HARRISBURG — Students who attend Slippery Rock University and the 13 other state owned universities will pay $194 more in tuition this coming year.

The State System of Higher Education trustees Tuesday approved that tuition increase.

SRU has about 8,500 students.

The new tuition rate for full-time, resident undergraduate students beginning this fall will be $3,311 per semester, or $6,622 for the full academic year.

The current annual tuition for resident students is $6,428, which was a $188 increase from 2011-12.

Despite the increase, board Chairman Guido Pichini said that state system tuition still likely will be below the national average for public colleges.

“It is very important to our students and their families that we keep our tuition affordable,” Pichini said.

Steve Hicks, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, said the state board must act responsibly to balance the universities’ budgetary needs with the financial strain on students and their families.

“Even a modest tuition increase can affect the ability of our students to afford college, but the board’s action still leaves a budget gap of over $50 million for the state system,” Hicks said.

The board also approved new tuition rates for resident graduate students and all nonresident students.

The resident graduate tuition rate in 2013-14 will be $442 per credit, an increase of $13. Nonresident graduate tuition will increase by $19 per credit to $663.

Full-time, undergraduate annual tuition for nonresident students will range from $9,934 to $16,556, depending on a variety of factors, such as the program in which a student enrolls.

The student technology fee will increase by $5 to $184 per semester, or $368 for the full academic year, for full-time resident undergraduate students and by $8 to $279 a semester, or $558 a year, for full-time nonresident undergraduate students.

Universities have used the funds raised by the technology fee to install new computer labs and to design multimedia classrooms, among other projects.