Mills College, the liberal arts educational institution for women in Oakland, California, has announced that it will cut the sticker price for admission by 36 percent in 2018. Tuition for the 2018-19 academic year will be $28,765. This year tuition was listed at $44,765 but the vast majority of students paid a discounted price.
Elizabeth Hillman, president of Mills College, said that the actual cost of attending Mills College will not change very much for most students, because few were paying the full price. President Hillman hopes that by lowering posted tuition prices to be more in line with what students actually pay, the college will be able to attract more students who may have been scared away by “sticker shock.”
“College costs have become so complex and confusing for the average family,” said Mills College provost and dean of the faculty Chinyere Oparah. “This tuition reset will signal to families what the actual cost of an education at Mills is, that it’s affordable, and that we want your student here.”
Earlier this month, Sweet Briar College, a women’s college in Virginia announced a similar plan, cutting posted tuition rates by 32 percent. (See WIAReport post.)