Hermelinda Sapien President and CEO | CET-Soledad
Hermelinda Sapien President and CEO | CET-Soledad
Data shows that students paid $3,614 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $100 more than the previous school year.
Among the six institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Central Coast College stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $18,560. CET-Soledad followed with an average of $16,375 per year. Monterey Peninsula College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $1,188.
At the time, at least $19.6 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Monterey County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $3.2 million.
Currently there are seven higher education institutions in Monterey County, including Monterey Peninsula College, Central Coast College, and CET-Salinas.
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 seven institutions in Monterey County, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey Peninsula College | 403 | $2,647,310 | $6,569 | 9 | $58,154 | $6,462 |
| Central Coast College | 162 | $736,278 | $4,545 | 141 | $1,115,977 | $7,915 |
| Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| CET-Soledad | 140 | $1,829,657 | $13,069 | 29 | $197,975 | $6,827 |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | 647 | $6,780,772 | $10,480 | 314 | $1,694,525 | $5,397 |
| CET-Salinas | 96 | $1,567,726 | $16,330 | 12 | $84,854 | $7,071 |
| Hartnell College | 957 | $6,029,488 | $6,300 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
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