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Tuition to drop again thanks to additional state funding




If you needed another reason to earn a degree or certificate at Lamar State College Port Arthur, look no further.

Thanks to Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan and former Speaker Dennis Bonnen, additional funding has been put in place to decrease the cost of tuition and fees at the three Lamar State College – Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State College Orange and Lamar State College Port Arthur – by a combined 47 percent.

Before and After Comparison: LSCPA 15-Hour Semester Credit Hours (SCH)

Old Tuition & Fees	New T&F	Six Free BOGO SCH	New 15-Hour Total	Book Credit
$2,165.55	$1,770	-$708	$1,062	-$150


The announcement took place in Austin on Tuesday afternoon at Speaker Phelan’s office with each of the three Lamar State College presidents on hand for the news.

“Lamar State College Port Arthur is indebted to Speaker Phelan for the vision and hard work that has gone into making this happen,” LSCPA President Dr. Betty Reynard said. “The support you have secured will certainly help every student continue their path from an educational experience into employment in the workforce.

“As one nursing student explained to me, it will lighten the load that she carries on her shoulders.  In some cases, it will be the difference between a student going to college or not. For many, the reduced financial burden will allow students to register for more classes which will reduce their time to graduation,” she said.

Tuition and fees at each institution will drop to $118 per semester credit hour. In addition, as part of the LSCPA Seahawk Book Bundle program, there is a $10 per semester credit hour discount on the cost of textbooks.
Combined with the first round of tuition cuts approved two years ago, total tuition and fees at the Lamar State Colleges have been reduced by an average of 47 percent, now on par with community colleges throughout the state. The reduced tuition, approved by the Texas State University System Board of Regents last month, will remain in effect for at least three years.

“This is a seismic moment for higher education in Southeast Texas,” said TSUS Chancellor Brian McCall. “As chancellor of a university system that serves a large number of low-income, at-risk and first-generation students, I can’t overstate the significance of this investment in our students.”

Additionally, LSCPA is currently promoting a “Buy One, Get One” campaign where students receive free semester credit hours when they purchase hours, up to six total. That means a student taking a 15-hour full load will get six hours free, leaving nine hours at $118 per hour. For those eligible, financial aid that includes grants and scholarships, is also available to make college even more attainable.

Speaker Phelan led the effort to increase state funding for the Lamar State Colleges, which – unlike Texas community colleges – receive no local tax revenue. In the past, the state colleges made up the difference by charging higher tuition and fees.

“The Lamar State Colleges have long been underfunded compared to their peer institutions in the state, creating an unnecessary cost barrier for students seeking a two-year degree,” said Speaker Phelan. “I’m pleased that we were able to close this gap and make college more affordable for students in Southeast Texas.”

Thanks to the efforts of Speaker Phelan and previous Speaker Bonnen, state funding for the Lamar State Colleges has increased by $47 million since 2019, resulting in a 17 percent increase in headcount enrollment, a 55 percent increase in dual credit enrollment, and a 124 percent increase in online credit hours.