Baine, N. A., & Brakora, K. (2025, March), Tuition Equity: Adverse effects of tuition policy on engineering students  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE North Central Section  (NCS) Annual Conference, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia. 10.18260/1-2--54694

\bibitem{asee_peer_54694}
  Baine, N. A., \& Brakora, K. (2025, March), \emph{Tuition Equity: Adverse effects of tuition policy on engineering students}
  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE North Central Section  (NCS) Annual Conference, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia.
  10.18260/1-2--54694

Nicholas A Baine P.E. and Karl Brakora.  "Tuition Equity: Adverse effects of tuition policy on engineering students".  2025 ASEE North Central Section  (NCS) Annual Conference, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, 2025, March.  ASEE Conferences, 2025.  https://peer.asee.org/54694 Internet.  18 Jul, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_54694}
  Nicholas A Baine P.E. and Karl Brakora.
  "Tuition Equity: Adverse effects of tuition policy on engineering students".
  \emph{2025 ASEE North Central Section  (NCS) Annual Conference, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, 2025, March}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2025.
  https://peer.asee.org/54694 Internet.  18 Jul, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_54694
author = "Nicholas A Baine P.E. and Karl Brakora"
title = "Tuition Equity: Adverse effects of tuition policy on engineering students"
booktitle = "2025 ASEE North Central Section  (NCS) Annual Conference"
year = "2025"
month = "March"
address = "Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/54694}
number = {10.18260/1-2--54694}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - While much research addresses college access equity, tuition and fees have been less studied. Despite efforts to provide targeted financial aid options, tuition structures may undermine these efforts. Universities often charge different tuition rates based on major or whether students are in lower or upper divisions. This paper explores how the tuition policies of block and upper-division tuition create disparities in net tuition costs among students at a university. By analyzing data from over 30,000 students, the research highlights that engineering students and underrepresented minorities often face higher tuition costs due to these policies for similar coursework and degrees. 

The study examines whether these tuition structures adversely affect different student groups, particularly those transferring non-essential credits or are unable to optimize their tuition bill due to external resource contraints. Data from  were used to assess tuition impact based on Pell Grant eligibility, gender, race, and transfer status, focusing on credit distribution at graduation.

The research addresses the equity of upper-division tuition (higher rate or fee charged for junior/senior students) and block tuition (flat rate is charged for a range of credits). Engineering programs, requiring more credits most undergraduate programs, often incur more upper-division charges and limit students' ability to benefit fully from block tuition discounts, resulting in higher costs. Impartiality measures indicate that upper-division charges and block tuition impact different groups unevenly, with transfer students, students of color, and Pell Grant recipients benefiting least. The findings suggest systemic inequalities that merit further discussion.

AU  - Nicholas A Baine P.E.
AU  - Karl Brakora
CY  - Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia
DA  - 2025/03/28
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Tuition Equity: Adverse effects of tuition policy on engineering students
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/54694
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--54694
ER  -