by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending California State University-Monterey Bay, from sticker cost of attendance and projected degree cost to net price, debt at graduation, and aid breakdowns.
If you want to dig into a particular figure, jump to any section below:
Cost of attendance at California State University-Monterey Bay ranged from $26,017.00 ranging to $38,617.00 across residency tiers.
Where you live mattered — in-state students paid less than out-of-state students: about $26,017.00 for in-state students versus $38,617.00 out-of-state.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $7,779.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $18,238.00 |
| Total cost | $26,017.00 |
| That is 35% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $26,017.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$13,324.00 |
| Net price | $12,693.00 |
| That is 34% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $26,017.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$17,017.00 |
| Net price | $9,000.00 |
| That is 53% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $20,379.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $18,238.00 |
| Total cost | $38,617.00 |
| That is 101% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $38,617.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$13,324.00 |
| Net price | $25,293.00 |
| That is 31% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $38,617.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$17,017.00 |
| Net price | $21,600.00 |
| That is 12% above the national average net price. | |
| Want the line-by-line detail? Dig into the tuition & fees page plus room and board. |
Cost of attendance here has been rising by around 2.2% per year; the projections below compound that across a degree. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. Loan totals assume a ten-year repayment at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $9,199.00 | $12,974.00 | $26,593.00 |
| Senior year | $9,824.00 | $13,855.00 | $28,398.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $38,037.00 | $53,645.00 | $109,956.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $14,491.00 | $20,437.00 | $41,889.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $438.00 | $617.00 | $1,265.00 |
| Total amount paid | $52,528.00 | $74,082.00 | $151,846.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $9,199.00 | $12,974.00 | $26,593.00 |
| Senior year | $9,403.00 | $13,261.00 | $27,182.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $18,602.00 | $26,235.00 | $53,775.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $7,087.00 | $9,995.00 | $20,486.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $214.00 | $302.00 | $619.00 |
| Total amount paid | $25,689.00 | $36,230.00 | $74,261.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $22,078.00 | $25,853.00 | $39,472.00 |
| Senior year | $23,577.00 | $27,608.00 | $42,152.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $91,289.00 | $106,897.00 | $163,208.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $34,778.00 | $40,724.00 | $62,176.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,051.00 | $1,230.00 | $1,878.00 |
| Total amount paid | $126,066.00 | $147,620.00 | $225,385.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $22,078.00 | $25,853.00 | $39,472.00 |
| Senior year | $22,567.00 | $26,425.00 | $40,346.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $44,645.00 | $52,278.00 | $79,818.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $17,008.00 | $19,916.00 | $30,408.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $514.00 | $602.00 | $919.00 |
| Total amount paid | $61,653.00 | $72,194.00 | $110,225.00 |
For the complete net-price picture, see the net-price section.
The net price is the real out-of-pocket cost — what families pay after grant and scholarship aid is applied. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $13,663.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $14,487.00 |
What families actually pay shifts with income, since need-based grants are larger for lower-income students. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $9,654.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $11,487.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,868.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $17,745.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $23,874.00 |
Get a tailored estimate from the California State University-Monterey Bay Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the grants & scholarships detail.
Typical debt at graduation from California State University-Monterey Bay works out to $11,000.00, landing it in the Low ($10-20k) debt-burden bucket.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,500.00 |
| 25th | $5,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $11,000.00 |
| 75th | $18,000.00 |
| 90th | $25,000.00 |
The 10th-to-90th-percentile spread is one signal of how variable debt outcomes are across the student body.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt detail.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. The figures below split graduating borrowers into three income brackets:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $11,000.00 |
| Middle income | $11,000.00 |
| High income | $11,000.00 |
Whether your parents attended college is associated with differences in median debt at graduation.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $11,000.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $11,000.00 |
The Pell Grant is the largest federal grant for undergraduates from low-income families. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The median debt gap between Pell and non-Pell graduates of California State University-Monterey Bay is $1,000.00. This institution is flagged by federal data for Pell-debt inequity.
The federal default-rate classification for California State University-Monterey Bay is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 5.9% |
To give some context for these rates, Stafford loans disbursed at California State University-Monterey Bay add up to $268,444,825.00 distributed across 17,207 borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Department of Defense Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 66 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $5,625.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 2 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $2,702.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the veterans benefits detail.
Numbers only tell part of the story. As you weigh California State University-Monterey Bay, consider the following:
Explore the related pages below for a deeper look at the cost picture:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.