How Much Does College Cost?

Fees and tuition are just a part of college costs. The full cost of a college education includes other things like textbooks and school supplies, room and board, and other living expenses.

Colleges and universities typically estimate these costs for prospective students, depending on their living situation (for example: living on-campus, off-campus, or with parents or relatives). Below are estimated costs for different types of California institutions for the 2010-11 year.

Note: We've put together some very helpful Sample Financing Plans to give you an idea of how students in a variety of financial circumstances have been able to pay for their college education.

Standard Educational Expenses

The cost of attending college includes a number of elements. Colleges and universities estimate the cost of attending their institution for three different living situations. Select the living situation below to see the range of costs by type of college. Costs here are estimates for the 2010-11 academic year and are not a guarantee of fees or your actual costs for other expenses.

The fees displayed in the charts below at the California Community Colleges, California State University, and the University of California are for California residents only. Nonresidents pay an additional $22,717 in tuition and fees at UC, $11,160 at CSU, and about $180 more per unit at the California Community Colleges. In general, dependent students whose parents have been in California or independent students who have been in California more than one year are considered state residents. For more information on residency for determining fee levels, please see the websites of the college in which you are interested. Independent colleges have a range of tuition and fees from $9,500 to $39,000 and usually do not have additional tuition for nonresidents.

This estimate includes average costs for textbooks, paper supplies, and computer supplies (not the purchase of a computer) related to full-year, full-time enrollment.

For on-campus living arrangements, this includes the cost of the dorm or apartment and any meal plan the student might have. It may also include estimates of groceries and eating out for students with small meal plans. Off-campus estimates include rent, groceries, and utilities. Commuter estimates include transportation, as well as groceries and utilities.

Miscellaneous costs include estimates for personal expenses, entertainment, transportation, and, at some colleges, an allowance for health insurance.

Standard Educational Expenses Chart

Other Expenses

Some students may have other expenses related to their education. These might include costs for the purchase of a computer, child care expenses, disability expenses, and nonresident tuition. If you need assistance to cover these types of extra expenses, talk to your campus financial aid officer to see if aid is available.

Help is Available

The important thing to remember is that families can get help paying these costs through various financial aid programs and careful planning.