For the sixth year in a row, the University System of New Hampshire will freeze undergraduate tuition for in-state students.

Since the 2019-2020 school year, tuition rates at the University of New Hampshire, Keene State College and Plymouth State University have remained constant, but are still among the most expensive in the country.

Behind neighbors in Vermont, New Hampshire poses the second highest cost for in-state tuition at a four-year program at $17,170 on average this year, according to the College Board.

Despite the freeze, fees like room and board continue to rise, which puts the total price of a college education at just over $32,000 at the University of New Hampshire’s Durham campus. At Plymouth State, the total cost is closer to $26,000, while Keene State sits at $28,000.

Freezing tuition for another year continues to demonstrate a commitment to providing an affordable education, said Cathy Provencher, the chief administrative officer and vice chancellor for the state university system.

“Holding tuition flat for this period of time is an unprecedented commitment to continue pathways to meaningful degrees for New Hampshire students,” Provencher said.

Once financial aid is incorporated, the average tuition at the three New Hampshire schools is $10,200. This means the cost of attendance is less compared to 2019.

More than $250 million in financial aid has been awarded across state schools, which amounts to more aid to more students than at any other time in its history. Among first-year students, 89 percent receive some form of assistance.

The Granite Guarantee also covers the full cost of in-state tuition for up to four years for residents who are Pell Grant eligible. The program covers the gaps between federal and state packages and the cost of in-state tuition.

Over the last five years, over 2,000 students at the University of New Hampshire have attended school tuition-free as a result of the program. College graduates from New Hampshire colleges and universities graduate with some of the highest debt loads in the country, while the state contributes among the least amount of government money to higher education.