Sacramento State Tuition & Cost

  • 4/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • Sacramento, CA
  • 0 reviews
#21 Best Public Universities in California

How Much Does It Cost to Attend?

In State California Resident Sticker Price

$35,190

Out of State Resident Sticker Price

$47,790

Breakdown

In State Costs for California State University Sacramento
  • Tuition $8,018
  • Books and Supplies $1,160
  • Other Fees $1,934
  • Room and Board $19,174
  • Budget for Other Expenses $4,904
  • Total One Year Cost $35,190

In-State Tuition

In-state tuition at California State University Sacramento for undergraduate students residing in California is $8,018. Room and board charges total $19,174 per year. Students will also need to budget for books and supplies, which typically amount to $1,160 annually. Other administrative or academic fees are $1,934 for the year. Additionally, students should plan an estimated $4,904 for other miscellaneous expenses throughout the year. In sum, residents attending California State University Sacramento full time should expect a total annual cost of $35,190.

Out-of-State Tuition

Undergraduate tuition at California State University Sacramento is $20,618 for out-of-state students. Additionally, out-of-state students are charged $19,174 for room and board, $1,160 for textbooks and educational resources, plus fees of $1,934. Students are advised to budget $4,904 for other expenses. When these costs are combined, annual out-of-state charges total $47,790. This figure is 35.8% higher than what California residents pay.

Housing Costs

On campus room and board is provided by the school at a cost of $19,174 per academic year. Students electing to live off campus elsewhere in Sacramento should budget at least this amount.

Books and Supplies

The estimated annual cost for books and educational supplies is $1,160.

Other Living Expenses

If living on-campus, students should budget for $4,904 in additional living expenses. Off-campus students should budget for $6,096 in other miscellaneous living expenses.

All price data is sourced from the IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025.

Net Price

The average reported annual net price for California State University Sacramento for students receiving grants or scholarship aid was $10,110* in 2023/2024. Net price includes tuition and required fees, books and supplies, and average cost for room and board and other expenses.

Average Net Price 2023/2024

$10,110

Below is the average net price by student family income.

Net Price by Income California State University Sacramento
Family Income Net Price Paid
$0 to $30,000$6,501
$30,001 to $48,000$7,001
$48,001 to $75,000$9,212
$75,001 to $110,000$11,814
$110,000+$18,861

The net price provides a more realistic estimate of the true cost of attending California State University Sacramento, once common grants and scholarships have been taken into account. It's important to note that your net price will fluctuate based on factors such as family income, assets and individual financial need. Net price is the out-of-pocket total cost that students end up paying or financing though student loans.

*Reported Average Annual Net Price for students receiving grant or scholarship aid reported to the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2023/2024. Financial aid is only available to those who qualify. Consult this school's net price calculator for further understanding of your potential net price.

Note that for colleges with no reported on-campus room and board, the average net price has been increased to account for living expenses. This number may not only reflect the net price paid to the school for tuition.

Financial Aid

82% of full-time undergrad California State University Sacramento received financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, fellowships from the institution or from Federal, State or local government agencies. This aid averaged $12,767 per student during the 2023/2024 school year. Grant and scholarship aid does not need to be paid back.

Pell Grants

57 percent of students received aid in the form of Pell Grants from the U.S. Federal Government. The average Pell Grant awarded for 2023/2024 was $5,947. To apply for a Pell Grant to attend California State University Sacramento, the first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Student Loans

22% of students received Federal Student Loans averaging $4,733 and 1% of undergrads took out private student loans averaging $12,395.

Financial Aid California State University Sacramento
Type Avg./Student Students Receiving
Total Grant and Scholarship Aid $12,767 82%
Institutional Grants and Scholarships $5,934 57%
Pell Grants $5,947 57%
Other Federal Grants $604 18%
State and Local Grants $4,731 75%
Federal Student Loans $4,733 22%
Other Student Loans $12,395 1%

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2023/2024

Financial Aid Mix - $35,190 In-State Total Cost

CollegeSimply has modeled example payment coverage for the annual in-state tuition and living expenses of $35,190. Breakdown is based on average grant aid and federal loan aid which will vary based on your family income.

Grants 42%
Loans 16%
Out of Pocket 42%

Grants and Scholarships

42% - $12,767

Money granted to you by the U.S. Department of Education, California State University Sacramento or other organizations. These are not loans and do not need to be repaid.

Federal Student Loans

16% - $4,733

Low interest student loans funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This amount will need to be repaid.

Out of Pocket Cost

42% - $12,786

Covered by family savings, work or private student loans which you will have to repay.

