STONE RIDGE – Tuition for SUNY Ulster students could remain the same for the first time in four years.
That’s if the county legislature approves the proposed $28 million budget next month.
The proposal was presented to the Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee of the Ulster County Legislature earlier this month.
In the tentative budget, tuition for the 2026-2027 school year would be $5,680 for a student enrolled full-time at the two-year college. For a part time student, tuition would $236 a credit.
Ulster County would chip in just over $7.5 million. That’s up almost $500,000 over last year’s contribution to the college’s operations.
The proposed budget also calls for the college to draw just over $1 million from its fund balance to help meet spending.
Vice President for Administration and Finance Michael Schreiber says enrollment has been increasing at the college for the past five years. He says currently there are just over 3,000 full and part-time students and nearly 2,500 students who are participating in non-credit Continuing and Professional Education programs.
“Community colleges are providing the best value for students, which is why you see across the SUNY system that community colleges are increasing in enrollment while four-year, state and private colleges are decreasing,” he said.
Schreiber says tuition comprises 33 percent of the proposed budget. The county’s contribution would be 23 percent and the state’s share, 21 percent. An additional 15 percent would come from other sources, such as grants and donations, while federal funding would comprise 5 percent with an additional 3 percent coming from the school’s fund balance.
“Families are increasingly prioritizing return on investment, and SUNY Ulster continues to provide an affordable pathway for students to either transfer successfully to four year institutions or to enter the workforce without overwhelming debt,” said SUNY Ulster President Dr. Alison Buckley. “In fact, 87 percent of this year’s graduates are debt free, reinforcing the college’s role as an important engine of economic mobility and stability for Ulster County.”
Enrollment at the college had been declining before 2022, which was a similar trend at all community colleges across the country.
In response, earlier this year, the county launched the “Reimagining SUNY Ulster Committee” to evaluate the future of the college’s campuses in Stone Ridge and Kingston, addressing the need for capital improvements.
The Ulster County Legislature will hold a public hearing on SUNY Ulster’s tentative budget on May 19th.