California State University, Monterey Bay
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, Monterey Bay, 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.

$ 28,635
Overall list price
$ 15,222
Average net price
$ 28,635
Merit Price™
No Merit
Very Stingy
Stingy
Generous
Very Generous

Cost Breakdown

The cost of attending California State University, Monterey Bay 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 Monterey Bay. Here's what the costs look like:

In-state Cost
Tuition
$5,742
Books
$864
Room & Board
$16,413
Fees (Full)
$1,611
Fees (One-time)
$0
Transport
$1,590
Other
$2,415
Total
$28,635
Out-state Cost
Tuition
$17,622
Books
$864
Room & Board
$16,413
Fees (Full)
$1,611
Fees (One-time)
$0
Transport
$1,590
Other
$2,415
Total
$40,515

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
2022
2023
2024
In-state
Out-state

Net Price

Although the out-of-state cost to attend California State University, Monterey Bay is $40,515 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 $15,222.

Average Net Price by Income

Families making 0-30K / year
$9,654
30K
Families making 31K-48K / year
$11,487
30K
Families making 49K-75K / year
$13,868
30K
Families making 75K-110K / year
$17,745
30K
Families making 111+K / year
$23,874
30K

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 Monterey Bay 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 Monterey Bay granted merit aid to about 22% of entering freshmen who did not qualify for need-based aid. The average merit aid discount is $1,931.

22%
Freshmen receiving Merit Aid
$ 1,931
Average Merit discount
$ 28,635
Merit Price™

The Merit Price represents CollegeIQ’s estimate of attending California State University, Monterey Bay 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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