College tuition fees rose 2.2% in Contra Costa County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $5,124 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $108 more than the previous school year.
Among the nine institutions in the county, Saint Mary’s College of California stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $53,932. J D Academy of Salon and Spa followed with an average of $21,528 per year. Diablo Valley College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $1,312.
At the time, a total of $29.6 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Contra Costa County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $4 million.
Currently there are nine higher education institutions in Contra Costa County, including Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay, Contra Costa College, and Los Medanos College.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Diablo Adult Education-Mt. Diablo USD | 70 | $294,405 | $4,206 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Los Medanos College | 678 | $3,525,313 | $5,200 | 7 | $54,683 | $7,812 |
| J D Academy of Salon and Spa | 17 | $83,099 | $4,888 | 28 | $165,488 | $5,910 |
| Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus | 124 | $608,453 | $4,907 | 138 | $1,020,213 | $7,393 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay | 34 | $163,749 | $4,816 | 37 | $270,033 | $7,298 |
| Contra Costa College | 287 | $1,809,782 | $6,306 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Diablo Valley College | 1,016 | $4,477,258 | $4,407 | 7 | $50,400 | $7,200 |
| Saint Mary’s College of California | 443 | $18,641,404 | $42,080 | 346 | $2,429,804 | $7,023 |
| Contra Costa Medical Career College | 0 | $0 | $0 | 6 | $39,130 | $6,522 |
