Paying for California Lutheran
Undergraduate Tuition & Fees
$52,560
Graduate Tuition & Fees
$22,046
On-campus Living Costs
$21,322
Off-campus Living Costs
$29,082
Undergraduate Tuition per Credit Hour
$1,675
Graduate Tuition per Credit Hour
$908
The 2025 tuition & fees of California Lutheran University are $52,560 for undergraduate programs. For graduate programs, the tuition & fees are $52,560 for graduate programs.
Compared to Private (not-for-profit), 4-Years Colleges in California, the undergraduate tuition & fees are very expensive and the graduate tuition & fees are average.
Compared to similar schools in rankings such as Academy of Art University and California Baptist University, tuition & fees of California Lutheran University is very expensive where the average tuition & fees of the schools are $24,805.
The average living cost of the school is $21,322 when a student lives in on-campus housing. When a student lives off-campus, the average living cost is $29,082.
*Data Source: 2024-2025 Tuition & Fees - NCES (Last Update: 6/05/2025)
2025 Tuition and Comparison Chart
The following chart visualizes the California Lutheran's 2025 tuition & fees and compares to similar schools by school type, level, and location.
2025 Tuition & fees
The 2025 undergraduate tuition & fees at California Lutheran University are $52,560 on average over undergraduate programs. The undergraduate tuition & fees have increased by 3.73% from last year.
The 2025 graduate tuition & fees are $22,046 on average. The graduate tuition & fees have decreased by 0.98% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 tuition & fees and the tuition trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Fees | Tuition | Fees | |
| 2021 | $45,500 | $482 | $45,500 | $482 |
| 2022 | $45,500 | $482 | $45,500 | $482 |
| 2023 | $47,500 | $512 | $47,500 | $512 |
| 2024 | $49,880 | $790 | $49,880 | $790 |
| 2025 | $51,750 | $810 | $51,750 | $810 |
Living Costs
The 2025 average on-campus living costs is $21,322 including room & board and other living expenses (a student lives in on-campus housing such as dormitory and school-owned apartment). For students living in off-campus housing, the average living cost is $29,082.
The living cost at the school has decreased by 0.98% from last year.
The following table and chart show the living costs changes over the last 5 years.
| Year | On-Campus | Off-Campus | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room & Board | Other Expenses | Room & Board | Other Expenses | |
| 2021 | $14,596 | $3,034 | $16,578 | $4,735 |
| 2022 | $14,970 | $3,079 | $17,253 | $4,861 |
| 2023 | $15,490 | $3,151 | $17,784 | $4,960 |
| 2024 | $17,734 | $4,046 | $19,431 | $6,260 |
| 2025 | $16,810 | $4,512 | $22,086 | $6,996 |
Books & Supplies Costs Trends Chart
The 2025 average cost for purchasing books & supplies is $934 at California Lutheran University. The books & supplies cost has decreased by 1.00% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 books & supplies costs and the trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Books & Supplies Costs |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,080 |
| 2022 | $1,125 |
| 2023 | $1,152 |
| 2024 | $936 |
| 2025 | $934 |
Tuition Per Credit Hour
The 2025 undergraduate tuition per credit hour at California Lutheran University is $1,675 on average over undergraduate programs. The undergraduate tuition per credit hour has increased by 3.72% from last year.
The 2025 graduate tuition per credit hour is $908 on average. The graduate tuition per credit hour has decreased by 0.98% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 tuition per credit hour and its trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,470 | $900 |
| 2022 | $1,470 | $900 |
| 2023 | $1,535 | $900 |
| 2024 | $1,615 | $925 |
| 2025 | $1,675 | $908 |