Education in the United States is expensive, and Middlebury is no exception. The recent announcement of a tuition-free policy for students with family incomes under $175,000, beginning with the class of 2031, is a beneficial and impactful announcement on behalf of the college administration. Making education more affordable and, therefore, accessible — especially considering the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling to end affirmative action in college admissions — is meaningful.
However, tuition is only around $70,000 of the $97,386 cost of attendance for the 2026-27 school year, still leaving a significant burden for many families to cover room and board. Additionally, the cost of attendance may increase for next year’s students, as it has done historically. The tuition-free policy is an extension of Middlebury’s established financial aid system, which is already need-blind and matches declared need. However, this policy has the potential to improve accessibility for middle- and upper-middle class students who might not qualify for significant financial aid but still struggle to pay fees.
This announcement comes as one of many changes made by the new administration under President Ian Baucom, who wants Middlebury to be “the best liberal arts college in the country, the world.” Fundraising efforts by the administration have been impressive; the “For Every Future” campaign that started under President Laurie Patton raised $650 million two years ahead of schedule. In line with this competitive and aspirational sentiment, Middlebury’s new tuition-free policy parallels those of colleges like Princeton, Dartmouth and Tufts, all of which cover tuition for students with family incomes below a certain threshold.
As we consider this new policy, it’s important to reflect on the lopsided economic environment at Middlebury. Baucom said in an interview that the goal of the policy is to expand access by lessening financial pressure on students and their families. However, these efforts should be paralleled by an awareness of the norms of wealth and privilege that exist on campus. A New York Times article revealed that 76% of Middlebury students come from the top 20% of family income levels. It’s not uncommon to hear students refer to the “bubble” that Middlebury can create by nature of being a small school in a rural area. It is easy to feel isolated, but that feeling may be exacerbated for those who come from lower-income backgrounds.
Additionally, living on campus and in an environment that normalizes wealth creates a disconnect with the town of Middlebury. 2024 data showed that median family income in the town is around $86,169 –– slightly lower than the national median household income, and lower than the yearly cost of attending the college. This disparity stretches to the staff that support the daily operations of the school, with 45% of staff members needing a second source of income to support themselves according to a 2024 survey.
Changes to make education more affordable are undeniably a good thing, but we also hope to see changes that support the larger community, including staff members. It is a privilege to be here in every sense of the word — are we doing everything we can to use that privilege to truly expand opportunity?
