For the 13th year in a row, tuition at Austin Community College for the 2026-27 academic year will remain $85 per credit hour with fees for in-district students, solidifying the college as one of the most affordable options for higher education in the nation.
The college's board of trustees voted last week to extend the tuition freeze.
Monique Johnson-Jones, associate vice chancellor of advising and student planning for ACC, said keeping tuition low increases the chance a student will enroll or continue college classes. She said it also gives students who are anxious about starting college "one less thing to worry about."
"It's expensive to live in the Austin metro area, and so anything that can be done to reduce the financial burden to our students, current and prospective, is something that we want to work to do," Johnson-Jones said.
For in-district students who take 30 credit hours a year, the tuition cost with fees is about $2,550 — significantly lower than many community colleges in the state and country.
The average annual cost of tuition for in-district community college or two-year university students in the U.S. is $3,598 — about 41% higher than ACC's rate, according to the Education Data Initiative. The average annual cost of community college in Texas is $3,160.
Johnson-Jones said freezing tuition requires ACC staff to be good financial stewards so the college can still continue offering low-cost options.
She said having to spend money efficiently as a team is "just one more thing that brings us together — no pun intended — but brings us together as a community here at this community college."
Fall registration for the next academic year begins May 11 for current and former students. Registration for newcomers begins May 15.
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