| # | Question | Answer |
| The Decision | ||
| 1. | What did HACC’s Board of Trustees approve on Nov. 3, 2026? | The College is thrilled that HACC’s Board of Trustees approved a measure to lower 2027-28 tuition for most students. The Board also approved 2027-28 fees per credit, dual enrollment tuition and the course-fee schedule, all effective with the fall 2027 semester. The tuition rate for College in the High School students is unchanged. |
| 2. | Why is tuition decreasing? | This decision reflects a recommitment to our mission to ensure the students we serve have access to an affordable, high-quality education. As part of the 2027-28 zero-based budgeting process, the College conducted a comprehensive comparison of tuition and fees with Pennsylvania’s 15 community colleges, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities and other regional institutions. The response to this comparison is a simpler structure: lower tuition per credit for most Pennsylvania residents who enroll at HACC, and per-credit fees and course fees that align with those of peer community colleges. Beginning with fall 2027, HACC’s tuition rate for Pennsylvania residents will move below the rate at PASSHE schools, and the College’s total price will remain in the middle relative to the 14 other Pennsylvania community colleges. |
| 3. | Why is HACC doing this now? | HACC is making this change now to remain competitive and offer a truly accessible, affordable, attainable, high-quality education at a price students can see and compare. The College embarked on a zero-based budgeting process for the 2027-28 fiscal year and reviewed every revenue line as closely as every expense line. Tuition and fees make up the largest revenue line. The College benchmarked its tuition, per-credit fees and course fees against its peers and competitors, and the comparison showed where HACC had drifted. |
| 4. | Why did the Board approve this in November instead of with the budget in spring 2027? | This is the first time in at least 15 years that the College has set its rates in November rather than during springtime budget presentations. Approving these tuition and fee changes now gives students and families about 10 months to compare the cost of attending HACC with other colleges. |
| 5. | When do the new rates take effect? | The new rates are effective for fall 2027 and apply to the full 2027-28 academic year. Nothing changes for the current 2026-27 academic year, including summer 2027. The new rates apply to every student who enrolls in fall 2027, winter 2027-28, spring 2028 and summer 2028 courses, whether they are new or continuing students. |
| 6. | Is the College lowering tuition because enrollment is falling? | Sticker price correlates with enrollment. Reclaiming our value proposition through competitive tuition rates and a fairer fee schedule, coupled with an ongoing commitment to program quality, places HACC in an optimal position to gradually increase enrollment. |
| The New Rates | ||
| 7. | What are the new tuition rates? | Beginning in fall 2027, tuition will be less for most students who enroll at HACC. Please refer to this webpage for a detailed breakdown. |
| 8. | What happened to the fees? | The College’s per-credit fees and course fees for laboratory, clinical, studio and trades courses are set against comparable fees at peer community colleges. Please refer to this webpage for a detailed breakdown. |
| 9. | Why are the per-credit fees increasing? | Among Pennsylvania community colleges, HACC’s fees had been among the lowest while its tuition was among the highest. We are changing our tuition and fee structure and adjusting per-credit fees to align with peer institutions while still ensuring the total price per credit decreases for most students. |
| 10. | Isn’t “tuition down, fees up” just moving money around? | No. The total cost that most students will pay per credit will go down. Sponsored students will pay 9% less and non-sponsored students will pay 5% less. The College priced every program at the current and proposed rates, and no program will cost an in-state sponsored or non-sponsored student more. |
| 11. | What is the difference between a sponsored and a non-sponsored student? | A sponsored student lives in one of HACC’s sponsoring school districts and has submitted a certificate of residence. A non-sponsored student lives in Pennsylvania but not in one of the sponsoring school districts. |
| 12. | Why are out-of-state and dual enrollment rates going up? | Out-of-state tuition and fees will rise to $535 per credit, which is about the median cost among Pennsylvania’s community colleges. Dual enrollment tuition will rise by $10 to $185 per credit, which is still below competitor schools and a sponsored student’s price. College in the High School tuition will stay at $83.50 per credit. Dual enrollment and College in the High School students pay no per-credit fees, so their total price is the tuition figure. |
