The cost of a Wartburg education will be around $33, 788 for the 2008-2009 academic year, using average the average room charge for calculations.

This is an increase of $2,353 from this year’s total of $31, 435. The percentage of the increase is 6.9 percent, down from last year’s increase of 7.3 percent. This is the twelfth year in a row for which tuition has increased.

“We were really pleased that we were able to hold the tuition, room, board and fees down under 7 percent. I wish we would never have to raise tuition…but at the same time we have an institution that must run a sound financial operation,” President Jack R. Ohle said.

Full-time tuition is $25,360, up from $23, 600 and general board will run students $3,820. Room charges range from $3,435 to $4,870, for an average of $3,808.

Other fees also increase
This year, a student services fee of $800 has replaced what was a technology fee and general fee. This money goes toward “The W,” technology, Outfly, Homecoming and other services.

In addition to student services, a lot of the increasing fees come from the need to pay salaries and benefits for the college’s nearly 300 employees.

“The increases in those expenses go up higher than what we increase tuition by,” Ohle said.

He added that most students receive financial aid, but even without it, they only pay for about 71 percent of the cost of running the college. The rest is funded by outside sources of revenue such as the endowment, “The W,” and on-campus restaurants available to the public.