California State University, Fullerton
Finances

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The cost of attending college is a big factor for most students.

On this page, you'll learn the cost of attending California State University, Fullerton, the net price after need-based aid, and how much students typically pay if they don’t qualify for need-based aid. Let's dive in and talk financials.

$ 30,638
Overall list price
$ 7,925
Average net price
$ 30,638
Merit Price™
No Merit
Very Stingy
Stingy
Generous
Very Generous

Cost Breakdown

The cost of attending California State University, Fullerton varies, and it’s important to understand the difference between published rates (commonly known as the list price or sticker price) and actual prices. At some schools, most students get a discount to the list price in the form of scholarships.

First, let’s look at the list price breakdown according to Cal State Fullerton. Here's what the costs look like:

In-state Cost
Tuition
$5,742
Books
$964
Room & Board
$18,348
Fees (Full)
$1,332
Fees (One-time)
$0
Transport
$1,534
Other
$2,718
Total
$30,638
Out-state Cost
Tuition
$17,622
Books
$964
Room & Board
$18,348
Fees (Full)
$1,332
Fees (One-time)
$0
Transport
$1,534
Other
$2,718
Total
$42,518

Here’s how the total cost for students living on campus has changed in recent years.

50.0K
40.0K
30.0K
20.0K
10.0K
0.0
2023
2024
In-state
Out-state

Net Price

Although the out-of-state cost to attend California State University, Fullerton is $42,518 per year, many students pay less.

Some of this is due to need-based aid being given to students of families based on income and assets. The average net price that families pay is $7,925.

Average Net Price by Income

Families making 0-30K / year
$4,386
20K
Families making 31K-48K / year
$5,062
20K
Families making 49K-75K / year
$7,821
20K
Families making 75K-110K / year
$12,413
20K
Families making 111+K / year
$15,867
20K

Net price data is provided by the U.S. government, but it's delayed by 1-2 years. So, the current net prices might be slightly higher. You can get a more accurate estimate of your cost using the college’s Net Price Calculator.

Merit Price

Students from higher income families will generally not qualify for need-based aid, but they might qualify for merit aid.

Some colleges are more generous with merit aid than others. CollegeIQ calculates a Merit Price™ for colleges, which represents the average amount students should expect to pay. We also have a Merit Meter™ rating for colleges, which represents how generous the school is when handing out merit aid compared to other colleges.

Merit Meter™
No Merit
Very Stingy
Stingy
Generous
Very Generous

The Merit Meter represents how much merit aid the school gives and to how many students. It is based on the percentage of students Cal State Fullerton gives merit aid to and the amount given compared to the cost of attendance, compared to other colleges and universities. Learn more about how the CollegeIQ Merit Meter is calculated.

Cal State Fullerton granted merit aid to about 33% of entering freshmen who did not qualify for need-based aid. The average merit aid discount is $1,714.

33%
Freshmen receiving Merit Aid
$ 1,714
Average Merit discount
$ 30,638
Merit Price™

The Merit Price represents CollegeIQ’s estimate of attending California State University, Fullerton for students who don’t qualify for need-based aid. This number is based on the average merit aid the school gave to freshmen, if at least 40% of students receive merit aid. Learn more about how the CollegeIQ Merit Meter is calculated.

While the amount of merit scholarships a school offers is relevant, the more important number is how much it costs to attend. A school that gives no merit but is cheaper than the merit price of a generous Merit Score is still less expensive.

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CollegeIQ relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

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