Tuition and Fee Analysis

Since 2010, the Complete College Tennessee Act has required THEC to make tuition and fee recommendations. The FOCUS Act expanded THEC’s authority on tuition and fee levels, requiring that the Commission issue binding tuition and fee ranges each year. These ranges apply only to resident, undergraduate students on the tuition rate and total tuition and mandatory fees.

During the 2025 legislative session, SB1368/HB1227 amended § 49-7-202(n), THEC’s tuition and fee authority, to allow the Commission to approve separate maximum increases for one or more public institutions of higher education if the Commission determines that it is necessary based on the circumstances or needs of the respective institution.

In response to this legislative change, and in recognition of the expanded authority granted to the Commission, THEC staff sought to explore implications for the Commission’s revised tuition setting authority. THEC staff partnered with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) in early 2025 to conduct an analysis on student fee levels, financial aid, and Commission policy levers to ensure student affordability.