Understanding Southern Oregon University Tuition and Fees

Navigating the costs associated with higher education can be daunting. This article provides a comprehensive overview of tuition, fees, and financial aid opportunities at Southern Oregon University (SOU), empowering prospective students and their families to make informed decisions.

Tuition and Sticker Price

Southern Oregon University's tuition differs for in-state and out-of-state students. For the most recent academic year, in-state tuition is $12,762, while out-of-state tuition is $31,887. These figures, which include both tuition and fees, are often referred to as the "sticker price." The sticker price is the "Cost of Attendance" which is the total amount of money the average student has to pay, WITHOUT any financial aid, to attend a particular school.

Compared to the national average cost of in-state tuition of $12,436, Southern Oregon University is slightly more expensive for Oregon residents. For out-of-state students, the tuition is also more expensive than the national average cost of $29,815.

Breaking Down the Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is the estimated cost of being a Full-Time Undergraduate or Graduate student at SOU (15 credits for an Undergraduate and 9 credits for a Graduate). The total cost of attendance for the year depends on the number of credits taken, student fees, required books and supplies, housing choices based on the FAFSA, and related personal expenses. SOU estimates tuition and fees based on 15 credits a term and for housing on-campus, the average on campus housing cost.

The Cost of Attendance breakdown for Southern Oregon University differs depending on whether you’re an in-state or out-of-state student, with in-state students benefiting from lower tuition and fees. Because Southern Oregon University is an out-of-state public institution, you'd be paying more than if you were an in-state student.

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Other Expenses

Beyond tuition and fees, students should also budget for other costs, including:

Books and Supplies: Approximately $999 per year.
Personal Expenses: Around $1,500 per year.
Transportation: Roughly $999 per year.

As you’re comparing costs of different institutions, also consider the total cost and the net price. The total cost is the sticker price, plus the cost of food and housing, books and supplies, and transportation and personal expenses. You probably know that planning for expenses is an important part of the college application process. By learning more about expenses and aid, you’re already on the right path to managing college costs. Knowing what a school costs is Step #1 in managing college costs.

Mandatory Student Fees

Southern Oregon University has several mandatory student fees that contribute to various campus services and initiatives:

Enrollment Fee: Collected to pay debt-service associated with past construction and renovation projects on the SOU campus.
IT Fee: Supports campus IT hardware, software, and subscriptions specific to instruction and course delivery.
Health Services Fee: Supports all services offered by the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC), both in-person and remote.
Student Incidental Fee: Pays for a variety of student life activities, including athletics, administrative positions, operating costs and maintenance of the Stevenson Union, as well as clubs and services operations out of it, and a variety of smaller clubs managed through the Inter-Club Council. The programs which are funded by the Student Incidental Fee must provide an extracurricular educational experience that develops student leadership, facilitates retention, and encourages community-based learning. The Student Fee Committee of the ASSOU is responsible for recommending the amount and allocation of the Incidental fee to the President who is authorized to modify the fee or bring it forward as a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.
Green Tag Fee: A dedicated component of the mandatory incidental fee which directly supports the Green Fund. The ASSOU Environmental Affairs Committee (EAC) oversees and allocates the Green Fund. The Green Fund provides students with the funding to execute sustainable and environmentally regenerative initiatives on campus, in addition to supporting renewable energy generation and offsetting the campus water footprint.
Student Rec Center (SRC) Fee: Covers the debt services for the Student Rec Center (SRC) building (principal and interest) and some overhead expenses (utilities, reserves, etc.). The fee was established by student referendum and the debt service payments will end in 2047.
Matriculation Fee: A one-time mandatory enrollment fee of $350, assessed to all new and incoming transfer students. The fee is designed to reduce (but not eliminate) other administrative student fees (e.g orientation, scheduling, transcripting, degree applications, re-enrollment).

Some students are exempt from mandatory fees because of the specific program and/or coursework they are taking.

Financial Aid: Making College Affordable

Financial aid can significantly reduce the cost of attending Southern Oregon University. Financial aid can include grants, loans, scholarships and work-study jobs. Financial aid packages vary depending on your financial need. Most colleges determine financial need based on your FAFSA.

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Students Receiving Financial Aid: 58.67%
Freshmen With Need and Received Financial Aid: 92.37%

Average Aid Package

Average Aid Packages Awarded: $8,004

Types of Aid

Need-Based Scholarship or Grant Award: $1,912 (Scholarships and grants don’t need to be paid back.)
Need-Based Loan Amount: $3,982 (Loans must be paid back.)

