I like to imagine that somewhere inside a meeting room at Trinity, there’s a circle of rich admins who meet once a year to say, “let them eat cake” as they laugh upon us in the classrooms below. One of those admins probably proclaims, “Surely they can just cut back on unnecessary luxuries, like groceries.” And soon we get sent a letter that contains… surprise, surprise: a tuition increase! Tuition hikes are becoming ridiculous, costing more and more money each year, and there isn’t enough evidence that these increases benefit Trinity students.

If Trinity is going to keep raising tuition for the sake of “academic greatness” — increasing admin salaries and building fancy new buildings for people who don’t even go here — they should at least have the courage to come out and say, “Yes, we are a business, not just a school. The campus is our office building, degrees are our products, professors are our employees and students are our consumers.”

While no university admin would ever dare to say so, what’s most ironic is that Trinity is actually classified as a non-profit 501(c)(3) as a so-called “charitable organization.” Who is it charitable to? Certainly not students. Between 2021-2023, Trinity’s tax filings show exponential increases in top administrative pay. The chief investment officer’s compensation more than doubled, the provost’s rose about 50% and multiple vice presidents saw an increase between 30-70%.

In a letter sent to parents from Eric Maloof, vice president for enrollment management, the direct cost of attendance — including tuition, housing and meal plans combined — would be around $75,445 for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, a 4.9% increase from this year’s tuition. This increased cost, along with the higher cost of living in an already volatile economy, puts the benefit of attending Trinity into question.

The near 5% increase might not seem like a lot, but if we increase tuition by 5% every year for the next three years, you can expect to pay about $325,000 during your time at Trinity, before factoring in financial aid and merit-based scholarships. The median income of an American is $1,204 a week, or about $62,608, meaning that if you didn’t pay taxes, eat food or breathe, it would take you over five years to save for Trinity — not to mention inflation, multiple siblings, etc. 

The median family income of a Trinity student is $174,000 — so does that mean only rich people can afford to come here? Only a family or individual who made well over six figures before taxes could possibly afford to come here without falling into debt or considering cutbacks and years of saving and investing, just for one child. With so many comparable colleges available to choose from, Trinity’s high price tag starts to seem less beneficial in the long run and more of a money grab. 

It’s not like Trinity is poor. With an endowment of approximately $2 billion and a student population of about 2,400, our endowment per student (E/S) is $635,015. Now, let me ask you, do you feel like you are getting $635,015 worth of education and living while at Trinity? I can tell you my answer: No! With a smaller selection of majors, less brand name recognition and a weaker alumni network than many public institutions, there are more cons than pros to a Trinity education.

What’s even crazier is that Texas A&M University’s endowment per student is $292,546, or about 45% of Trinity’s E/S, yet their in-state tuition is only roughly $20,000 before scholarship or 25% of Trinity’s costs. Texas A&M has half as much endowment money as Trinity, yet their students pay far less than half the tuition.

Of course, A&M is a public institution and receives public funding, but I don’t think Trinity’s quality of education is significantly superior to that of a public school. What exactly are we paying so much more for?

Admittedly, while endowment isn’t just a checking account you can take out of, it’s clear that the sheer scale of Trinity’s reserve raises the question: Why does our school keep pushing costs onto us through tuition increases?

Tuition has increased more than inflation has over the past year — 4.9% as opposed to 2.6%. Additionally, Trinity doesn’t even pay a tax on its endowment, according to the 2024-2025 Endowment Report, due to Congress passing the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” in July of last year. I think the tuition increase is nothing short of a business continuing to pressure its consumers who have little choice but to pay these increases, especially since scholarships don’t increase with tuition.

All of this hurts. Trinity functions as a business just like those large, tax-loopholing corporations that are hated in the media (Amazon, McDonald’s). The difference is Trinity can hide it behind the mirage of a small, unique liberal arts educational institution and a LeeRoy tiger instead of a Ronald McDonald clown. It is we, the students and parents, who feel the brunt of their decisions. Bureaucracy and business, whether in the halls of Congress or the halls of Northrup, continues to make the lives of its citizens and customers even more difficult.