Sonoma State University

What is the cost of studying for a year at Sonoma State University?

For 2024-25, reported full-time undergraduate tuition and required fees totaled approximately $8,624 for California residents: $6,084 in tuition plus $2,540 in required fees. The corresponding reported amount for nonresidents was approximately $21,224, including $18,684 in tuition and the same reported fees.

Those amounts are not a complete annual cost of attendance. Reported room and board averaged $17,410 for the academic year, while books and supplies were estimated at $878. Transportation, personal expenses, and any program-specific charges add to a student's budget. A commuter's housing and food spending may differ substantially from a resident's; students should not add an on-campus housing charge to a budget that already includes their actual off-campus rent.

Financial aid can make the amount paid lower than the published price. In the reported aid figures, 87% of students received some form of financial aid, and 27% had student loans. Average net price - the estimated cost after grant and scholarship aid - varied by family income: the reported figure was $9,795 for families earning no more than $48,000 and $21,195 for those earning above $110,000. These averages are not individual aid offers.

Eligible students may draw on federal grants and loans, California grant programs, CSU or Sonoma State scholarships, and qualifying veterans' education benefits. Completing the appropriate FAFSA or California Dream Act Application is a key step for consideration. Because tuition and fees change, applicants should use the published cost of attendance for their own entry year and compare it with their personal aid offer before deciding what they would need to borrow or earn.

What are the work-study opportunities at Sonoma State University?

Sonoma State students may pursue campus jobs, while students awarded Federal Work-Study may be eligible for designated work-study positions. Federal Work-Study is need-based financial aid earned through wages; it is not a grant paid in full at the start of a term and does not itself guarantee a job.

Students typically look for openings through the university's student-employment and career resources and apply to individual employers. Campus departments may hire students for administrative, academic-support, or service roles; eligibility, hours, and pay depend on the position. A student without a work-study award can still look for jobs that do not require one.

Career-related work is not limited to paid campus employment. The university's career-support resources can assist with exploring occupations, preparing résumés and cover letters, looking for internships, and connecting with employers. Before accepting an unpaid internship or a job labeled "work-study," students should confirm its pay arrangement, academic-credit rules, and any financial-aid conditions.