At a time when many colleges and universities are increasing costs, Concordia University Wisconsin is taking a different approach.
The university has lowered tuition for its online undergraduate programs and several graduate programs, helping remove financial barriers for working adults and students seeking to advance their careers.
This decision reflects Concordia’s ongoing commitment to expanding opportunities for learners who may have delayed their educational plans because of cost.
For many students, cost remains one of the biggest obstacles to pursuing a degree. Concordia’s new tuition model lowers costs directly while helping students better understand the true cost of attendance from the start.
“Concordia decided to lower tuition because we wanted to make our online undergraduate and graduate programs more affordable, transparent and accessible,” said Kevin Sheridan, vice president for Enrollment. “While scholarships had helped offset costs in the past, they also made the published tuition price appear higher than what many students actually paid. By reducing tuition directly, we are giving students a clearer understanding of their investment from the beginning.”
Making education more attainable
“This tuition reduction tells prospective students who may have delayed completing or starting a degree, because of cost, that Concordia is working to make that next step more attainable,” Sheridan said. “By lowering tuition directly and making pricing more transparent, we are reducing uncertainty and helping students better understand the true cost of their investment. The message is clear: If cost has been holding you back, now may be the right time to reconsider Concordia.”
The change also makes Concordia’s programs more competitive and easier for prospective students to evaluate alongside other institutions.
“These reductions are significant because they make Concordia’s online undergraduate and several graduate programs more transparent, more competitive and easier for prospective students to evaluate against other programs in the region,” Sheridan said. “Many students compare programs before applying, and a lower, more straightforward tuition rate can make Concordia stand out as an affordable, high-quality option.”
Supporting working adults and career-minded learners
The new tuition rates are expected to benefit a wide range of learners, particularly those who are carefully weighing cost, value and return on investment.
“The students who will benefit most are working adults, career changers, first-generation graduate students, and those who are paying out of pocket, using loans or relying on employer reimbursement,” Sheridan said. “These students are often very focused on affordability, transparency and return on investment. By lowering tuition directly, Concordia is making our high-quality education more financially realistic for students who may have delayed or dismissed the possibility because of cost.”
For students balancing careers, families and financial responsibilities, the reduced tuition rates provide a more predictable pathway toward educational advancement and long-term career goals.
Addressing workforce needs in education
The impact of affordability extends beyond individual students. It also affects communities and professions facing critical workforce shortages.
Across Wisconsin and the nation, schools continue to seek qualified teachers, administrators, counselors and educational leaders. Dr. James Pingel, dean of Concordia’s School of Education, says affordability plays an important role in helping address those challenges.
“‘Affordability’ has been the term that’s been spoken about and felt, perhaps more than any other the last five years,” Pingel said. “Since so many people are living paycheck to paycheck, anything universities can do to lower costs, including tuition, the more affordable higher education becomes for families and prospective teachers.”
Current educators often face two significant barriers when considering graduate education.
“Time and money have always been barriers for earning a post-bachelor’s degree,” Pingel said. “Most people who would like to pursue a master’s degree are already working fulltime jobs and they also are living paycheck to paycheck. Moreover, many schools used to provide extra professional development funds that teachers could use to earn their master’s degree, but many schools are no longer providing this monetary support. So current teachers have to weigh if the time, money and lack of employer-funded scholarships are worth it.”
Reducing tuition helps make advanced degrees, certifications, and leadership preparation more attainable for those already serving in classrooms and schools.
More than a degree
While affordability is important, Concordia leaders emphasize that education is about more than earning a credential.
“While earning your advanced degree can do a lot for you (that’s the transactional), it’s what the learning does to you that matters even more (that’s the transformational aspect of lifelong learning),” Pingel said. “And as you grow and learn, you become a more effective teacher or administrator and a better citizen. You are modeling the way!”
As educators and professionals continue to grow, they share their knowledge and experience with others, creating a ripple effect throughout schools, organizations, churches and communities.
Living out Concordia’s mission
The tuition reduction reflects Concordia’s mission of helping students develop in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world. It also aligns with the university’s commitment to increasing access and opportunity for learners.
“This decision reflects Concordia’s commitment to affordability, access and student success because we are always looking for ways to increase student access by making our education more affordable,” Sheridan said. “By lowering tuition directly, we are reducing financial barriers, making costs more transparent, and helping students better understand the investment required.”
Looking ahead, university leaders see affordability initiatives as an investment in both students and the communities they serve.
“Affordability initiatives like this help Concordia strengthen the leadership pipeline by making our online undergraduate and graduate education more accessible to talented students who are already serving their communities,” Sheridan said. “In turn, communities benefit from graduates who are equipped to lead with skill, purpose and a commitment to service.”
For Pingel, the significance goes beyond the numbers.
“The real story is that we care about our students beyond a transaction, a tuition payment,” he said. “We know the affordability challenge is real for many of them, and a tuition reduction—of any size—demonstrates that we are listening and attuned to their circumstances and needs.”
By lowering costs and increasing transparency, Concordia continues its commitment to helping students pursue their calling, advance their careers, and prepare to make a meaningful difference in the Church and the world.
Want in?
Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.