Sonoma State University tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Sonoma State University is $24,648 a year for California residents. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $12,885 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

What your family pays
$12,885 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $24,648. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for California residents receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusIn-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$8,624$21,224
Housing & meals$15,770$15,770
Books & supplies$822$822
Personal & travel$2,492$2,492
Living-at-home adjustment−$3,060−$3,060
Total cost of attendance$24,648$37,248

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two. Out-of-state total = in-state total with out-of-state tuition.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$13,000
Loan default rate2.9%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out20%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants36%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$11,763Sticker price minus average net price

State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. At University of California and California State University campuses, the Middle Class Scholarship can also help families with income and assets up to $250,000 (2026-27, dependent students). Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission

College Scorecard

Sonoma State University net price compared with other California colleges

Sonoma State University has the 35th-lowest average net price of 115 California colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
31University of California-Merced$11,98369%$64,368
32San Francisco State University$12,27850%$68,077
33University of California-San Diego$12,47086%$84,943
34University of California-Los Angeles$12,54893%$82,511
35Sonoma State University$12,88558%$65,986
36California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt$13,17149%$47,626
37University of California-Berkeley$13,48193%$92,446
38Fresno Pacific University$13,63050%$58,896
39California State University-Monterey Bay$13,66359%$59,247

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All California colleges →

Why Sonoma State University costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Sonoma State University93%$12,88558%$65,986This school
California State University-Channel Islands95%$9,84951%$62,152
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt98%$13,17149%$47,626
California State University-Monterey Bay97%$13,66359%$59,247
California State University-Bakersfield94%$5,65250%$59,009

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Sonoma State University would cost you $3,036 more per year than California State University-Channel Islands, on average.

  • Higher sticker price at Sonoma State University, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$1,570).
  • California State University-Channel Islands gives aided families $1,949 more in grants, on average.
Per year, California residentSonoma State UniversityCalifornia State University-Channel IslandsDifference
Tuition & fees$8,624$7,159+$1,465
Books & supplies$822$906−$84
Housing & meals$15,770$14,200+$1,570
Personal & travel$2,492$3,714−$1,222
Living-at-home adjustment−$3,060−$2,418−$642
Sticker price$24,648$23,561+$1,087
Average grants−$11,763−$13,712+$1,949
You pay$12,885$9,849+$3,036

“+” means Sonoma State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Sonoma State University cost questions

How much is tuition at Sonoma State University?

Tuition and fees are $8,624 a year for California residents and $21,224 for out-of-state students.

What is the total cost of attending Sonoma State University?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $24,648 a year for California residents living on campus and about $37,248 for out-of-state students.

What do families actually pay at Sonoma State University?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $12,885 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $8,310; $48–75k pay $10,741; $110k+ pay $21,195. These figures are for California residents.

How much debt do Sonoma State University graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $13,000, and 2.9% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is Sonoma State University the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Sonoma State University overview