Data shows that students paid $2,057 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $48 more than the previous school year.
Among the nine institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Carrington College-San Jose stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $19,958. CET-San Jose followed with an average of $16,375 per year. Gavilan College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $1,166.
At the time, at least $21 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Santa Clara County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $6.5 million.
Currently there are 10 higher education institutions in Santa Clara County, including Evergreen Valley College, Paul Mitchell the School-San Jose, and Foothill 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.
Of the 10 institutions in Santa Clara County, Palo Alto University did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
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-San Jose | 60 | $545,475 | $9,091 | 44 | $309,660 | $7,038 |
| Carrington College-San Jose | 200 | $897,273 | $4,486 | 227 | $1,794,512 | $7,905 |
| Gavilan College | 325 | $1,831,865 | $5,637 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| De Anza College | 1,817 | $9,587,730 | $5,277 | 45 | $231,814 | $5,151 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-San Jose | 29 | $186,671 | $6,437 | 33 | $281,338 | $8,525 |
| Palo Alto University | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Institute for Business and Technology | 197 | $973,376 | $4,941 | 316 | $3,730,627 | $11,806 |
| Foothill College | 471 | $2,024,510 | $4,298 | 26 | $144,577 | $5,561 |
| Evergreen Valley College | 473 | $3,246,889 | $6,864 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Mission College | 253 | $1,681,857 | $6,648 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
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