WGU Washington Pledges to Hold Tuition Steady

SEATTLE, June 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the fifth year in a row, WGU Washington will not increase tuition or fees. The nonprofit, online university has held tuition at a flat rate of $6,000 per year since it was founded in 2011. The university plans to hold tuition steady for the next five years.

WGU Washington's tuition is charged at a flat rate regardless of the number of courses completed. While the average cost of textbooks at other universities is nearly $1,200 per year, WGU Washington's resource fee of $145 per term includes access to e-textbooks for all courses, as well as a host of other innovative, technology-based learning resources.

"WGU Washington was founded to be a low-cost, educational option in this state – without using taxpayer dollars to support operations," said WGU Washington Chancellor Jean Floten. "Now in its fifth year, the university has kept its commitment to ambitious, career-focused Washingtonians – not raising tuition while offering high-quality bachelor's and master's degree programs. And it's the goal of our university to hold tuition steady for the next five years to come."

WGU Washington is the state-based affiliate of Western Governors University (WGU). Because the university's innovative, competency-based learning model allows students to advance through courses as soon as they demonstrate mastery of the materials and subject matter, many students are able to accelerate their progress toward a degree, saving both time and money. The average time to complete a bachelor's degree at WGU is less than three years, making the average cost for a bachelor's degree about $18,000 total.

In addition, a degree from WGU pays for itself faster. A study conducted by Gallup for WGU found that WGU students experienced an average increase in income of $10,400 in the first one to three years after graduation, making the return on investment of a WGU degree about two years.

WGU is committed to helping students graduate with less debt. In addition to affordable tuition and fees, WGU has initiated a program called the Responsible Borrowing Initiative. This program encourages students to borrow only what they need and provides detailed information on loan payments. Since the program's implementation less than two years ago, student borrowing at WGU has decreased by more than $125 million – a reduction of 29 percent.

For more information about WGU Washington's programs and tuition, please visit the university's website: washington.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/tuition

About WGU Washington

WGU Washington was established by the State Legislature in 2011 in partnership with nationally recognized and accredited Western Governors University to expand access to higher education for Washington residents.

The state-endorsed, online university offers more than 50 bachelor's and master's degree programs in Business, Information Technology, Teacher Education and Health Professions, including Nursing. WGU Washington's competency-based learning model is designed to meet the needs of working adults by providing an affordable, flexible option for earning an accredited, respected college degree. It's non-profit and receives no money from the state.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. They include institutions such as AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education and Zions Bank.

* One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791

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SOURCE WGU Washington