By Ethan Faverino |
Grand Canyon University (GCU) announced it will continue its historic tuition freeze on the Phoenix campus for the 18th consecutive year, maintaining the same rate through the 2026-27 academic year.
The private Christian university will keep campus tuition at $16,500 (before institutional aid) for the upcoming year—the same amount that has been in place since the freeze began in 2008-09.
This longstanding commitment provides students and families with rare cost predictability amid widespread concerns about escalating college expenses and the long-term value of a degree.
In the 2024-25 academic year, more than 92% of GCU’s traditional students received institutional scholarships totaling $181 million, reducing the average tuition cost to approximately $8,900. This figure is comparable to many public universities and significantly lower than most other private institutions.
National data from the College Board’s Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid Report showed the significance of GCU’s decision. Since 2008-09, average in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges have increased 81% (from $6,585 to $11,950), while four-year private institutions have seen costs rise 78% (from $25,143 to $45,000).
GCU’s housing costs also remain well below national averages. The university’s estimated average room and board cost for 2025-26 is $10,658, compared to $13,900 at four-year public colleges and $15,920 at four-year private institutions.
This affordability is notable given that nearly all GCU’s modern residence halls have been constructed in the past 15 years, with approximately 64% of rooms being single occupancy.
Since the tuition freeze began in 2008, the university’s traditional campus enrollment has grown dramatically from fewer than 1,000 students to around 25,000, while the campus itself has expanded to 300 acres.
During this period, the university has invested more than $1.8 billion in new degree programs, classrooms, laboratories, research spaces, residence halls, and advanced technologies.
“When you look at the rising costs in higher education, it’s not surprising that families are questioning the value of a college education,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “By freezing our tuition for nearly two decades, we have been able to build trust and predictability without compromising our academics. Our campus has grown exponentially, and we are blessed that it has occurred without passing those costs on to students and without requiring state tax subsidies that public universities receive.”
Mueller emphasized the broader impact of the university’s affordability strategy: “Freezing tuition costs is one way that we ensure higher education is affordable to all socioeconomic classes. That increases diversity on college campuses (over 40% of GCU’s ground campus enrollment are students of color), makes higher education more accessible to first-generation college students, and helps prevent students from taking on large amounts of debt.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
