By SUSAN JONES
By now, many of the 17,000 in-state students at Pitt have paid their tuition for the fall semester, which includes an average discount of around $23,000.
In the past, 60% of that discount came from money appropriated by the state and 40% from the University. But right now, Pitt is footing the whole discount because the state has yet to pass a 2025-26 budget or the funding for the state-related universities — Pitt, Penn State, Temple and Lincoln.
One of the main stumbling blocks to finishing the budget, which is constitutionally mandated to be passed by June 30, appears to be transit funding. Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on a package. Pittsburgh Regional Transit and Philadelphia’s SEPTA system have said they will have cut service and increase rates if transit funding is not increased.
Last year, Pitt got about 7% of its $3.2 billion operating budget from the state, including $151.1 million in general support, which all went toward the in-state tuition discount. The funding from the state has not changed since 2019.
Pitt’s Board of Trustees approved new tuition rates in July with a 2% increase for in-state undergraduate and graduate students on the Oakland campus; and 4% for out-of-state. All students on the regional campuses, where rates have not gone up the past two years, will see a 1% tuition increase.
Despite the lack of state funding, a Pitt spokesman said, “The University is committed to meeting its financial obligations. We remain optimistic that our state lawmakers will pass an annual budget that supports Pennsylvania students and their families.”
Pitt has faced this situation previously, particularly in 2023 when funding for the state-related schools wasn’t approved until November. “As we have before, we will continue to manage on a short-term basis through prudent fiscal management so that we can meet the needs of our students, faculty and staff,” the spokesman said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal for 2025-26 kept funding for the state-related universities at the same level as last year, with the addition of $60 million for Pitt, Penn State and Temple to be distributed based on the recommendations of the Performance-Based Funding Council.
The council made its recommendations in May on what criteria should be used to distribute that money, but the state legislature must approve both the $60 million in performance-based funding and the council’s recommendations.
Pitt has long said that it favors performance-based metrics, but the spokesman said, “Currently, the legislature is focused on budget negotiations, but the funding formula recommended by the council positions Pitt for the first significant increase to our state funding since 2019. We're optimistic the legislature will agree on a path forward soon.”
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.