By Lily Fay
Photo by Gordon Wenzel
Have you ever thought about who’s paying for you to go here? This thought might not cross your mind very often, but regardless, every student at Susquehanna University is impacted when costs rise. Whether you’re a first-year student just starting, or a senior wrapping up your time, we all pay to be here.
According to Susquehanna University, 100% of its students receive a financial aid offer. As a matter of fact, Forbes, the annual ranker of 500 U.S. undergraduate institutions, labels Susquehanna University within the top 25 of private universities that provide its students with financial aid packages.
Along with Forbes’ ranking , Amanda O’Rourke, public relations manager with SU, says, “Susquehanna University continues to navigate rising operating costs while maintaining its commitment to providing students with a high-quality, personalized education and substantial financial aid.”
While this is true, rising costs still pose challenges, especially when direct costs increase by three to five percent each year. Even this seemingly small increase from one academic year to the next can add up over the course of a four-year education.
For example, Susquehanna University’s tuition and cost information page claims that tuition is $30,550 per semester for the 2025-2026 school year, increasing to $31,750 per semester for the 2026-2027 school year. These costs are before any merit or needbased aid.
Adding in other rising expenses, such as housing and food, these additional costs can make paying for college even more challenging.
After speaking with a former SU student who was financially impacted by the 2026 tuition increase, they explained, “Unfortunately, I had to make a beyond hard decision to leave and go to a school in a state where they provided a full grant for education majors.”
Not only did this student have no choice but to leave and continue schooling somewhere else, but while at SU, they had been paying their tuition independently. Reflecting on the decision, the former student said, “I had to make one of the hardest decisions: leaving a college I fell in love with.” For students like them to stay afloat, an increase in tuition can take over their lives. This can involve taking on additional loans, working more hours at a jobor even multiple jobs,changing academic plans and in more serious cases like this one, reconsidering whether they can afford to remain at their university.
Susquehanna University must also consider its own increasing costs. Maintaining facilities, paying faculty and staff and providing its esteemed academic resources and student programs all require significant funding. Students deserve authenticity in understanding not only that tuition is increasing, but also what the increase is supporting and what resources are available to help students manage this change.
At the end of the day, you never know what someone is experiencing when it comes to financial stability. What’s more, investing in a college education is a big step in life, and students should be offered as much support as possible. As O’Rourke states, “The university remains committed to carefully balancing rising costs with academic quality, an exceptional student experience and affordability.”