Tuition costs: Dependent on your major

The University of Nebraska--Lincoln is considering charging engineering majors more than, say, English majors.

[T]he proposal is expected to allow UNL, for the first time, to charge more tuition for some undergraduate programs than for others.

It would be a watershed departure from the concept that all Nebraska resident undergraduates should pay the same tuition for their degrees — currently $198.25 per credit hour — no matter what they study.

UNL previously dipped its toe into this water, however, by enacting a $40 per credit hour fee for engineering classes in 2007. Unlike traditional laboratory fees often charged for certain classes, the fee was not directly linked to a specific classroom expense.

At first glance, this almost makes sense. If students major in a field that costs more to teach, then perhaps it makes sense to charge more for the education. Engineering requires more lab work, more equipment, and maybe better teachers. So, perhaps students should pay for that. English, on the other hand, does not require particular facilities, at least not like those of engineering.

But, if you read the article, university costs are not the issue, at least not by major. The thinking is that an engineering student would make more money upon graduation and could therefore be charged more for his education. The proposed scheme is not based on university costs by major, but rather university costs in total and then those costs are skewed based on expected salaries.

Seems to me that an engineer could argue for a lower price if he promised to take a low paying job. Silly, isn't it?