WSU Graduation Fees

PULLMAN – Every senior has paid their graduation fee at Washington State University for the lowest amount possible by March fifth.

Without any clarification from WSU Graduations, many students are not sure why there is an additional fee just to graduate. Senior Haley Cyr feels that it is an unnecessary cost.

“I have paid so much over the last four or five years,” said Cyr. “It’s ridiculous. Almost seventy dollars just to watch yourself on a computer screen makes no sense.”

The cost of graduation has not changed in years from other universities as well. Megan Starr-Gepford, an advisor for the Murrow College at WSU, mentioned that she remembers having to do a similar process when she graduated from the University of Idaho years ago.

For students who pay out of pocket for their tuition feel this is just another excuse for WSU to get more money from their students. Jose Mejia, a senior graduating in the fall semester of 2021 finds the cost excessive.

“I already pay for a little of my tuition out of pocket,” said Mejia. “The graduation fee is just more that I have to pay for  when I thought tuition would cover graduation.”

The Office of the Registrar that oversees payments to the university could not state where the money is used. Emailing the registrar only began a wild goose chase of information.

From one office to the next, registrar to the Office of Graduations, to Commencement and lastly, to the University Marketing and Communications team where none of the questions were answered.

WSU has yet to explain where the money is spent and why students have to pay an additional fee to graduate after years of tuition.