SU's health and wellness fee among highest of peer institutions - The Daily Orange

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All undergraduate students at Syracuse University paid $1,671 each in required fees in the 2021-22 academic year.

Four categories are included in SU’s “miscellaneous fees” under the university’s cost of attendance website for undergraduate students: health and wellness, internet and cable service, co-curricular and undergraduate activity. The former two are paid semesterly while the latter two are paid annually.

For the 2021-22 academic year, the university charges a $399 health and wellness fee and a $220 internet and cable service fee per semester. Students pay a $222 co-curricular fee and a $211 undergraduate activity fee for the entire academic year.

SU’s internet and cable service fee and the co-curricular fee for the 2021-22 academic year are the same amount compared to the previous two academic years.

The university’s health and wellness fee, however, has increased twice over the past three years to get to the current year total of $798, from $768 for the 2019-20 academic year and $782 for the 2020-21 academic year. SU’s undergraduate activity fee rose by $2 in the 2020-21 academic year and remained the same in 2021-22 as well, according to student bills.

The Daily Orange analyzed how these categories of fees compare to those of SU’s peer institutions that provided similar data. The D.O. examined eight of large private universities with similar fee descriptions — American University, Cornell University, Washington University in St. Louis, Tufts University, Boston College, Lehigh University, Georgetown University and George Washington University.

With the amount rising twice in the past three years, SU’s $798 annual health and wellness fee ranked as the second highest among the five private universities that list these expenses in a charged fee category on their websites. The highest is Tufts University with $1,006 per year, and the lowest is Lehigh University with $200 per year.

Jana Seal | Asst. Digital Editor

For SU and those five private universities, the health and wellness fee is listed as a separate expense in addition to mandatory health insurance, the price of which typically ranges from $2,000 to $4,000.

The student activity fee is a common fee charged by different private universities. SU’s $211 is at an intermediate level among peer universities. Georgetown University, George Washington University and American University charge lower, at $173, $90 and $150, respectively. Washington University in St. Louis, Boston College, Cornell University, Tufts University and Lehigh University charge higher than SU, at $578, $626, $309, $412 and $250, respectively.

SU’s internet and cable service fee is $440 per year, which is lower than Lehigh University’s $490 per year while higher than American University’s $240 per year. Many private universities The Daily Orange examined do not specify the cost of internet services on their cost of attendance webpage.

Here are the amount charged by different private universities under categories that are similar to SU’s:

Cornell University

Cornell University charges students $420 for a health and wellness fee and $309 for a student activity fee for each academic year, but internet and cable service fees and co-curricular fees were not specified.

Washington University in St. Louis

Students pay $538 as a health and wellness fee and $578 as a student activity fee each year at Washington University in St. Louis, while internet and cable service fees and co-curricular fees were not specified.

Tufts University

Tufts University specifies two fee categories for undergraduate students: $1,006 per year for health and wellness fee — the highest among the compared institutions — and $412 for activity fee. Internet and co-curricular fees are not specified.

Boston College

Boston College listed its campus health fee and undergraduate student activity fee — $550 and $626 per year, respectively. The college does not list internet service and co-curricular fees as SU does.

American University

American University charges mandatory fees for undergraduate students in four categories: sports center, undergraduate activity, student technology and Washington D.C. Metro U-Pass. Students pay $240 annually for student technology and $150 for student activity. The university does not list health and co-curricular fees as mandatory.

Lehigh University

Lehigh University separates its fees into three different categories: wellness, technology and activity. The wellness fee is $200 while the university charges students $490 as a technology fee and a $250 activity fee. Co-curricular fees were not specified on Lehigh’s website.

Georgetown University

Georgetown University only listed a $173 annual student activity fee on its website. No other mandatory fees were specified.

George Washington University

George Washington University charges one annual $90 student association fee. The university did not list any additional mandatory fees.

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