Californias public universities now cost families more than $50K a year

Attending several University of California campuses now costs in-state students more than $50,000 a year, shattering the notion of an affordable public education.UC Berkeley estimates annual costs at $54,674 for new students living on campus, while UC Santa Barbara tops $50,946 and UC Irvine hits $50,130 for those living off campus, The New York Times reported.Those figures bundle tuition, fees, housing, meals, health insurance, books and other costs.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story Over four years, many in-state families will spend about $200,000, while out-of-state students can pay more than $300,000.“The list price overstates what most families pay,” Rachel Yang Zhou, a research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California’s Higher Education Center told the California Post.“More than half of UC’s in-state undergraduates pay no tuition, and about two-thirds of UC students graduate debt-free,” she said.

“Net prices at California’s public colleges are among the most affordable in the nation for low-income students.”UC’s Blue and Gold program covers systemwide tuition and fees for California residents with family incomes under $100,000 who qualify for aid, and students on a parent’s health plan can often waive the insurance charge.“The remaining costs are still high,” Zhou said.Families earning under $30,000 may take out loans or pay about 25% of their annual income toward the cost of attending a UC, according to PPIC.Still, UC sits well above the national norm.

Average tuition and fees at a four-year public university were $11,950 in 2025–26, according to the College Board.UC tuition is also climbing: Under a 2021 model, each incoming class pays more than the last, with that rate locked in for up to six years.Tuition for e...