Editor’s Note, Friday, October 3, at 11:39 a.m.: A previous version of this article reported that “both the percent increase in tuition and the comprehensive fee are the highest in the College’s history.” In actuality, the percent increase in tuition and the comprehensive fee are only at their highest since the 1980s. The article has been updated to reflect this.

This fiscal year, the College made a roughly 5.8 percent increase to its comprehensive fee, which is the total cost of tuition, room and board and other mandatory fees for students attending the College. The increase in the comprehensive fee comes largely from a 4.3 percent increase in tuition.

This recent increase in tuition and comprehensive fee is a large departure from previous increases, as the College has seen around a 3.8 percent increase per year over the past five years. Both the percent increase in tuition and the comprehensive fee are the highest they have been since the 1980s.

Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer Matt Orlando cited the reason for these increases as the increasing pressures from operating costs due to inflation.

“We’re experiencing, both in the current year, and I’d say the prior four years, continued inflationary pressures across all expenditures. That includes compensation and benefits, but also other overhead costs the college incurs like energy costs, food costs and travel supplies,” Orlando said.

Costs of goods and services have risen in recent years due to inflation, but inflation is down from its past peak in August 2022 of an 8.3 percent annual rate to 2.9 percent this August. The large peak in inflation in August 2022 led to a 5.5 percent increase in the College’s comprehensive fee. While high, the number was still lower than this year’s 5.8 percent increase.

Additionally, while the College’s financial aid budget saw an increase of 8.2 percent, there have been no changes to the College’s financial aid policies. The College remains one of the few colleges and universities in the United States that is need-blind, no-loan and meets the full demonstrated need of all students.

Orlando noted that the increase in comprehensive fee moves the College closer to the cost of its peer institutions.