by our College Data Analytics TeamThis guide covers the real cost of attending California State University-Sacramento, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
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Published attendance costs at California State University-Sacramento spanned $22,714.00 and $35,314.00 depending on your residency status.
The lower figure reflects the in-state rate and the higher figure the out-of-state rate: about $22,714.00 in-state versus $35,314.00 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 | $8,018.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,696.00 |
| Total cost | $22,714.00 |
| That is 18% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $22,714.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$13,607.00 |
| Net price | $9,107.00 |
| That is 53% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $22,714.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$16,444.00 |
| Net price | $6,270.00 |
| That is 67% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $20,618.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,696.00 |
| Total cost | $35,314.00 |
| That is 83% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $35,314.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$13,607.00 |
| Net price | $21,707.00 |
| That is 13% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $35,314.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$16,444.00 |
| Net price | $18,870.00 |
| That is 2% below the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on the tuition & fees page plus living costs. |
The reported cost series has been increasing at about 2.3% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The projections below run a full degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and the full sticker price. The loan rows amortise the projected total over a ten-year, 6.8% repayment.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Freshman year | $6,415.00 | $9,317.00 | $23,238.00 |
| Senior year | $6,869.00 | $9,977.00 | $24,883.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $26,560.00 | $38,577.00 | $96,216.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $10,118.00 | $14,696.00 | $36,655.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $306.00 | $444.00 | $1,107.00 |
| Total amount paid | $36,678.00 | $53,273.00 | $132,871.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Freshman year | $6,415.00 | $9,317.00 | $23,238.00 |
| Senior year | $6,562.00 | $9,532.00 | $23,774.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $12,977.00 | $18,849.00 | $47,011.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $4,944.00 | $7,181.00 | $17,910.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $149.00 | $217.00 | $541.00 |
| Total amount paid | $17,921.00 | $26,030.00 | $64,921.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Freshman year | $19,305.00 | $22,208.00 | $36,128.00 |
| Senior year | $20,672.00 | $23,780.00 | $38,686.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $79,933.00 | $91,950.00 | $149,589.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $30,452.00 | $35,030.00 | $56,988.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $920.00 | $1,058.00 | $1,721.00 |
| Total amount paid | $110,384.00 | $126,980.00 | $206,577.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Freshman year | $19,305.00 | $22,208.00 | $36,128.00 |
| Senior year | $19,750.00 | $22,720.00 | $36,961.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $39,055.00 | $44,927.00 | $73,090.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $14,879.00 | $17,116.00 | $27,845.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $449.00 | $517.00 | $841.00 |
| Total amount paid | $53,934.00 | $62,043.00 | $100,934.00 |
For the complete net-price picture, see the net-price section.
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the published sticker price. It is usually a better planning number than the sticker cost above.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $9,338.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $10,512.00 |
The real cost varies by income because need-based aid scales with financial need. The table below shows the average net price by family-income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $7,306.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $8,214.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,861.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $14,618.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $20,649.00 |
Use California State University-Sacramento Net Price Calculator, or reach out to the financial aid office.
For the grant-and-scholarship detail behind these figures, see the financial aid page.
The median graduating debt at California State University-Sacramento stands at $12,500.00, which federal data classifies as a 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) | $12,500.00 |
| 75th | $22,460.00 |
| 90th | $31,000.00 |
How far apart the 10th and 90th percentiles sit tells you how uneven debt outcomes are.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt page.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. Below the data splits borrowers across three income groups:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,500.00 |
| Middle income | $11,250.00 |
| High income | $13,000.00 |
First-generation students frequently graduate with different debt than continuing-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,250.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,000.00 |
The Pell Grant is the main federal need-based award for undergraduates. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell median debt at California State University-Sacramento stands at $26.00. This school carries a federal Pell-debt-inequity flag.
The federal default-rate classification for California State University-Sacramento is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 5.5% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at California State University-Sacramento add up to $1,357,135,620.00 over 70,615 borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers can tap dedicated federal aid programs including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Department of Defense Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 307 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $4,679.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 21 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $2,810.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the veteran aid breakdown.
The figures above are a starting point — as you weigh California State University-Sacramento, a few questions are worth asking:
Use the pages below to go deeper on a specific part of the cost story:
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.