Student Loans

To gauge a more realistic picture of what it really could cost you out of pocket to go to California State University Sacramento, we've modeled a ten year student loan with an original principal value of $40,440. The loan balance of $40,440 is a four year multiple of the $10,110 average net price. This is a estimate of what you could owe upon graduation if you were to qualify for average financial aid and what a degree really may cost. Should you not qualify for financial aid, you may owe significantly more when you graduate. Based on these assumptions, a monthly repayment of $460 could be required to pay off your student loan. The total of all payments including interest would sum $55,151.96.

Please note that financial aid is not guaranteed and is only available for qualifying students. Federal Student Loans are not grants and must be repaid with interest. The current Stafford loan interest rate is 6.52%.

Example student loan for California State University Sacramento
Example Loan $40,440
Stafford Loan Interest Rate 6.52%
Time to Pay Off Student Loan 10 years
Example Monthly Payment $459.60
Total Interest Paid $14,711.96
Sum of All Loan Payments $55,151.96

Student Loan Affordability

In order to afford student loan payments and still meet all your other costs of living, it is recommended not to borrow more than you can pay back using 10% of your monthly income earned after graduation. If you're considering attending California State University Sacramento, should consider if it will be realistic to make the post graduation loan payments based on your expected salary.

Using the 10% of salary threshold, an annual income of $55,151.96 would be needed to afford a $459.60 monthly payment in the example $40,440.00 loan modeled above. This assumes a repayment over 10 years. You can change the terms of this example loan using the student loan calculator below. View statistics about California State University Sacramento student loan debt and graduate salaries under student outcomes.

Projected 4 Year Degree Price

4 Year Sticker Price

$140,760
Projected degree price by year for California State University Sacramento
Year California Residents Non Residents
1 $35,190 $47,790
2 $37,980 $51,579
3 $40,991 $55,667
4 $44,240 $60,081

Based on published tuition prices, we estimate the current cost of a 4 year bachelor's degree and living expenses at California State University Sacramento to be $140,760 - assuming graduation in normal time. The estimation assumes a 7.9% annual increase over the next 4 years which has been the recent trend for this school.

Tuition Details

Credit Hour Cost and Price per Class

Credit Hour and Class Costs at California State University Sacramento
Price Per Credit 3 Credit Class 4 Credit Class
California Residents $0 $0 $0
Out of State Residents $372 $1,116 $1,488

Estimated cost for a class at California State University Sacramento based on published credit hour prices. Note that not all schools allow single class enrollment. These prices should be used for comparison purposes as to how much it may cost to take a class at California State University Sacramento versus other colleges.

Tuition Payment Plans Available

California State University Sacramento Payment Plans
Tuition Payment Plan Yes
Prepaid Tuition Plan No
Alternative Tuition Plan Yes
Guaranteed Tuition Plan No

Tuition History

Historical in-state and out-of-state tuition and price increases for California State University Sacramento.

Tuition history for California State University Sacramento
Year In-State Out-of-state Annual Increase
2023 $5,742 $17,622 0%
2022 $5,742 $17,622 0%
2021 $5,742 $17,622 0%
2020 $5,742 $17,622 0%
2019 $5,742 $17,622 0%
2018 $5,742 $17,622 0%
2017 $5,742 $17,622 4.9%
2016 $5,472 $16,632 0%
2015 $5,472 $16,632 0%
2014 $5,472 $16,632 0%
2013 $5,472 $16,632 0%
2012 $5,472 $16,632 0%
2010 $4,900 $16,060 27.1%
2009 $3,854 $14,024 8.3%
2008 $3,558 $13,728 8.4%
2007 $3,282 $13,452 6.8%
2006 $3,072 $13,242 8.8%
2005 $2,824 $12,994 12.2%
2004 $2,518 $10,527 33.2%
2003 $1,891 $9,928 0.2%
2002 $1,887 $8,972 0.7%
2001 $1,874 $8,885 0.6%
2000 $1,862 $9,242 -3.7%
1999 $1,934 $9,314 -2.4%
1998 $1,982 $9,362 2.4%
1997 $1,935 $9,315 2.3%
1996 $1,891 $9,271 2.1%
1995 $1,853 $9,233 10.7%
1994 $1,674 $9,054 14.7%
1993 $1,460 $7,532 56%
1992 $936 $5,904 4.9%
1991 $892 $6,150 8.8%
1990 $820 $5,670 3.8%
1989 $790 $4,680 7.3%
1988 $736 $4,352 8.7%
1987 $677 $4,061

Plan and Calculate Costs

College Savings Calculator

Plan and Save for College

Discover how much will you need to start saving now to afford California State University Sacramento in the future.

Student Loan Calculator

Estimate Loan Payments

Modify the loan assumptions to fit your financial situation and likely tuition price. Then calculate your payoff and loan payments for a California State University Sacramento student loan.

Prepayment Option

Costs for Similar Colleges

Explore costs at colleges similar to Sacramento State

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110617.

Last updated: August 2026