Nassau Community College, Suffolk County Community College proposing tuition hikes

Tuition at Long Island's two community colleges could rise in the upcoming academic year, with Nassau Community College proposing its first increase since 2021-22.

Nassau Community College officials are expected to present a $185 million budget to the Nassau Legislature on Monday that includes a proposed 3.3%, or $190, annual increase in tuition for full-time in-state students. Annual tuition for resident students at Suffolk County Community College could rise 3.7% next year, the third consecutive year of increases, under its proposed 2025-26 budget.

Nassau's annual tuition for the 2025-26 school year would be $5,990 for students taking 12 credits or more. The budget represents a 0.4% increase from the current adopted spending plan, according to budget documents.

"We felt that we needed to do that and build up our reserves,” Jerry Kornbluth, vice president of the Office of Community and Governmental Relations, said of the proposed tuition increase. “We’re keeping tuition under $6,000 a year.”

The college has erased a multimillion-dollar deficit, officials said. They now hope to build their reserves and eventually hire more faculty, Kornbluth said.

The last time the Nassau college raised tuition was during the 2021-22 academic year, when officials hiked full-time tuition by $100 per semester, Newsday previously reported. 

The proposed Nassau budget also includes an increase in service fees as well as a 10% hike in lab fees, which currently cannot exceed $100 for students taking certain courses. The additional funds are necessary because the cost to run nursing and allied health courses is increasing, Kornbluth said.

Out-of-state tuition would also increase, from $5,800 per semester to $5,990.

Kornbluth noted the county gave the college about $2 million last year to prevent a tuition increase. He said financial aid will likely cover the additional cost for many students.

“They’re still getting the best bang for their money in terms of education,” he said.

But David Stern, president of the college's faculty union, said in a statement, "Once again, the failing leadership of NCC is making decisions that are not in the best interest of students, faculty or taxpayers. Students will pay more but will get less instructional time, advisement and services."

The union has criticized a plan, implemented last year, to eliminate 15 academic department chairpersons at the Nassau college, arguing it would impact the quality of education offered. A judge earlier this year dismissed a lawsuit over the plan; the union is appealing.

The college's administration and full-time faculty are in the midst of contract negotiations. 

"Now is the time to make choices that will sustain our campus, support our faculty and staff and most importantly, bolster students toward the bright futures they deserve," Stern said.

More than $52.2 million of the proposed budget will come from the county, according to the budget documents. College officials anticipate that state aid will remain flat at around $38 million.

Officials also expect enrollment to remain the same. Nearly 6,000 full- and part-time students were enrolled at the college in the fall of 2024, according to numbers provided by the college.  

The college is one of the largest single-campus community colleges in the state system.

Vote on Suffolk budget expected

At Suffolk County Community College, full-time resident tuition would rise by $220 to $6,050 if approved. The cost of a single credit would rise by $9, to $252.

Nonresident tuition would go up from $11,660 to $12,100 per year.

The Suffolk County Legislature is scheduled to vote on the college’s budget Tuesday, the final step in the process. The college’s board of trustees approved the budget in April.

The college’s 2025-26 budget totals $221.9 million, a 4.9% increase from the current year.

College officials cited increased health insurance costs and the need to reduce its budget deficit as key reasons for raising tuition.

The budget requests an additional 2.1%, or $1 million, in county contribution from the general fund.

“We know it costs a lot of money to run the college, but we feel like we do it in a very cost-effective way and still bring excellence in education to our students,” said Sara Gorton, interim vice president for financial affairs, at a recent legislative committee meeting.

Suffolk County Community College has the highest tuition in the state for community colleges, but Gorton told legislators it is on par with Nassau, its closest competitor. Average tuition for community colleges in New York in 2024-25 was $5,406, according to a Suffolk Budget Review Office report analyzing the college’s proposed budget.

The report noted, “If the County Legislature disagrees with the Board’s decision, it can request, but cannot mandate, a change in tuition rates.”

Newsday's Candice Ferrette contributed to this story.