MILWAUKEE — UW-Milwaukee students start the new school year as tuition increases across all Universities of Wisconsin.
Whether it be a pediatrician or a computer scientist, many students juggle multiple classes, jobs, and costs while attending college.
Watch: UW-Milwaukee students navigate tuition hikes:
"Since I was a kid, I was always attracted towards technology and how it was working,” said UW-Milwaukee senior Gurleen Singh.
Singh is an international student from India who also works on campus as a tutor and for office support.
“It is kind of expensive to live here as an international student, because the exchange rates are really different,” said Singh.
Tolulope Ogunleye is a biomedical student and works part-time overnight shifts as a caregiver.
“It's already hard enough to pay for school by yourself,” said Ogunleye.
Both of them pay for some of the costs of college, but tuition is more pricey this year after a state budget deal included more funding for the UW System.
In July, the Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin approved a tuition increase of up to 5% depending on which university for the 2025/26 academic year, which turns into an average jump of $382 for tuition.
For UW-Milwaukee specifically, tuition rises by $439.
“It's not just about money. Right now. The job market is really bad. It's for everybody,” said Singh.
While these students grapple with a tight job market and possibly more school ahead of them, they are vigilant about how to save.
“Just budget correctly. That's really it. Put aside what you need first before you actually spend it,” said Ogunleye.
Gurleen recommends reaching out to investment clubs on campus that can help you learn how to bank on your future.
“They teach you about a lot of things, even if they're not teaching you about it, you'll still find out about how to start saving for retirement,” said Singh.
While parents and students will see the cost of college rise at the Universities of Wisconsin, Wisconsin has the lowest percent change of in-state undergrad tuition compared to neighboring states in the Midwest. For instance, Michigan’s tuition increased by nearly 52% in the last decade, and Wisconsin increased by nearly 8% in that same time period, according to the UW Board of Regents.
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