CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Austin Peay State University will raise undergraduate and graduate tuition for the 2026-27 academic year following a vote by the APSU Board of Trustees on June 5.
According to university leadership, the increase is driven by rising enrollment, growing operational needs, and statewide trends among Tennessee’s public universities.
During the meeting, APSU officials outlined the details:
- Undergraduate tuition will increase by 4%.
- Mandatory fees will not increase, resulting in a combined weighted increase of 3.23% for most students.
- Graduate tuition will also rise by 4%, with no mandatory fee changes, creating a 3.4% combined increase for graduate students.
Administrators emphasized that APSU will remain the second most affordable university option in Tennessee, even after the adjustment. Peer institutions across the state are raising tuition between 4.3% and 5.6%, according to the Board discussion.
University representatives noted that the increase is necessary to support software licensing, maintenance needs, historically underfunded areas, and proposed salary adjustments. While the university has been growing in enrollment, it is also facing increased costs, administrators said.
The Board also approved revisions to Policy 1.021: Fees, Charges, Refunds, and Fee Adjustments, updating the policy to comply with a new state law taking effect July 1. The law requires public universities to ensure that out‑of‑state tuition revenue is used in ways that help mitigate costs for in‑state undergraduate students. APSU leaders noted that this is already standard practice at the university.
The tuition and policy approvals were part of a broader agenda that included budget planning, capital project requests, and academic restructuring items.
The new tuition rates will take effect at the start of the upcoming academic year.
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