There are 693 colleges in California - 177 public and 516 private schools.
The 2024 average tuition & fees of the 4-year colleges in California is $6,924 for California residents and $20,687 for out-of-state students. In private colleges, the average tuition & fees is $30,378. For California community colleges, the average tuition & fees is $1,549 for state residents and $9,938 for out-of-state students.
In California, for public 4-years colleges, in-state tuition & fees increased by 5.20% from $6,486 (2015) to $6,823 (2024) and out-of-state tuition & fees grew by 18.05% over the past decade from $17,679 (2015) to $20,870 (2024).
In private California colleges, the tuition & fees increased by 12.44%, from $25,579 (2015) to $28,761 (2024).
Cost of Attendance (COA) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 22.96% when living on campus and 30.49% when living off campus at California Colleges.
In private California Colleges, the COA has increase by 18.60% (on-campus) and 24.77% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2023-2024, the total cost of attendance is $41,644 when a student lives on campus and $44,889 when living off campus at California Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for California Colleges over the past 10 years.
Cost of Attendance (COA) Trends of California Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2014-15 |
$22,674 | $33,867 | $41,767 | $23,208 | $34,401 | $42,301 |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$23,055
1.68% | $34,591
2.14% | $42,735
2.32% | $23,737
2.28% | $35,273
2.53% | $43,417
2.64% |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$23,834
3.38% | $35,890
3.76% | $44,118
3.24% | $24,265
2.22% | $36,321
2.97% | $44,549
2.61% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$24,317
2.03% | $36,885
2.77% | $44,383
0.60% | $24,610
1.42% | $37,178
2.36% | $44,676
0.29% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$24,611
1.21% | $37,246
0.98% | $44,434
0.11% | $25,084
1.93% | $37,719
1.46% | $44,907
0.52% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$25,350
3.00% | $38,333
2.92% | $45,183
1.69% | $26,432
5.37% | $39,415
4.50% | $46,265
3.02% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$25,127
-0.88% | $38,383
0.13% | $45,107
-0.17% | $26,748
1.20% | $40,004
1.49% | $46,728
1.00% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$25,443
1.26% | $38,754
0.97% | $45,959
1.89% | $27,469
2.70% | $40,780
1.94% | $47,985
2.69% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$26,138
2.73% | $39,804
2.71% | $47,327
2.98% | $28,701
4.49% | $42,367
3.89% | $49,890
3.97% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$27,597
5.58% | $41,644
4.62% | $49,535
4.67% | $30,842
7.46% | $44,889
5.95% | $52,780
5.79% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2024), the average tuition & fees for California Colleges is $6,823 for California residents and $21,020 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $29,981.
For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees is $12,758 for California residents and $23,968 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $25,552.
The tuition & fees has increased 18.05% for undergraduate programs at California Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for California Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2014-15 |
$6,486 | $17,679 | $25,579 | $10,660 | $22,414 | $20,723 |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$6,541
0.85% | $18,077
2.25% | $26,221
2.51% | $10,849
1.77% | $21,068
-6.01% | $21,235
2.47% |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$6,594
0.81% | $18,650
3.17% | $26,878
2.51% | $10,697
-1.40% | $20,596
-2.24% | $22,117
4.15% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$6,683
1.35% | $19,251
3.22% | $26,749
-0.48% | $11,179
4.51% | $21,446
4.13% | $22,118 |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$6,668
-0.22% | $19,303
0.27% | $26,491
-0.96% | $11,301
1.09% | $21,590
0.67% | $21,894
-1.01% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$6,725
0.85% | $19,708
2.10% | $26,558
0.25% | $11,377
0.67% | $21,666
0.35% | $21,939
0.21% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$6,797
1.07% | $20,053
1.75% | $26,777
0.82% | $11,609
2.04% | $22,316
3.00% | $22,384
2.03% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$6,806
0.13% | $20,117
0.32% | $27,322
2.04% | $11,589
-0.17% | $21,878
-1.96% | $23,016
2.82% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$6,690
-1.70% | $20,356
1.19% | $27,879
2.04% | $10,370
-10.52% | $21,651
-1.04% | $23,391
1.63% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$6,823
1.99% | $20,870
2.53% | $28,761
3.16% | $10,762
3.78% | $22,043
1.81% | $24,675
5.49% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2024), the average book & supplies costs is $1,200 for California Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2015 to 2024.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for California Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2014-15 | $1,666 |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,626
-2.40% |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,592
-2.09% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,551
-2.58% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,548
-0.19% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,598
3.23% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,239
-22.47% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,257
1.45% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,218
-3.10% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,200
-1.48% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For California Colleges, the living have increased 27.21% when a student lives on campus facilities and 36.99% when living off campus from year 2015 to 2024. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for California Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2014-15 | $14,522 | $15,427 |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $14,888
2.89% | $15,809
4.18% |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $15,648
5.56% | $16,558
3.59% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $16,083
3.22% | $16,935
2.68% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $16,395
1.80% | $17,253
3.30% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $17,027
3.39% | $18,239
5.51% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $17,091
1.77% | $18,342
5.54% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $17,380
2.35% | $18,684
4.79% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $18,230
4.94% | $19,683
7.33% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $19,574
5.98% | $21,216
8.67% |
|---|