CORRECTION: The original version of this article contained incorrect percentage figures when referring to previous tuition increases. Elon News Network regrets this error.
Updated as of 12:58 p.m. on Feb. 3 to include the 2025-26 total cost of attendance as updated on Elon's admissions website.
In an email sent out to parents of Elon students, President Connie Book stated that Elon’s tuition and fees will increase by 3.81% for the 2025-26 academic year. This is the total cost of attendance at Elon and is an increase of about $2,300, according to Janet Williams, Elon’s vice president of finance. Currently, Elon's total cost of attendance is $63,242. Next year, the total cost of attendance will be $65,663 according to Elon's admissions website.
The increase in tuition will go toward hiring more faculty members to maintain Elon’s 11 to one faculty to student ratio, increasing pay for faculty and staff and student focused initiatives such as free laundry across campus.
“That's a cost that we're incurring to make sure that free laundry is across our campus,” Williams said. “Just some examples of some of the things that's impacting our students in a very positive way.”
According to Eric Townsend, assistant vice president for Strategic Communications and Media Relations, 50% of the total cost for the 2025-2026 academic year will go to salaries and benefits, 16% will go to scholarships, 13% will go to operation costs, 6% will go to auxiliary expenses and 15% will go to contingency, debt service, endowments and utilities.
Last year, tuition increased by 4.96%. In 2023-24 Elon had a 5.14% increase in tuition. In 2022-23 Elon’s tuition increased by 9%. Previously, tuition had not increased more than 4% for any year since the 2011-12 academic year.
As part of Elon University’s Boldly Elon Strategic Plan, Elon’s Long Range Planning Committee chose 15 peer institutions that it feels compares with Elon based on criteria such as size, scope and resources. Compared to the other peer institutes listed, Elon’s estimated 2024-25 cost of attendance is $3,692 to $27,792 less expensive.
However, Elon ranks higher in total cost of attendance for out-of-state, undergraduate students when compared to the other four-year universities in North Carolina. Based on U.S. News’ 2025 top 16 colleges and universities in North Carolina, Elon ranks fourth in highest cost of attendance for out-of-state students.
In the past year, the amount of students involved in fellows programs and the amount of students receiving scholarships and financial aid has increased, which is something the university is proud of, Williams said.
“Our financial aid has increased significantly because of the numbers and because of the scholarships that we're giving out,” Williams said. “It's a very competitive environment in admissions and enrollment, and we are positioning ourselves to remain competitive, and we also want to make sure that our education still remains affordable.”
For current students who are concerned about the increase in tuition and have had a change in their financial situation, Williams suggested they talk directly with Elon’s financial aid office.
“Our financial aid office is available and willing to talk to them to recalculate what their financial need is and what their financial award could be,” Williams said. “I encourage students to talk to the financial aid office and to go through that exercise with them, because they are there to help.”
There will be a 2% performance increase for faculty and staff, meaning each department will evaluate the employees performance and will give raises up to 2%, Williams said.
Nia Bedard contributed to the reporting of this story.