Whitworth University is instituting what it calls a transparent tuition model, moving to clarify the cost of attendance.

The decision follows years of students and families expressing confusion over the price of tuition. The industry standard, according to a Whitworth press release, involves increasing the listed tuition price and providing significant discounts traditionally labeled as scholarships.

The release states that standard doesn't indicate the actual price that students and their families pay.

Whitworth’s price adjustment reflects the actual cost of tuition for undergraduate students, removing the confusion of the traditional "high-price, high-discount" model used by many private colleges.  

Whitworth will continue to offer students academic scholarships and institutional aid, like talent awards and support grants. Whitworth scholarships and aid for current students will be adjusted to align with the simplified tuition starting in the 2026-27 school year. 

Current students can expect to pay about the same as they would have paid without the tuition price adjustment.

The new model lists tuition at Whitworth as $26,900 for the 2026-27 school year, which excludes mandatory fees.

During the 2025-26 school year, Whitworth's listed tuition rate is $54,000.

Scott McQuilkin, university president, says the new model includes automatic discounts — price reductions afforded by donors — provided for most students. Another automatic discount is based on prospective students’ high school grade point averages. GPAs between 3.3 and 3.59 are awarded an annual $3,000 scholarship. GPAs between 3.6 and 3.89 receive $6,000 annually, and GPAs 3.9 and above $9,000.

“Nearly 100% of students are receiving financial aid from the institution (Whitworth),” McQuilkin explains. “There are a host of students who believe a place like Whitworth is not going to be something that’s in their futures. It’s an artificial barrier for access, and we’re removing that barrier for the purpose of helping students take a step forward with the university.”

When asked if the change is in response to higher enrollment numbers at public universities, McQuilkin emphasizes that the new model is to acknowledge the uncertainty conveyed by students and families at Whitworth’s current “high-sticker price, high-discount” model.

“In fact,” McQuilkin says, “We’ve had a particularly strong year … in the quality of students. This has been a year-long process, and it’s not a response to concerns about enrollment. But it’s an opportunity to have more students in the initial funnel that consider Whitworth as a possibility."

According to the university’s website, the transparent tuition model does not affect the out-of-pocket costs paid by students and families.

“We’ll be able to tell students in November, ‘Here’s a range of what (tuition) could be,’” McQuilkin says. “We’ll be able to tell them in the first meeting, ‘This is what you’re going to get.’”