COEUR d'ALENE - North Idaho College trustees discussed a net 3 percent tuition increase proposal for fiscal 2013 during a budget workshop on Wednesday night.

The increase proposal, which is subject to change during the budget process, would mean an average of a $41 per semester increase per student.

Tuition increases have been typical at colleges in recent years as state funding has decreased during the recession and factors such as inflation.

"This year's (tuition hike) proposal is significantly less than in years past," said Mark Browning, NIC's vice president of community relations and marketing.

Roughly a third of the college's funding is generated from tuition and fees, a third from property taxes and a third from state funding.

Browning said a 2 percent property tax increase has been discussed during staff-level budget talks, but it's too early to pinpoint where the trustees will land on a proposal.

Taxing districts are allowed to increase property taxes up to 3 percent under state law.

"The trustees are very mindful of the financial burden folks are facing, but they need to balance that with the needs of the college as a whole," he said. "The property tax number has been changing a lot."

The college's current total budget is about $40 million and a budget of about $42 million is proposed.

The public hearing on the budget is May 23 at 6 p.m. in the Coeur d'Alene Room, the second level of the Student Union Building. The trustees are expected to adopt the budget that night.

"There could be adjustments made over the next 30 days," Browning said. "It's a very modest budget proposal. We simply can't afford every need we've got, but we want to meet the critical needs and keep the operation viable."

The fiscal 2013 budget cycle starts on July 1.

Students at Idaho's four-year public universities will pay $274 to $356 percent more in tuition next year.

Similar to NIC's proposal, the increases approved Wednesday by the state Board of Education are relatively modest compared to those set in recent years as the universities looked to offset declines in state funding.

Idaho State University proposed its lowest tuition increase in a decade, at 4.7 percent, for full-time undergraduate students. The University of Idaho also recommended a smaller tuition hike, at 6.1 percent.

Boise State University requested a 5.7 percent increase and remains the least expensive, with its cost of attendance around $5,880 next year. The cost of attendance will exceed $6,000 at Idaho State and the University of Idaho in 2013.

School officials say they're still charging less than their peer institutions in other states.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.