If you're staring at a UC Davis brochure and wondering if you'll need to sell a kidney to afford it, you aren't alone. College costs have become a bit of a labyrinth. Honestly, looking at a "Cost of Attendance" page can feel like trying to read a menu in a language you only half-know.
The short answer? For a California resident starting in the 2025-2026 school year, you're looking at about $16,381 in base tuition and campus fees. If you're coming from out of state, that number jumps closer to $49,420.
But that's just the sticker price for the "schooling" part. The real-world cost—the one that includes your burritos, your dorm room, and those $200 textbooks you'll use twice—is a different story.
The Sticker Price vs. Reality
UC Davis is a public land-grant university, which basically means California residents get a discount. But even with that discount, the numbers are big.
For the 2025-2026 academic year, the school estimates the total cost (what they call the "Cost of Attendance" or COA) to be roughly $43,232 for residents living on campus. If you're a non-resident, pack your bags and your checkbook, because you're looking at approximately $75,120.
Why is it so much higher for non-residents? It's the "Nonresident Supplemental Tuition." Basically, if your parents haven't been paying California taxes, the state asks you to pony up an extra $37,602 a year.
Breaking Down the 2025-2026 Estimates
Let's look at where that money actually goes. It’s not just a giant pile for the Chancellor.
- Tuition and Fees: Roughly $16,381 (Residents) / $49,420 (Non-residents).
- Housing and Food: About $21,200 if you're in the dorms.
- Books and Supplies: They estimate $1,400, but let's be real—you can usually shave this down by renting or buying used.
- Personal Expenses/Transport: Another $3,000 to $4,000 depending on how much you travel home or go out in downtown Davis.
The "Tuition Stability Plan" is Your Best Friend
Here’s some actually good news. UC Davis uses something called the Tuition Stability Plan.
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Basically, the tuition rate you pay when you walk in as a freshman is the rate you'll pay for up to six years. If the UC Regents decide to hike tuition for the next year's class, your price stays locked in. It’s sorta like a price-lock guarantee on a cell phone plan, but for your degree.
If you're starting in Fall 2026, the UC system has already projected an increase of about 4.4% for that incoming cohort. This brings the base tuition for 2026-2027 starters to roughly $15,588 (plus campus fees), but once you're in, you're locked.
Graduate School is a Whole Different Ballgame
If you're looking at a Master's or a PhD, the numbers shift. Academic graduate students (the ones doing research degrees) actually pay a bit less in base tuition than undergrads—around $13,140 for 2025-2026.
But then you have the Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST). This is where the price tags get spicy. If you’re going for an MBA at the Graduate School of Management, you might pay $1,440 per unit. For a 36-unit Master of Management, that’s over $51,000 just for the course fees.
The UC Davis School of Law (King Hall) is even higher. Their 2025-2026 estimates for tuition and fees sit around $65,879 for residents and over $72,000 for non-residents.
How Most People Actually Pay for This
Don't let the $43k or $75k numbers scare you off just yet. Most people don't pay the full sticker price.
According to UC Davis's own data, about 53% of California undergraduates have their systemwide tuition and fees completely covered by gift aid. That’s more than half the student body paying $0 for the actual classes.
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The Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
This is the big one. If your family earns less than $100,000 a year and you're a California resident, the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan ensures your systemwide tuition and fees are covered. You still have to pay for housing and food, but the "school" part is taken care of by grants.
There’s also the Middle Class Scholarship, which helps families earning up to $217,000. It doesn't cover everything, but it can knock a significant chunk off the bill.
Debt-Free Graduation?
It sounds like a myth, but about 62% of UC Davis undergraduates graduate with no student debt. That’s largely because the financial aid packages are pretty robust. The average grant/scholarship award is north of $25,000.
Hidden Costs People Forget
Davis is a bike town. You'll need a bike. A good lock is mandatory because bike theft is basically a local sport. That's a few hundred bucks right there.
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Then there's health insurance. UC Davis requires all students to have it. If you don't have a plan that meets their criteria, you're automatically enrolled in UC SHIP, which costs about $7,992 per year. You can waive this if you’re already covered by your parents' insurance, but you must do the paperwork, or they'll bill you.
Actionable Next Steps to Save Money
- Submit the FAFSA or CADAA by March 2. This is the "Priority Deadline." If you miss it, you're basically leaving free money on the table. Even if you think you won't qualify, just do it.
- Apply for the SHIP Waiver. If you have health insurance, submit the waiver every single year. That’s nearly $8,000 back in your pocket.
- Look into the "Aggie Blue" scholarship search. It’s Davis's internal portal for private scholarships. Some are as specific as "being a student from a specific county who likes gardening."
- Consider the "Off-Campus" Route. Living in the dorms is a rite of passage, but it’s expensive. After your first year, moving into an apartment in town can sometimes save you $5,000 to $7,000 a year if you're savvy with roommates.
The cost of UC Davis is high, but it's a "choose your own adventure" situation. Between the Tuition Stability Plan and the Blue and Gold Plan, the goal is to make the price predictable, even if it isn't exactly "cheap."