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Recognizing the impact of mandatory cost increases, which include statewide adjustments for compensation and benefits, the State Board for Community Colleges voted unanimously to increase tuition for the first time in five years. This increase of $4.61 per credit hour (3%) will go into effect for the 2023-24 academic year.

“Camp Community College prides itself on being affordable for all students,” CCC President Dr. Corey L. McCray said. “However, the slight increase is aligned with the growing costs of operating expenses. We will continue to offer the most affordable education for students and use our available resources to help ensure access to quality and affordable education at Camp Community College.”

A Camp news release noted that beginning in the fall 2023 semester, total in-state tuition and fees at CCC will be $162.26 per credit hour. This includes the Virginia Community College in-state tuition and fee rate of $158.61 per credit hour, and Camp’s student activity fee of $2.40 per credit hour and auxiliary fee of $1.25 per credit hour. Out-of-state tuition and fees will be $383.36 per credit hour.

Asked if there are any measures Camp Community College is taking to help its students manage the increase, McCray said, “Yes, our financial aid advisers are prepared to address student questions and concerns.”

Peggy Layne, chair of the State Board of Virginia’s Community Colleges, addressed the Virginia Community College System tuition increase when she said, “We reviewed the options of further delaying a decision, which would have adversely impacted our students, or we could move forward with a tuition increase to ensure continued high-quality instruction. Unfortunately, this increase will not fully cover all of the cost pressures faced by our community colleges in these inflationary times.”

At about one-third of the comparable costs of tuition of Virginia’s public four-year universities, Virginia’s Community Colleges remain Virginia’s most affordable pathway to better jobs, Camp’s release stated. The new rate is $158.61 per credit hour. The tuition increase only applies to tuition, as other mandatory fees vary at the community college level. 

Virginia’s Community Colleges have held the same tuition rate for five consecutive years and even delayed making a decision since May in order to wait for the General Assembly to conclude deliberations on the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Since state budget deliberations are ongoing, the State Board for Community Colleges determined a tuition increase was necessary to ensure continued quality instruction and uninterrupted services to community college students.  

“Keeping Virginia’s Community Colleges accessible to Virginians will remain a top priority,” said Dr. David Doré, chancellor for Virginia’s Community Colleges, also known as the Virginia Community College System. “We’re grateful for programs like G3 tuition assistance, offered as a last-dollar support to students with a household income generally less than $100,000 and pursuing high-demand career fields; and FastForward, a pay-for-performance program that incentivizes students to complete short-term credential training programs for Virginia’s most in-demand jobs. Our community colleges will continue to do everything we can to remain affordable, deliver high-quality instruction and support Virginians as they pursue better jobs and better lives through postsecondary education and training.”