With gas prices on the rise and a war with Iraq seemingly imminent, concerns abound about how much students are paying at the pump.

As of Wednesday, the average price for a gallon of gas in Wisconsin was $1.75, about 50 cents higher than a year ago.

Prices are 16 cents higher than they were even a month ago, according to Wisconsin AAA.

And students are noticing the price increase.

“I just filled up today, and it sucks,” sophomore Holly Kaiser said. “I think it will get worse.”

Some students are questioning whether or not Wisconsin gasoline is more expensive than gas in other states.

Kaiser has noticed the higher Wisconsin prices, and she wonders what’s causing them, she said.

Prices in Wisconsin, while perhaps higher than those in other parts of the country, are still not as bad as they could be. In California, for example, the average price Wednesday was $2 per gallon.

Junior Sara Nolta’s mother lives in Iowa, and Nolta said she’s noticed that it costs less to fill up her tank when she visits. She’s also seen cheaper prices at the pumps in Minnesota, she said.

It used to cost her $12 to fill up the tank of her small car, Nolta said, but lately the price has jumped to almost $15.

“It definitely makes you want to car pool more,” she said. “I think it will affect people with larger gas-guzzler cars.”

The cost of crude oil, which was at more than $36 per barrel Wednesday — compared with $14 a year ago — is to blame for the record prices, according to industry officials.

In addition, the threat of war has caused instability in the oil market, said Erin Roth, executive director of the Wisconsin Petroleum Council.

The current price hike has been compared to the one that preceded the Persian Gulf War in 1990, said George Gaspar, managing director of petroleum research for Robert W. Baird and Co. At that time, the price of crude oil was about $40 per barrel.

Although she has heard about the gas hikes on the news and in conversations with friends, senior Tina Storck said she isn’t too concerned.

“It’s not a huge life or death issue,” Storck said. “But it adds up. We’re college students.”

Storck said she walks to campus and is from the area, so she doesn’t have to drive long distances to go home on weekends or breaks.

Nolta also walks whenever possible, she said, and she rarely makes the trip home to Wausau.

“I really try to conserve the gas I have,” Nolta said. “I dislike driving a lot.”

— The Associated Press contributed to this story