| 13. | Is a dual enrollment class now more expensive than waiting to enroll after high school? | No. Beginning in fall 2027, dual enrollment students will pay $185 per credit. Sponsored students will pay $215 per credit, and non-sponsored students will pay $325 per credit. Dual enrollment courses at HACC continue to offer the lowest price a student will pay for HACC courses. |
| 14. | Why is the per-credit price, (not the full-time semester bill) important? | Three in four HACC students are part-time and therefore, the per-credit price is the number most of our students consider. |
| What It Means for Students | ||
| 15. | I am a HACC student. What does this mean for me? | For the majority of HACC students, this means you will spend less on tuition - HACC yeah! The new rates apply to every student beginning with fall 2027. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor to learn more about these updates on an individual basis. |
| 16. | How will this impact students in lab and clinical programs? | Tuition will be less for most students regardless of academic program. Course fees are set on a market basis against similar courses at peer community colleges and rise mainly on laboratory, clinical, studio and trades courses. These fees are paid by the students who take those courses in the semester they take them, rather than by every student through tuition. |
| 17. | How much can students expect to save over the course of an entire program? | It depends on the program, but the total cost will be reduced for every program. Across HACC’s 20 largest programs, which account for more than 80% of credit revenue, the weighted average saving over the whole program at the new rates is $1,167 for a sponsored student and $872 for a non-sponsored student. Savings range from 4% to 8%. Students in programs with few laboratory or clinical courses will save the most while students in programs with many clinical courses will save less. |
| 18. | How much will a typical student save? | The typical HACC student takes about six credits per semester. At the new rates, non-sponsored students taking six credits will pay $1,950, which is $103.50 (5%) less than 2026-27 rates. Sponsored students will pay $1,290, which is $132 (9%) less than 2026-27 rates. |
| 19. | How many of HACC students are enrolled part time? | Of 11,862 students enrolled for fall 2026, 9,022 (76%) are enrolled part time and 2,840 (24%) are full time. Two-thirds (65%) of students take nine credits or fewer, and 43% take six or fewer. Without the 2,638 dual enrolled high school students, 70% of HACC students are still part time. |
| 20. | Does this help adult students? | Yes, this will benefit adult students! We want to make it easier for students who may be balancing family, jobs and other commitments to go to HACC. Students 25 or older represent 29% of the College’s headcount. A flat full-time rate at a university does nothing for a working adult taking two courses, but a lower per-credit price does. |
| 21. | Does the lower per-credit price help with summer classes? | Yes. Many students use their financial aid in the fall and spring and have little left for summer. A lower per-credit price makes a summer class easier to pay for out of pocket and can help students continue their momentum toward graduating. Note that summer 2028 is the first summer available at the new rates; summer 2027 will remain at 2026-27 rates. |
| Financial Aid and Scholarships | ||
| 22. | Does the price change financial aid? | Students’ eligibility for federal and state aid does not change because of this decision. Aid is based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) and enrollment. The Financial Aid Department will update the College’s cost figures for 2027-28 in its systems. If students have questions about their award, please contact the Financial Aid Department. |
| 23. | Does taking more credits change the amount of aid students receive? | Federal aid, including the Pell Grant, is prorated to enrollment. In general, the more credits a student takes, the more aid the student is eligible for, with the full award at full-time enrollment. A lower per-credit price means each aid dollar covers more credits. The Financial Aid Department can show a student what one more class means for their award. |
| 24. | Will financial aid cover the higher course fees in lab or clinical programs? | Aid eligibility is based on the FAFSA and enrollment and does not change because of this decision. Course fees are part of a student’s cost of attendance. The Financial Aid Department will update the College’s 2027-28 cost figures in its systems. Students who are in the middle of a program and enrolled for courses in the 2027-28 year will pay less for tuition on the credits they have remaining. Financial aid and HACC Foundation scholarships can help with a higher course fee on a specific course. For more information, please contact the Financial Aid Department. |
| Course Fees | ||
