College tuition fees rose 3.4% in Monroe County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $36,743 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $1,202 more than the previous school year.
Among the 14 institutions providing full disclosure in the county, the University of Rochester stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $61,678. Rochester Institute of Technology followed with an average of $54,518 per year. Monroe Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $5,761.
At the time, at least $201.1 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Monroe County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $43.7 million.
Currently there are 15 higher education institutions in Monroe County, including University of Rochester, Talmudical Institute of Upstate New York, and Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 15 institutions in Monroe County, Monroe 2 Orleans BOCES-Center for Workforce Development did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Rochester | 1,200 | $50,040,539 | $41,700 | 636 | $4,767,302 | $7,496 |
| St. John Fisher University | 643 | $15,174,273 | $23,599 | 491 | $5,337,177 | $10,870 |
| Sharp Edgez Barber Institute | 16 | $64,288 | $4,018 | 13 | $69,275 | $5,329 |
| Roberts Wesleyan University | 202 | $5,286,949 | $26,173 | 177 | $924,788 | $5,225 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 3,155 | $100,742,636 | $31,931 | 2,095 | $21,180,478 | $10,110 |
| Empire Beauty School-Rochester | 22 | $114,389 | $5,200 | 22 | $177,000 | $8,045 |
| Monroe 2 Orleans BOCES-Center for Workforce Development | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nazareth University | 467 | $11,578,517 | $24,793 | 344 | $3,270,488 | $9,507 |
| Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing | 31 | $303,824 | $9,801 | 24 | $169,605 | $7,067 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Greece | 37 | $351,140 | $9,490 | 18 | $101,889 | $5,661 |
| Continental School of Beauty Culture-Rochester | 94 | $523,925 | $5,574 | 99 | $665,950 | $6,727 |
| SUNY Brockport | 856 | $8,765,890 | $10,241 | 712 | $5,047,821 | $7,090 |
| Talmudical Institute of Upstate New York | 7 | $70,032 | $10,005 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Monroe Community College | 1,056 | $7,983,855 | $7,560 | 374 | $1,825,493 | $4,881 |
| Shear Ego International School of Hair Design | 16 | $72,621 | $4,539 | 23 | $167,333 | $7,275 |
