Tuition at WWU will drop about $1,000 next year for most students

Tuition at Western Washington University will be 15 percent cheaper for most students — but slightly more expensive for others — beginning next year, the university said.

The reduction, which applies only to resident undergraduates, comes after a mandate from the state Legislature that public universities lower tuition for those students. WWU’s Board of Trustees approved the reduction Thursday when it approved the university’s 2016-17 operating budget.

Western had already approved a 5 percent reduction for resident undergrads for the 2015-16 school year.

Resident undergrads make up about 87 percent of the university’s enrollment.

Tuition will increase by about 3 percent for non-resident undergraduate and all graduate students.

This most recent reduction for resident undergrads amounts to about $1,000 a year. Combined with the previous 5 percent reduction, students will save about $1,400 annually.

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Tuition at WWU will drop about $1,000 next year for most students."