In response to requests made by the Marquette Tribune, the Office of Finance released a breakdown of tuition costs for next year, revealing a basic itemization of how students’ tuition dollars are spent.

The breakdown comes about two months after the university announced a 3.7 percent increase in tuition for the 2014-15 school year, which translates to an increase of $1,280. This is the smallest percentage jump in tuition prices since the 2009-10 school year, continuing a trend of slowing tuition growth at Marquette over the past five years.

Figures from the Office of Finance indicate that the largest cost to the university is compensation for faculty and staff members, which makes up 49 percent of the university’s expenses. Compensation takes up a smaller percentage of total costs, however, compared to the 2013-2014 school year, in which salaries and fringe benefits took up 51 percent of total expenditures.

Similarly, percentage figures for administration expenses, which take up 3 percent of next year’s total costs, dropped from 4 percent last year. This decrease follows an effort by the university to cost operating costs, specifically targeting administrative units. As part of this year’s budget cuts, university officials laid off 25 staff positions and eliminated the Office of Administration.

Vice President of Finance John Lamb said in addition to the layoffs, he expects another 80 positions to be absorbed through retirements or by not filling open positions.

“Marquette has responsibly managed its budget and has operated with a positive margin the past 16 years,” Lamb said in an email. “We fully expect that will be the case for the current fiscal year, as well as future years, because of the proactive steps university leadership has made.”

Expenses for student support services, scholarships, and maintaining and constructing campus buildings all increased by one percentage point from last year’s tuition breakdown.