USC will raise tuition, but it will be smallest hike in years for in-state students

Columbia — Like other public colleges statewide, the University of South Carolina plans its smallest tuition hike in recent years for in-state students, the school said Friday.

Tuition for in-state students at USC Columbia will rise 3.15 percent next school year — the smallest hike since 1999 and an amount about the same as inflation last year. Students will pay $320 more for a total of $10,488 when mandatory fees for technology and student activities are included.

Out-of-state students will see a bigger tuition hike — 4.9 percent. They will pay $27,463 in 2012-13, up $1,291 from last year. The out-of-state increase was not a new low. Out-of-state students saw an increase of 3.9 percent a year ago.

This is the first time in recent memory that out-of-state students have been charged a different rate hike than in-state students, USC budget director Leslie Brunelli said.

The school decided put more of a burden on out-of-state students to make up a $10.7 million budget gap due to higher employee salaries, and retirement and health insurance costs, USC president Harris Pastides said. Out-of-state students account for 12 percent of the student body on the Columbia campus.