Minnesota State Colleges in Brooklyn Park React to Proposed Tuition Hikes
State colleges and universities across Minnesota are bracing for tuition hikes for the 2026-27 school year. Both North Hennepin Community College and Hennepin Technical College will be affected by those changes.
The hikes are the result of Minnesota budget shortfalls, impacting how much the state can pay to help schools, officials said.
In response to the state Board of Trustees’ plan to balance Minnesota’s budget, tuition is set to go up across the Minnesota State system.
According to a summary shared with the board, tuition could go up as much as 18 percent over the next two years. The scenarios proposed call for either 3.5 percent, 7 percent or 9 percent tuition increases each year over the next two years.
North Hennepin Community College
Julio Vargas-Essex, North Hennepin’s vice president of student affairs, said each school decides what the increase will look like for their own system. That decision is then submitted for approval and is subject to change.
In response to the trustees, NHCC is proposing a one-time tuition increase of between 5 percent to 7 percent. Vargas-Essex said NHCC made its decision by getting feedback from its stakeholders, including students.
“Recognizing that it will still be one of the most affordable options in the state of Minnesota, while at the same time still being able to provide the services and resources that our students need to be successful,” Vargas-Essex said.
He said scholarships, as well as the North Star Promise program, are good resources for students concerned about rising prices.
Hennepin Technical College
At Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Joe Wightkin, vice president of finance and operations, said enrollment has been increasing significantly after years of decline since 2012. Two years ago, enrollment went up 4 percent. Last year, it went up 18 percent. Wightkin attributes that to a few things: good marketing and an interest in the trade and technology fields.
The school also proposed its own tuition increase, proposing an increase ranging from 5 percent to 9 percent for each year. Wightkin said that amounts to more than $400 more to tuition costs each year. But for many students, Wightkin said they won’t see any change.
“Most of our students would not see an increase out of their pocket. Majority of the students, financial aid would cover,” Wightkin said.
Wightkin said 60 percent of the school’s students are covered by aid. With other offerings at the school, including the North Star Promise, about 70-80 percent don’t have to pay anything for college out of pocket.
Both schools should learn if their tuition increases are approved in May or June.
