Students can expect to pay at least 4 percent more when they go to college this fall.

Oklahoma colleges and universities are raising their tuition, fees or both for the coming school year. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recently approved modest tuition and fee increases for Oklahoma’s 25 public colleges and universities. Tuition and mandatory fees will increase an average of 5.1 percent statewide for the 2011 academic year. Oklahoma public colleges and universities are expected to receive 3.3 percent less in state aid for 2011.

Private institutions, such as Bacone College also announced tuition and fee increases.

Full-time students at Bacone can expect to pay about $200 more per semester because of a 4.1 percent increase in tuition and fees, said Eugene Blankenship, Bacone’s assistant vice president for institutional advancement. Bacone offers course packages of 12 or 17 credit hours instead of charging students by the hour, he said. He said the increase will help the school enhance student services and technology.

“It’s not anything big, especially compared to other private universities,” Blankenship said. “It still costs less to go to Bacone than any other university.”

Jana Henry, 21, a sophomore from Salina, said she does not mind the increase “as long as they keep up with my athletic scholarship.”

Muskogee senior Shay Perez, 38, asked if the school will improve technology with the increase.

“That’s exactly what it’s for,” Blankenship said.

Connors State College is raising mandatory fees by $4.84 per credit hour, but is not raising tuition, said Ron Ramming, Connors vice president of enrollment management. Basic tuition is $66.14 per credit hour. Mandatory fees, including activity, student union, student senate, recreation and technology services would bring the total undergraduate cost to $90.91 per credit hour with the fee increase. A student taking 17 credit hours would pay $1,545 under the new schedule.

Ramming said students will not see any increase in room and board, though one unit in the Miller’s Crossing unit will charge more for additional cable television access.

Connors spokesman Bob Branan said this marks the second year CSC has not raised tuition.

“Dr. (Donnie) Nero and his staff felt like it would hurt the students,” he said referring to the Connors president.

The college has found other ways to save including limiting travel expenses and taking part in an energy saving program with OG&E.

Northeastern State University also is raising tuition and fees by 5.5 percent. According to the Regents’ comparison list, NSU undergraduate resident fees will raise $7.65 from $138.50 per credit hour to $146.15.

Mark Kinders, NSU vice president of university relations said part of the fee increase includes a $5 fee students agreed to impose on themselves to help fund a health and wellness center.

“We were able to roll back other fees,” he said.

Kinders said NSU is looking for ways to cut student costs, including a book rental program that could cut regular textbook fees in half.

Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, will raise its undergraduate resident tuition and fees by 2.4 percent, which an OSUIT press release said was the lowest increase in the state.

— City Editor Elizabeth Ridenour contributed to this story.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.