California State University-Los Angeles

What is the cost of studying for a year at California State University-Los Angeles?

Cal State LA's published undergraduate tuition and required fees are substantially lower for California residents than for nonresidents, but tuition alone is not the annual cost of attendance. In the 2024-25 reported figures, full-time undergraduate tuition was $6,084 for residents and $18,684 for nonresidents; required fees were $1,080 in either category. The resulting tuition-and-fee amounts were approximately $7,164 and $19,764, respectively.

• Reported typical annual room and board: $20,526 combined, comprising a $13,066 room charge and $7,460 for board.
• Reported books and supplies: $1,054.
• Additional costs to budget: transportation, personal expenses, and any applicable course, program, or health-related charges.

Those figures are components, not a single official cost-of-attendance estimate for every student: a commuter may have very different housing expenses, and a housing contract may differ from the reported typical charge. Students should not add a combined room-and-board figure to its separate room and board components. They should also check current-year rates before accepting an offer, since the figures above describe 2024-25 rather than a future bill.

Financial aid changes what an eligible student ultimately pays. In the reported aid data, 95% of students received some form of financial aid and 18% had student loans. The average net price for students from families earning $48,000 or less was $2,974; net price is an average after grant and scholarship aid, not an individual quote or necessarily the amount due on a bill. Students seeking aid generally complete the FAFSA or, if eligible, the California Dream Act Application. Depending on eligibility, assistance may include federal and California grants, university scholarships, loans, work-study, and veterans' education benefits. The university's current cost-of-attendance budget and an applicant's actual aid offer are the appropriate basis for a personal comparison.

What are the work-study opportunities at California State University-Los Angeles?

Eligible Cal State LA students may be able to work while studying through Federal Work-Study or other part-time student jobs. Federal Work-Study is need-based financial aid earned as wages from an eligible job; receiving an award does not by itself place a student in a position or pay the award in a lump sum.

Students interested in work-study generally need to submit the appropriate financial aid application, review their award, and apply for eligible openings. Other campus jobs may have different eligibility rules and are not necessarily restricted to work-study recipients. The Career Center provides individual career counseling for undergraduates and can help with career exploration and job-search planning. Students should distinguish a paid campus job from an internship completed for academic credit: an internship's pay, supervision, and credit arrangements depend on the position and department.