Which public universities have a tuition guarantee?

Per each school's own published policy: the University of California holds tuition flat for each entering class for up to six years; the University of Oregon for up to five; the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, CU Boulder, Miami University (Ohio) and Ohio State (for Ohio residents) for four; and UNC system schools for eight semesters for North Carolina residents.

Do tuition guarantees cover out-of-state students?

Sometimes. UC, Oregon, Illinois, CU Boulder and Miami apply their cohort rates to out-of-state students too. Ohio State's guarantee doesn't cover its nonresident surcharge, and North Carolina's fixed-tuition program applies only to North Carolina residents.

What's the difference between a tuition guarantee and a tuition freeze?

A guarantee locks the rate you start with for a set number of years, though each new entering class can pay more. A freeze holds tuition flat for everyone for a set period -- as Purdue has done for 14 straight years and Texas did for resident academic costs in 2025-26 and 2026-27 -- but promises nothing beyond it.

Tuition Guarantee Programs: Which Public Universities Lock In Your Rate (2026-27)

Tuition guarantee programs lock in the rate you pay when you start college, so a later price increase doesn't hit you. For students entering in 2026-27, the University of California holds tuition flat for up to six years, the University of Oregon for up to five, and Illinois, CU Boulder, Miami University and Ohio State (for Ohio residents) for four. Several other public universities haven't promised anything for future years but have frozen tuition for everyone.

For the 2026-27 rates themselves, see out-of-state tuition at every public flagship.

Public universities with a tuition guarantee (2026-27)

University	How long the rate is locked	Covers out-of-state students?	2026-27 entering-class rate (in-state / out-of-state)
UC Berkeley and all UC campuses	Up to 6 years	Yes, including nonresident supplemental tuition	$18,214 / $57,484 at Berkeley
University of Oregon	Up to 5 years ("Duck Tuition Guarantee")	Yes	$17,475 / $47,466
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	4 years, same major	Yes	$16,682 / $39,358 (base rate)
CU Boulder	4 years	Yes	$15,014 / $46,058 (base rate)
Miami University (Ohio)	4 years ("Tuition Promise"), including room and board	Yes	$18,890 / $42,882
Ohio State	4 years	Ohio residents only -- the nonresident surcharge isn't guaranteed	$14,050 / $44,271
UNC Chapel Hill, NC State and other UNC system schools	8 semesters	North Carolina residents only	$9,351 / $49,593 at UNC

All rates are each school's own published 2026-27 tuition plus mandatory fees for a full-time first-year student.

How each guarantee works

University of California. UC's tuition, Student Services Fee and nonresident supplemental tuition are set for each entering class and stay flat for up to six years. Campus fees aren't part of the guarantee.
University of Oregon. The Duck Tuition Guarantee keeps undergraduate tuition fixed for up to five years for each entering cohort.
Illinois. State law requires a four-year guaranteed tuition rate, assuming continuous enrollment in the same major. Students who take longer move to the next cohort's rate.
CU Boulder. The undergraduate tuition guarantee covers four years for residents and non-residents alike.
Miami University. The Tuition Promise freezes tuition, special purpose and course fees, and room and board for four years from a student's first enrollment on the Oxford campus.
Ohio State. The guarantee freezes in-state tuition and most mandatory fees for each entering class of Ohio residents for four years. Out-of-state students' nonresident surcharge can still change.
North Carolina. North Carolina residents at UNC system schools keep their initial tuition rate for eight consecutive semesters (ten for approved five-year programs).

Public universities with a tuition freeze instead

A freeze holds prices flat for everyone for now, without promising anything about future years:

Purdue: tuition and mandatory fees frozen for the 14th year, keeping in-state tuition and fees at $9,992.
Indiana University: in-state tuition and fees unchanged since 2024-25, at $12,144.
UT Austin: resident tuition and academic fees frozen for 2025-26 and 2026-27.
Texas A&M: tuition and required fees frozen through 2026-27.
Clemson: in-state tuition frozen for a seventh straight year.
University of South Carolina: in-state tuition unchanged for 2026-27, at $6,144 a semester.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville: in-state tuition held at $11,560 for 2026-27 (fees rose $148).

Freezes usually apply to in-state students only; out-of-state tuition at several of these schools still went up for 2026-27.

Does a tuition guarantee actually save money?

Not always. Because a guaranteed rate can't go up later, a school's starting rate for each new class can be higher than at a school that raises tuition a little every year. What a guarantee buys you is predictability: you know what years two through four will cost before you commit. Compare the four-year total, not just the first-year price, and check whether fees and housing are covered -- at most schools, only tuition (and sometimes mandatory fees) is locked.