No tuition increase for Johnson County Community College this year

Good news for students going to Johnson County Community College in the fall: You will be paying the same rate students paid last year.

The community college’s board of trustees voted not to change the tuition rate, and JCCC President Joe Sopcich said he couldn’t be happier.

“This is a definite win for our students,” Sopcich said in a statement released Thursday. “JCCC is a place where every student has the opportunity for success. By not raising tuition, that opportunity for success is now more achievable for more students.”

Students living in Johnson County will pay $93 per credit hour, and students living in other Kansas counties will be charged $110. The rate for metro area students living in ZIP codes beginning 640 and 641 will be $135 per credit hour. Students from other areas of Missouri and other states will pay $220.

JCCC officials said the school’s budget benefited from a bump in enrollment. Board Chairman Greg Musil said he was pleased the board had voted to keep tuition flat for the coming school year.

“ ...Every year I have been on the Board, we have asked students to pay more in tuition and fees,” Musil said. “I’m pleased that because of our careful cost management and the economic strength of Johnson County, we can make our programs a little more affordable for the 2017-2018 school year.”

The average annual tuition for a public two-year institution in the U.S. is $3,400. At JCCC annual tuition and fees are $2,790 for a full-time Kansas resident.

Maria Paramo Perez, 19, a graduate of Olathe North High School, said price was a big factor in her decision to attend JCCC.

“Sometimes tuition goes up a little, and that can make a big difference to a student.”

This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 3:02 PM with the headline "No tuition increase for Johnson County Community College this year."