| 25. | What is a course fee and what changed? | Course fees apply to specific courses that may include laboratory supplies and equipment, clinical placements, studio and trades materials. Course fees are set on a market basis and benchmarked against similar courses at peer community colleges. The 2027-28 schedule increases fees for 244 courses and decreases or removes fees for 16 courses. |
| 26. | Can you give an example of how a course fee was set? | As an example, the laboratory fee for Anatomy and Physiology I will increase from $85 to $115, which is $7.50 more per credit. Of 11 Pennsylvania community colleges with a comparable fee, four schools charge more than $115. Every course fee was built the same way, and each comparison was verified on a peer college’s website. |
| 27. | What about books, kits, uniforms and other charges? | Charges for third-party products and services provided by vendors, such as course materials, kits, uniforms, testing and subscriptions, are not part of the course fee schedule. They are passed through to the students who use them and are shown separately on the bill. |
| 28. | Does lowering tuition reduce the College’s investment in instruction? | No. HACC remains committed to providing the high-quality education our students expect at an affordable price. Tuition, per-credit fees and course fees are all unrestricted revenue, which means they support the operating budget, including instruction. Changing the mix between them does not restrict what the College invests in teaching. Earmarked fees such as the Student Government Association (SGA) fee are different: the College holds them in a custodial capacity under governmental accounting standards and does not use these fees for operating or capital expenses. |
| Comparisons | ||
| 29. | How does HACC’s tuition compare with other universities? | Beginning in fall 2027, HACC’s combined tuition and fees will be lower for Pennsylvania residents than the tuition and fees they would pay at four-year schools in our region. |
| 30. | How does HACC’s total cost compare to other Pennsylvania community colleges? | Beginning in fall 2027, HACC’s combined tuition and fees will be roughly in the middle when compared against all Pennsylvania community colleges. |
| 31. | Why does the College compare tuition and fees rather than tuition alone? | HACC shows the total cost so that students accurately see what they will pay, and every comparison the College makes, including dual enrollment, is on tuition plus fees. |
| 32. | Did the College compare costs with schools outside Pennsylvania? | Besides the 15 Pennsylvania community colleges and PASSHE schools, colleagues reviewed costs at community colleges in Maryland and West Virginia. |
| Enrollment and Growth | ||
| 33. | How will the College reach students who stopped out? | The College will reach stopped-out students with care. The College will use data to identify students who paused within reach of a credential (for example, within 12 credits) and show them the classes they need and a plan to finish. Before any outreach, lists are reviewed with the advisors, case managers and faculty who know the students’ stories, so that the invitation to return respects why the student left and the support they will need to succeed this time. |
| 34. | How will the College market the change? | We will deliver a simple message to the right audiences for 10 months. Initial communications will be directed to the HACC community and broader communications will follow. |
| Budget and Sustainability | ||
| 35. | Does the College lose revenue? How does this change allow for a balanced budget? | The College expects enrollment to grow modestly by offering a more competitive price and stronger outreach. HACC can serve more students at a lower tuition. The 2027-28 fiscal zero-based budget (which the Board will preview in February and act on in March) also contributes to the budget goals. The Board’s commitment to a structurally balanced 2027-28 budget stands. |
| 36. | How does this decision connect to rightsizing, real estate consolidations and the return to campus directive? | They are part of one plan. Rightsizing the College’s buildings brings students and employees together on fuller campuses; the return to in-person work means students can more immediately access the services and support they need while on our campuses; the zero-based budget pays for the programs and services students value; and the revised tuition and fees structure will attract more students to HACC. Each step makes the others work, and all of them serve the priorities that HACC’s Board set. |
| For Employees and Partners | ||
| 37. | What should HACC’s high school partners know? | In fall 2027, dual enrollment tuition will rise by $10 to $185 per credit, with no per-credit fees. College in the High School tuition will remain unchanged at $83.50 per credit. |
| Where to Get Help | ||
| 38. | Where can I find the approved schedules? | The tuition and fee schedule is posted on the tuition and fees page. |