NC State Proposes 3% In-State Tuition Hike to Trustees
NC State's Board of Trustees will consider a 3% in-state undergraduate tuition increase for fall 2027 this week.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Financial Aid
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NC State's Board of Trustees meets Thursday and Friday to consider a 3% tuition increase for incoming in-state undergraduates entering in fall 2027. The request follows a 3% increase the university applied for fall 2026, the first in-state undergraduate increase at UNC System schools since 2017.
Why it matters
The UNC System Board of Governors allowed system schools to raise in-state undergraduate tuition by up to 3%, so the proposal falls within that cap. NC State says the added revenue would improve the quality and accessibility of its educational experience and fund faculty promotional increases.
The proposal sets a 3% increase for in-state undergraduates and a 3% increase for nonresident undergraduates, with NC State projecting slightly more than $4.5 million in added revenue. The trustees' vote and the final approved figures remain unknown until the board acts.
The players
NC State University
A public research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a member of the University of North Carolina System.
UNC System Board of Governors
The governing body that oversees the 17 public universities of the University of North Carolina System and set the 3% cap on in-state undergraduate tuition increases.
UNC-Chapel Hill
The flagship public university of the University of North Carolina System, located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which is seeking a separate 10% increase for out-of-state undergraduates.
The details
NC State is also seeking higher fees for student media, student center repair and renovation, dining, and housing. Tuition for in-state undergraduates who started in fall 2026 is locked, so the increase would apply only to incoming students.
Timeline
Fall 2026: NC State and most UNC schools raised in-state tuition 3%.
2017: Last prior in-state undergraduate tuition increase at UNC System schools.
Thursday and Friday (week of Nov. 12, 2026): NC State's Board of Trustees meets to consider the request.
Fall 2027: Proposed 3% in-state tuition increase would take effect.
Legal Context
The UNC System Board of Governors' decision to allow up to a 3% in-state undergraduate increase sets the ceiling for NC State's request. The fall 2026 increase was the first such increase across UNC System schools since 2017, so this proposal extends that recent pattern.
Incoming in-state students entering in fall 2027 would pay the 3% increase if the trustees approve it, while students who started in fall 2026 keep their locked tuition rate. Families planning for future costs should budget for higher tuition and the proposed fee increases for student media, dining, and housing.
The takeaway
A proposed tuition increase affects future students more than current ones, so families planning for fall 2027 should factor in both tuition and fee changes when comparing costs. Checking the trustees' final vote after the meeting will confirm the rate students actually face.
What happens next
NC State's Board of Trustees meets Thursday and Friday to consider the 3% in-state tuition increase for fall 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about how tuition changes can affect financial aid for students across the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WRAL.
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