Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) board members approved a balanced budget and raised tuition fees for the 2016-17 school year at their June meeting this week.

General tuition rates for residents will increase by $7.35 per contact hour, setting the in-district rate at $103.70 per contact hour. A Grand Traverse County student attending full time on average will see a general tuition increase of $158 for the academic year. Out-of-district tuition will increase to $205.30 per contact hour (an increase of $14.50), out-of-state tuition will increase to $267.65 per contact hour (an increase of $18.90), and international tuition will increase to $302.35 per contact hour (an increase of $20.75).

NMC’s in-district tuition is the 10th lowest of the state’s community colleges and 75 percent lower than the average public universities in Michigan, according to the college.

“We continue to look for ways to reduce costs to our learners through efficiency without impacting the quality of education," says President Tim Nelson. "One example of that effort is an organizational restructuring during the last four years, which reduced 16 staff positions."

For 2016-17, NMC’s revenue will be 21 percent from state aid, 22 percent from local property tax, 52 percent from tuition and fees, and four percent from other sources.