FAMU Approves 15% Out-of-State Tuition Hike for 2026

Written By Lexx Thornton

In the fall 2026 semester, Florida A&M University’s out-of-state students can expect to see an increase in their tuition fees as FAMU makes efforts to be in compliance with the Florida Board of Governors.  

The FAMU Board of Trustees unanimously voted Sept. 18 in the Grand Ballroom on campus to approve a 15% increase in out-of-state tuition fees for non-resident undergraduate, graduate, and law school students next fall. 

The action of increasing out-of-state fees comes as a directive from the Board of Governors, which met on June 18 and unanimously voted in support of having universities in the State University System (SUS) increase their out-of-state fees by 10% for fall 2025 and 15% for fall 2026 to be in compliance with state law. 

But since FAMU missed a required notice period window to notify students of a 10% tuition increase for fall 2025, only the 15% increase in fall 2026 will be applied. While the change impacts out-of-state students − including international students − who are applying for a fall 2026 enrollment, all other tuition and fee rates will remain unchanged. 

“When we’re looking at how tight our budget is, it is unfortunate that we missed that key opportunity to make that increase,” FAMU trustee Michael White said during a Sept. 17 budget, finance, and facilities committee meeting ahead of the full board’s Thursday vote. “I just really want us all as a board to make sure we’re in compliance with the (Board of Governors).” 

The out-of-state fees of public Florida universities have not increased in more than a decade, with some universities not increasing their fees in about 20 years. At FAMU, tuition and fees have not changed since fall 2013, similar to FSU, where the nearby university’s Board of Trustees recently approved a 10% out-of-state tuition increase for this fall. 

While approximately 23.89% of FAMU’s student population is out-of-state students – including graduate and law students – Board of Governors Regulation 7.006 states that non-resident students may not exceed 10% of the total systemwide enrollment. At the same time, the enrollment of non-resident students at any single university in the SUS is not capped at 10%, a Board of Governors spokesperson said. 

“The recruitment mix of in-state and out-of-state students is critical for student success and affordability,” FAMU’s Vice President of Student Affairs William E. Hudson Jr. said in a statement sent to the Tallahassee Democrat. “As we’ve kicked off our recruitment season, we will engage with all constituents – including students, faculty, staff, and alumni – in our efforts to recruit the best and brightest to the Highest of Seven Hills.” 

According to a Board of Governors report, out-of-state enrollments in the state for both undergraduate and graduate students have “risen dramatically during this time as students take advantage of Florida’s low cost while attending the number one higher education system in the country.” 

But with the future increases, the out-of-state rate per credit hour for undergraduate students at FAMU would increase from $549 to $606, while it would increase from $1,022 to $1,110 for graduate students, according to a university report. Also, the rate for FAMU law students would increase from $1,097 to $1,189. 

With FAMU’s biggest National Alumni Association chapters, including the one in Atlanta, Georgia, FAMU NAA’s Metro Atlanta Alumni Chapter President Michael Collins says the tuition increase and limit on out-of-state students will “definitely be a big hit to the Metro Atlanta area,” which currently has over 300 active alumni. 

“We are the next largest recruiting area outside the state of Florida,” Collins told the Democrat. “As an alumni chapter, our goal is to raise scholarship funds to help assist our new and current students to be able to attend or help offset a balance they may have incurred. We will ensure continued support for our students in any way we can.” 

Even though the tuition increase comes at a disadvantage for current and prospective out-of-state FAMU students who will have to pay more, FAMU’s Student Body President and trustee Zayla Bryant – an Atlanta native and business administration major who is set to graduate in spring 2026 – said the heads-up notice about the change is appreciated. 

“I, as a student, appreciate that I’d have time to get my finances in order,” Bryant said during the board’s committee meeting. 

But she also expressed that as the nation’s no. 1-ranked public HBCU (historically Black college or university), FAMU should focus on prioritizing the students it serves by considering enrollment changes based on comparisons with other HBCUs instead of other SUS institutions. 

“Though I probably won’t feel the effects,” Bryant said, referring to the upcoming tuition increase, “I want to make sure the Rattlers that are to follow are seen, appreciated, and heard. I’m from Atlanta – the place where we recruit the most out-of-state students – so I’d be remiss if I didn’t say anything.”