Limestone hikes tuition by 6 percent

Limestone College students will pay nearly $24,000 to live on campus and attend classes this fall.

The college's board of trustees has approved a 6 percent tuition increase for full-time day students. Tuition will increase from $15,900 to $17,300 for the 2008-2009 academic year. Room and board will increase slightly, from $6,200 to $6,400.

Unlike other colleges, Limestone College charges the same amount for in-state and out-of-state students. This year's total cost is $23,700.

Limestone has increased tuition an average of 5 percent over the past several years because of increased expenses from enrollment growth, and the need to keep qualified faculty for its 17 academic majors, Limestone College President Dr. Walt Griffin said. This year's tuition increase does include a $250 technology fee.

The technology fee was previously paid separately by students. It helps support the college's computer labs, multimedia classrooms and online classes.

"Even with the tuition increase, we are still one of the most inexpensive colleges in the state," Griffin said.

Limestone College had 770 students enrolled in the day program last fall. Griffin said preliminary figures suggest the college's enrollment could top 800 students this year.

About 42 percent of Limestone College students come from out-of-state. About 20 percent of those students are from the Northeast.

"We have an unusually large number of students from out-of-state," Griffin said. "I think students take a look at Limestone College and realize it is quite a good bargain to attend the private college."

Limestone joins Clemson, the University of South Carolina and Winthrop University in raising tuition this summer.

Clemson's board of trustees approved a 5.5 percent tuition increase last week. In-state students at Clemson will pay $10,412 a semester. Out-of-state students will pay $23,432 in tuition.

University of South Carolina students will pay $8,346 per semester.

In comparison, one semester at Spartanburg Community College will cost $1,597 this fall.