We’re focusing on grants and scholarships first because they’re the most important forms of financial aid. Grants and scholarships are better than loans because students don’t ever have to pay them back. Although it’s useful to know how many students get grant aid, it’s also important to know how much grant aid people tend to receive. Altogether, this is bad news - at Southern Oregon University, FEWER students get aid, and each aid grant is LESS than average. The grant dollar amounts we’ve seen so far have included aid from all sources - both federal and institutional. To figure out how strong Southern Oregon University’s own financial aid program is, we’ll look at how they award their own (non-federal) financial aid dollars. Because more Southern Oregon University students get institutional aid, it likely offers relatively competitive financial aid. The amount of money that students actually get is just as important (if not more important) than the percent of students who get grants. Right away, it seems like Southern Oregon University offers less institutional aid than other schools. Second, this can also mean that the school just costs less than the typical school of its type.

Debt at Graduation

Typical Amount of Loans a Student Must Pay Back: $37,861

It’s very common for college grads in the US to graduate with some debt, but high percentages of students taking on loans at a particular school is a big red flag. High numbers of students with loans is a red flag, and Southern Oregon University is above average.

At Southern Oregon University, 61% of all students take out federal loans. At Southern Oregon University, the average annual federal loan amount is $5403.

At Southern Oregon University, 2% of students take out private loans. The average private loan amount at Southern Oregon University is $11391. The percentage of students getting federal loans is greater than those getting private loans, which is a good sign.

Financial Aid Dates

Application Due: March 1 (The last day to apply for financial aid or turn in related paperwork.)
Priority Application Due: Not available (Applications received prior to this date will be given the strongest consideration. Still apply for financial aid if you don’t make this due date.)
Notification Date: Not available (When students receive a letter with the amount and types of aid the college is offering.)
Response Due: Not available (The deadline for students to respond to the college’s aid offer.)

Net Price: What You Actually Pay

The Net Price is the total cost minus the total aid given. In other words, this is the price you have to pay to the school out of pocket. The net price you pay for a particular college is specific to you because it’s based on your personal circumstances and the college’s financial aid policies. Use the college’s Net Price calculator for the most accurate estimate of your net price.

Average Net Price: $17,976 per year

Average Net Price by Household Income

(Data on average net price by household income would be included here if available.)

Tuition Guarantee Plans

Tuition at time of first enrollment guaranteed only to students making advance payment.

Estimating Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

The US government has come up with a standardized way to calculate how much a typical family can afford to pay without help. As an example, a family that brings home $80,000 in income before taxes, with no assets and no other children in college, has an EFC of around $7,000. Colleges use this number as a guideline to decide how much aid to give you, but it's just a guideline. So we're going to calculate your EFC and compare it to Southern Oregon University's Net Price. If the Net Price is higher than the EFC, the school will cost more than you can typically afford.

Additional Considerations

Differential Tuition: Assessed at an additional $25 per credit hour for Honors College courses (HON) and an additional $10 per credit hour for Art (ART), Art History (ARTH), Creative Writing (CW), EMDA (EMDA), Music (MUS), and Theatre (TA) courses.
Self-Support Courses: Tuition for self-support courses is not included in the estimates provided by the Tuition Calculator. When you use the class schedule to select your courses, choose the “Advanced Search” button and select “Self Support” from the “Session Code” drop down option.
Mandatory Travel Insurance: Southern Oregon University requires specific mandatory travel insurance for all students, even if you already have other health insurance.
Homestay Rates: Current homestay rates are $55.00 per day (approximately $960 MXN), for all homestay locations. This price includes three meals Monday - Friday, and breakfast on Saturdays.
Summer Language Institute: If you are accepted to Summer Language Institute, a fter completing advising and registration for your classes, you will receive an invoice and payment instructions for all tuition and fees in April. This balance will be due May 15th, unless you are expecting financial aid.
Cost of Attendance Adjustment Requests: Cost of Attendance increases may be allowed to help with dependent care expenses for students with children 12 years of age or younger (or for dependents with special needs over the age of 12), for a one-time purchase of a personal computer, or for taking an increased credit load. Cost of Attendance adjustment requests are reviewed on an individual basis with supporting documentation. Requesting an increase in your Cost of Attendance does not mean that additional aid will be awarded.

Is Southern Oregon University a Good Value?

As a regional school, Southern Oregon University may not be a household name nationwide, but it's known to people in the local area as a solid school. Compared to some other regional schools, Southern Oregon University didn't appear on our best value lists. This might be because the net price is higher than for other schools of similar reputation. This isn't the end of the world - you can likely still afford Southern Oregon University by taking out loans, earning scholarships, or working part-time. Overall, Southern Oregon University is a decent value, and going to college here will likely pay off over time.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

Southern Oregon University is committed to providing equal opportunity in its recruitment, admissions, educational programs, activities, and employment without discrimination on the basis of age, disability, national origin, race, color, marital status, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

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