CHAMPAIGN – Tuition for new in-state University of Illinois undergraduate students this fall will increase by 1.7 percent under a plan approved Thursday, marking the smallest tuition hike at the university in almost 20 years.

When combined with coming increases in room and board and fees, though, the cost of a year of college for students living on campus will rise to almost $24,729 at the flagship campus in Urbana-Champaign (up 2.1 percent), $23,615 in Chicago (up 1.8 percent) and $21,489 in Springfield (an increase of 3.6 percent).

The smaller tuition increase matches the rate of inflation for this year, Vice President for Academic Affairs Christophe Pierre told trustees during a meeting in Chicago. He said it is designed to balance the need for more revenue to pay top professors and other costs to draw good students.