2025-2026 Tuition, Housing and Food
Cost per semester | Cost per year | |
Tuition (in-state or out-of-state) | $9,330 | $18,660 |
Housing and Food | $4,360 | $8,720 |
Notes:
- Tuition for part-time (fewer than 12 credits per term excluding audits) is $560 per credit.
- Because education students living off campus do not pay housing and food to the college, they are assessed a fee to cover expenses for any housing and food arranged by the college during their professional term. A student providing their own housing and food will not be charged for those portions of the fee. For the 2025-26 school year, these fees are as follow:
- 10-week experience $2,570 (housing $1,200, food $295, program supervision $1,075)
- 9-week early childhood experience $415 (program supervision $415)
- Because staff ministry and parish music interns living off campus do not pay housing and food to the college, they are assessed a fee to cover expenses for any housing and food arranged by the college during their professional term. A student providing their own housing will not be charged for the housing portion of the fee. For the 2025-26 school year, the fees are as follow:
- 17-week experience $4,360 (housing $2,530, program supervision $1,830)
- The cost of audits for non-degree seeking students is $130 per course (excluding private music lessons) or $95 per course for senior citizens (60 or older).
- The actual cost of enrollment is reduced by a budgetary operating subsidy from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS).
- The MLC Governing Board reserves the right to revise charges and procedures for all programs as economic conditions warrant.
Variable Costs
The cost of books, supplies, travel, laundry, personal and miscellaneous expenses vary with the individual. For 2025-2026 the estimate per individual in the traditional undergraduate program is $4,075.
Automobile Registration
Automobile registration is $110 ($130 after June 1 for returning students) and $55 per year for students living off campus. If not charged to the student’s account, this fee is paid directly to the Student Life Office.
The Financial Aid Office provides a detailed breakdown of the cost of attendance at this this link.
2025-26 Graduate Tuition
The tuition for graduate courses is $360 per credit. For more information see Graduate Studies.
Tuition Payment Information
Click here to make an online payment to a student account.
Students pay the cost of attending school through a combination of scholarships, grants, school arranged loans, privately arranged loans, work-study programs, private funds and jobs. Financial Aid and Financial Services counselors provide planning assistance to students upon request. Prior to the beginning of the school year (see details under Payment Policies), students are asked to select one of the following options for meeting their financial obligations:
- TWICE-A-SEMESTER PLAN – Payment in two equal installments as follows:
- Fall Term: August 10 and October 10
- Spring Term: January 10 and March 10
- MONTHLY PLAN: Payment in equal installments through MLC’s tuition management plan. Students enrolled in this plan make monthly payments via automatic withdrawal on the 10th of each month (or the next business day) from a checking or savings account they have designated. There is no charge for participation, but students are required to provide appropriate bank account and routing information when enrolling in this plan. If a payment is returned for any reason, (insufficient funds, account closed, etc.), the account will automatically be assigned to the twice-a-term payment plan until payment has been received to cover the returned charges. If a subsequent ACH payment is returned for any reason, the student will no longer be allowed on the monthly payment plan for the remainder of the school year. In a subsequent year, if an additional ACH payment is returned, the student will be removed from the monthly plan permanently. Payment in equal installments per term as follows:
- Fall Term: August 10, September 10, October 10, November 10, and December 10
- Spring Term: January 10, February 10, March 10, April 10, and May 10
Students who believe that extenuating circumstances make the standard payment plans temporarily unsuitable may request an exceptional payment plan subject to the approval of the director of finance. Such plans are granted only in rare circumstances (loss of employment, mounting medical expenses, etc.) and are intended as a temporary measure that should not exceed a single school year.
Questions regarding payment policies or procedures should be directed to the Financial Services Office at (507) 354-8221.