College tuition fees rose 0.8% in Santa Cruz County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $1,418 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $11 more than the previous school year.
Among the two institutions in the county, CET-Watsonville stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $15,249. Cabrillo College followed with an average of $1,262 per year.
At the time, a total of $3.7 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Santa Cruz County universities in the 2022-23 school year.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CET-Watsonville | 69 | $933,108 | $13,523 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Cabrillo College | 528 | $2,783,531 | $5,272 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
