New Tuition Price Set at CSM
Tuition rates at the College of Southern Maryland have been set for the upcoming academic year, with an increase of $3 per credit to $123 per credit, for residents of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties. Maryland residents who do not live in the tri-county region will see an increase of $6 per credit to $213 per credit; tuition for out-of-state residents will go up by $7 per credit to $275 per credit. The comprehensive fee will stay at 23 percent of tuition.
The operating budget for CSM is supported by state funding, the three Southern Maryland counties, and tuition and fees. The school’s fiscal 2017 budget of $63,510,161 is based on approved funding by the state and counties. Of CSM’s total revenues, tuition and fees make up close to 48 percent, county appropriations make up 29 percent and state funding makes up nearly 22 percent with 1 percent from other sources.
“Our budget is based on conservative revenue estimates, and we are particularly grateful for the increased support we expect from the state this year and the continued commitments by the boards of county commissioners in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties. Due to these commitments, the college has been able to keep tuition increases reasonable in order to continue to provide a quality education,” CSM President Dr. Brad Gottfried said. “Within our community, CSM is the first choice for Southern Maryland’s college-bound students and with our growing number of transfer articulations and guaranteed admissions, our graduates are able to move through their first two years of college near home and at a substantial savings over state colleges and universities. More importantly, beyond cost and convenience, CSM offers an education that includes rigorous scholars and honors programs, study abroad opportunities, and collegiate societies, clubs, and athletics.”
In presenting the recommended budget to CSM’s Board of Trustees, Vice President of Financial and Administrative Services Tony Jernigan, CPA, said the college’s FY17 operating budget reflects conservative estimated revenues with a 0.7 percent increase in county support and a 6.6 percent increase in state aid from the previous fiscal year.
Overall, the school’s budget for FY17 is very close to FY16’s with less than a 1 percent increase while including funds to start operations at the new regional Hughesville campus upon the anticipated completion halfway through the year of the Center for Trades and Energy Training. The budget also will include an adult education coordinator who will support the Prince Frederick and Leonardtown campuses, the fifth-grade water safety program at the Leonardtown campus and 10 more hours per week for the community mediation coordinator in Charles County.
Students can pay their tuition and fees over a four-month period by taking advantage of CSM’s tuition payment plan, available to students who are enrolled in six or more credits. This is not a loan program, so there is no debt, no credit search, and no interest or finance charges. The cost of the plan is a $50 per semester non-refundable enrollment fee. For information on the payment plan, contact the Bursar’s Office at 301-934-7712 or click here.
Students also can apply for potential scholarships with an easy-to-use tool on the CSM website called Scholarship Finder. The CSM Scholarship Finder matches students’ backgrounds and financial needs to dozens of local scholarships in a wide variety of academic programs. Most scholarships have a May 31 deadline, and applications are accepted online.
For information on scholarships and financial aid assistance at CSM, call 301-934-7531, 301-870-2309, 240-725-5499, or 443-550-6199.
For more about the College of Southern Maryland, visit their Leader member page.
