Citing the rising costs of supplies and operations, Jefferson College students will see a tuition rate increase of at least 2.7 percent for the 2026-27 academic year.
The Board of Trustees approved tuition rate increases of 2.7 percent for students in Tier 1, 5.5 percent for students in Tier 2 and 6.9 percent for students in Tier 3.
Tier 1 programs include art, business-management, criminal justice, EMT/paramedic, English, mathematics, physical science, psychology and theatre. Tier 2 programs include automotive technology, chemistry, culinary arts, engineering, the Law Enforcement Academy, machine tool technology, music and veterinary technology. Tier 3 programs include physical therapist assistant, practical nursing, radiologic technology and registered nursing.
College officials said the Tier 1 rate increase of 2.7 percent aligns with the 2025 Consumer Price Index. Costs for programs within Tiers 2 and 3 have increased at rates exceeding inflation, they said.
In other business, the board approved the renaming of two buildings on its Hillsboro campus. The “Arts and Science II” building will be renamed “Dr. Charles McClain Hall” after the college’s first president. The Technology Center building will be renamed “Dr. B. Ray Henry Hall” after the college’s longest serving president. The buildings will be renamed later in the year with one being unveiled in July and one in August.
In other action, the board:
• Approved spending $105,027 for medical simulation manikins for the nursing program.
• Approved a contract to renovate the Student Center Viking Room. The $618,300 bid was awarded to Wachter Inc. of Arnold.