The Stampede

A survey last fall by the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities found Milligan the 44th most expensive of 106 schools in the CCCU.  Ranked 43rd is Milligan’s rival King College, costing $22 more than Milligan.

The CCCU’s tuition survey for the 2008-2009 year included four other Tennessee colleges and universities: King College in Bristol; Union University in Jackson; Lipscomb University in Nashville; and Bryan College in Dayton.

The survey of CCCU schools, conducted by Stanley A. Clark of Simpson University, found that, on average, the rate of increase in tuition has gone down by 0.2 percent from two years ago. This means that tuition is increasing at a slower pace now than from 2005 to 2006, when the seniors were freshmen. 

Milligan’s tuition for next year is increasing by less than 5 percent. 

“Students pay only a small part of what it costs to run a college,” Academic Dean and Vice President for Academics Mark Matson said. “Most of the increases this year are just covering the rising cost of utilities, insurances and other things.”

“There was a 3.4-percent increase overall (cost) of running the school,” according to Vice President for Finance Jacqui Steadman. “That’s about $825,000.”

Milligan’s dorms cost $5,650 for a standard double room and tuition is $21,200.  These two combined make the cost $26,850 for 2009-2010 at Milligan, and with fees, the total comes to $27, 510 per student per year.

According to the survey, about 96 percent of students at Milligan will receive financial assistance this year to help cover their costs. This is the second largest percentage of the five Tennessee CCCU schools. King is leading with 98 percent of the 1,700 students receiving $19 million in financial aid.

“The total of Milligan scholarships, federal and state grants and federal and alternative loans for 2007-2008 was $16.52 million,” stated Coordinator of Financial Aid Diane Keasling.

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