George Mason University is planning a tuition increase of nearly 6 percent for the upcoming school year.
The school's Board of Visitors approved a $1 billion budget Thursday for the 2017-18 year that includes a 5.5 percent hike for in-state and out-of-state students. That translates to an additional $624 for in-state undergrads and $1,788 for out-of-staters.
Mason says the money will help fund an average pay increase of 3 percent for faculty and staff.
The increase is larger than those passed recently by other Virginia schools. The University of Virginia is increasing in-state tuition by 2.2 percent and out-of-state tuition by 3.5 percent. Virginia Tech's in-state and out-of-state increases are 2.9 and 3.5 percent, respectively.
Mason says its tuition and fees are eighth highest among Virginia's 16 public four-year institutions.
