per credit hour, a 5% increase. Out-of-state students will pay $326 per credit hour in basic tuition for FY2026. This is a $16 increase over last year’s $310 per credit hour rate.

“We remain deeply committed to providing a high-quality, affordable education,” MSU-WP Chancellor Dennis Lancaster said. “This modest tuition adjustment is necessary to sustain the academic excellence and student support services our community expects and deserves.

“Like families and businesses across the country, our campus is facing higher costs across the board – from technology and instructional materials to utilities and health benefits,” Lancaster added. “This tuition increase is a responsible step to ensure we can continue offering outstanding educational opportunities.”

Lancaster said a growing number of financial aid opportunities are available to help students pay for their education. “We understand that any tuition increase has an impact on students and families. That’s why we continue to expand financial aid, scholarship and work-study opportunities to help keep college within reach,” he explained.

Tiered tuition rates

To be more transparent with tuition and fees, MSU-WP will implement tiered tuition rates this year for those classes that had additional course fees in the past.

“In the past, students were not always aware of additional course fees for some classes, so when they received their bill, they were often surprised by those additional charges,” said Dr. Michael Orf, vice chancellor for academic affairs. “By doing away with those additional fees and increasing tuition for certain classes, students should know what their total tuition cost should be for a semester.”

Tiered tuition rates are based on the cost of providing the courses in that tier. The actual cost of providing courses in the additional tiers is more expensive than the base rate tuition. Students will be able to know the exact additional cost for those courses without fluctuating fee charges. Orf noted two-thirds of the classes within the tiered course fee schedule fall within Tier 1.

Other fee increases

Other fee increases were approved, as well.

• Online course feeswill go from $185 to $193 per credit hour.
• The Common Fee, which covers a variety of student andadministrative focused activities, will go from $42 per credit hour to $55 per credit hour.
• Fees for in-person seated nursing classes will go from $205 to $263 per credit hour for Missouri residents and from $410 to $526 for out-of-state students. Online nursing classes will be $293 for Missouri students and $586 for out-of-state students. Nursing fees for seated and online courses have been separated due to the growth of MSU-WP’s online nursing program, officials explained.

New housing fees

Students living in the Grizzly Lofts for the fall and spring semesters in FY2025 will pay $7,950 compared to $7,150 this past year, which is an 11% increase. The fee includes a 19-meal-per-week plan at the Grizzly Bite, the on-site dining hall.

Students living in the Grizzly Lofts for the 2025 summer session will pay $2,300, which includes a 10-meal-per-week plan.

Students not living in the Grizzly Lofts, as well as faculty and staff, may purchase “punch cards” for the Grizzly Bite at a cost of $70 for 10 meals.

Fees for high school students

Area high school students who participate in dual credit or dual enrollment programs through MSU-WP also will see increases in their fees beginning with the 2025 fall semester.

The dual credit fee will increase to $75 per credit hour, up $5 from this year’s $70 fee, and the dual enrollment fee will go from $88 to $100 per credit hour, a $12 increase over this year.

For more information about tuition and student fees, contact the MSU-WP business office at 417-255-7260.