Planning for College in California? Know these numbers.
Paying for college in one of the costliest states in the nation is challenging, but there is support for those who need it.
$12,570
One year’s tuition at a UC for California residents, not including housing, fees, and other expenses. For a full Cost of Attendance (COA), search for the school of your choice and “COA.” Universities are mandated by law to make these numbers public.
Compared to Stanford’s tuition of $52,857 (cleverly listed on their website as a “quarterly” tuition of $17,619!), California students and their parents seek a coveted UC ____ diploma for more than just the name recognition.
$5,742
One year’s tuition at a CSU. With schools like San Jose State, Cal Poly, and Long Beach showing up more often in top college rankings, the 23-campus CSU system is a highly accessible pathway to a reasonably-priced, high quality college education in California.
$6,195
The maximum award for federal Pell Grants. Most households that qualify earn less than $30,000. Except for those with special circumstances, most California middle class families will not qualify for federal aid. (Disappointed? Keep in mind that not qualifying means you don’t live below the poverty level. Be grateful. This is money you don’t really want to qualify for.)
$102,500+$79,300
Respectively, the income and asset ceilings for Cal Grants, the state’s student aid program, for a family of four. (The income ceiling adjusts for family size.) If you fall below these limits, tuition may be covered at a UC or CSU. You must also meet eligibility criteria, and the student needs to have a 3.0 GPA or higher (and, of course, be admitted to a CA school).
Qualified students who decide to attend a private school can receive up to $9,084 from the Cal Grant Program.
$177,000
The income and asset thresholds for California’s Middle Class Scholarship, created to support middle class families’ efforts to pay for college in California. Families are eligible for 10–40% reduction in tuition at UCs and CSUs. Notice that both limits — income and asset — are higher than those for Cal Grants.
In Sum
Knowing your own family’s relationship to these numbers can help you determine whether you will be eligible for aid and to plan accordingly.
Two other (non-mathematical) terms you should know:
Prior-Prior Year (PPY)
Income information is determined by earnings in the year “prior-prior” to college attendance. A 2020 graduate’s income (parent and student) will be determined by the tax information from 2018, which started in January of the student’s sophomore year. (Assets use the most current data.) Although changed in an effort to allow for earlier submission of financial aid applications, some families don’t expect this to be year that will be assessed.
FAFSA — Free Application for Federal Student Aid
The FAFSA is the portal for the large majority of federal, state, and even institutional aid. One of the biggest mistakes that families make is to NOT apply because they “know” they don’t qualify for federal aid. To streamline processes, however, colleges use FAFSA data for all sorts of grants and scholarships, including Cal Grants, the Middle Class Scholarship, as well as institutional merit scholarships. Federal loans, which have much better rates and policies than private loans, are also awarded through the FAFSA. Indeed, some outside scholarships, rather than collecting financial data themselves, will simply ask for the SAR Report (Student Aid Report) students receive as a summary of their FAFSA information.
There’s only one guarantee: Not filing FAFSA means you will NOT be eligible for any of this aid.
Paying for college in California is tough. Know the numbers and do the math early and often to ensure that your family will be ready when graduation day comes. Will it be worth it? Know one last number:
$2,000
The monthly earnings difference between a bachelor’s degree holder and a high school graduate. That degree comes with a lower unemployment rate, too.
Notes & Resources
Eligibility for federal and state aid is very complicated; for simplicity, I have left out aid available to special groups such as foster youth, community college students, and children of armed forces members who died in Iraq or Afghanistan. See the Federal Student Aid and California Student Aid Commission websites for full eligibility.
Aid packages are always determined by the university’s financial aid office. Call on their experts for support and guidance. When circumstances change, PPY income information can be amended, and awards can be appealed.
For federal aid estimates, use the FAFSA4caster. No account is required. Enter tax and asset data as accurately as possible for the best results.
Many colleges provide their own Net Price estimators. Use federal aid estimates to calculate the net price of the college of your choice. Here are the calculators for UC Davis and San Jose State.
Corrections and clarifications are appreciated. Always seek professional advice when making financial decisions. The figures provided are for the 2019–20 school year.
