Davidson College tuition is expected to increase for the 2026-2027 academic year. In the past five years, tuition alone, excluding room, board and additional fees, increased by close to $13,000. The consistent hike in price falls in line with rising costs of higher education around the country.
College officials maintain that tuition is increasing to keep up with rising expenses. Ann McCorvey, CFO and Vice President of Finance and Administration, said she expects tuition to increase for the 2026-2027 academic year.
“We got to pay the professors,” McCorvey said. “We’ve got to keep the grounds up. We have to run the college. It [tuition] is the cost of running the college.”
The most recent available tax filings show that from FY23 to FY24, the College’s expenses increased by more than $20 million. In that same time period, Davidson’s total revenue increased by more than $67 million.
The total cost of attendance for the 2023-2024 academic year was $75,910. This includes tuition, room and board and additional fees. These tuition and student fees brought in over $120 million in revenue for the College. In 2024-2025 total cost of attendance was $80,950, and for the current academic year, it is $86,865 – an almost ten thousand dollar increase in the last three years. In the time since this year’s seniors were freshman, tuition and student fees have increased almost fifteen thousand dollars.
“People don’t come in knowing that tuition is going to increase,” Maia Ferreyra ‘26 said. “As a freshman, I had no idea that tuition was gonna increase that much.”
Many students worry that Davidson will only be accessible to students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.
“I’m nervous for the people coming behind us in terms of having diversity of thought within their grades and diversity of experience within their grades,” Stella Davis ‘26 said. “I don’t think we’re as accessible as we think we are.”
Some are already feeling the pressure of rising costs.
“It became a serious conversation with my parents too, like how am I going to be able to manage this,” Maggie Woodward ‘26 said.
Financial aid has increased alongside tuition. Dean of Financial Aid Chris Gruber wrote in an email to The Davidsonian that families are not expected to shoulder the entire increase.
“For families receiving need-based financial aid, their package typically increases to cover this change in our costs,” Gruber wrote.
Tuition and student fees have risen, again, by around fifteen thousand dollars since current seniors were freshman. The average financial aid package for enrolled students has increased by ten thousand dollars.
Davidson advertises itself as meeting one hundred percent of calculated financial need, covering costs beyond calculated family contribution, and doing so without loans in the student aid package.
“We don’t do loans,” McCorvey said.
Loans are not included in initial financial aid packages, but some students do have to take out loans to afford Davidson.
“There can be a gap between what Davidson assesses your family contribution to be and what you can actually contribute, and then what Davidson gives you in financial aid,” Woodward said. “Then you have to take out loans, like I have to take out loans.”
Ferreyra said she thinks that Davidson’s messaging around their financial aid is misleading.
“I have been in that position where I’ve had to advocate for myself to get more money,” Ferreyra said.
McCorvey and Gruber were quick to point out that Davidson’s tuition and fees are lower than the 20 peer institutions with whom the school compares data. Of these schools, Davidson’s cost of attendance is lower than all but one school. Even so, students argue that the college shouldn’t be considered only in relation to other liberal arts schools.
“I feel like it should be more accessible to students who can’t afford to pay to go to school,” Ferreyra said. “I think Davidson’s a great place to be, but I also think, even though it’s not a public school, it should reflect the surrounding areas. North Carolina’s minimum wage is $7.25.”
Students also acknowledge that the cost of higher education is rising around the county, and their concerns are not exclusive to Davidson.
“I don’t think it is just a Davidson issue,” John Endres ‘26 said. “I would love to also know at these other schools, if they’re handling it better.”
McCorvey anticipates updated tuition and fee rates to be announced in November following the Board of Trustees meeting this month. In the meantime, Woodward urged the Trustees to consider the future student body.
“Davidson’s mission statement is making sound leaders and providing people with humane instincts,” Woodward said. “I think trying to expand that mission, the only way to do that is by making Davidson accessible to people. As we increase tuition, we’re making Davidson, and the goal of that mission, more and more inaccessible.”