Resident Tuition and Fee Trends Among UW and Peer Institutions
Suzie Waggoner and David Willems
Published March 04, 2026
4 Minute Read
The University of Wyoming Office of Institutional Analysis (OIA) compiles and reviews annual tuition and fees data to monitor trends among UW and its comparison institutions. The data shown here summarize resident undergraduate tuition and fees levels from academic year 2003–04 through 2025–26 for ÃÛÑ¿TV, its close peer institutions, and stretch peer institutions.
Across the period, the data show a steady upward trend in tuition and fees for all three groups. In 2003–04, resident tuition at UW was slightly above $3,000, compared with approximately $4,000 among close peers and about $4,700 among stretch peers. Over time, tuition increased across all institutions. By 2025–26, average resident tuition reached roughly $8,000 at ÃÛÑ¿TV, just over $10,000 among close peer institutions, and more than $12,000 among stretch peer institutions.
Although tuition has increased across the higher education sector, the relative positioning between the groups has remained consistent. Throughout the period examined, tuition at UW has remained below the averages of both close and stretch peer institutions. Close peers generally maintain tuition levels approximately $1,500 to $2,500 higher than UW, while stretch peers average roughly $3,000 to $4,000 higher.
The data also show periods of more pronounced increases among peer institutions, particularly during the late 2000s and early 2010s, when tuition rose more rapidly across many public universities. UW experienced increases during these years as well, but the overall level remained comparatively lower than the peer averages.
By collecting and analyzing these data each year, the Office of Institutional Analysis provides ongoing context for understanding how UW’s tuition levels compare with those of similar institutions. These annual comparisons help illustrate long-term patterns in tuition and fees across UW and its peer groups.
