Can I Afford College?
Cost of Attendance
LACCD offers all the advantages of a college education with a wide range of courses and degrees. Your Financial Aid Office is here to help you find options to make your college experience more affordable. It costs less than you think!
To determine how much financial aid you may qualify for, we need to have an idea of the costs related to attending college. This is known as the Cost of Attendance (COA), which is calculated based on several factors:
Direct Educational Costs (paid directly to the college)
- Enrollment and other mandatory fees
- Tuition
- Books and supplies
Enrollment fees and tuition are determined by your state residency status. This is based on information provided to the college when you apply for admissions.
Books and supplies costs may vary depending on the courses you take, the vendor/seller you use, and whether you buy new, used, e-books, or rent your books and related materials. These costs may not always be paid directly to the college if you choose to use another bookseller.
Indirect Educational Costs (not paid directly to the college)
- Living expenses (food and housing)
- Transportation
- Miscellaneous or personal expense allowances
Food and housing costs are based upon your living situation. Students living on their own (or with a spouse or family of their own) will have higher estimated costs than students who live with and receive support from their parent(s).
The results of your FAFSA (or CADAA) determine your Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is the amount the government estimates you (and your parents, if you needed their information for your FAFSA/CADAA) can contribute to the cost of attending college. To determine the amount of financial aid you qualify for, we use the following formula:
COA – SAI = Unmet need
Financial aid reduces your unmet need, which is the gap between your Cost of Attendance (COA) and your SAI. By utilizing federal and state aid programs, along with scholarships and other sources of aid, the Financial Aid Office will try to meet 100% of your unmet need.
Access your Student Portal to see your estimated Cost of Attendance, SAI, financial aid awards, and your financial aid unmet need. You can also use the charts below to estimate your COA for the 2024-2025 academic year based on your housing and residency status:
| Costs Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Enrollment and Fees | $1,238 | $616 |
| Books & Supplies* | $1,062 | $531 |
| Total Direct Costs | $2,300 | $1,147 |
| Costs Not Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Living Expenses (Food and Housing) | $12,753 | $4,251 |
| Transportation | $1,791 | $597 |
| Personal | $4,059 | $1,353 |
| Total Indirect Costs | $18,603 | $6,201 |
| Total CA Resident Living with Parent/Guardian | $20,903 | $7,348 |
| Costs Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Enrollment and Fees | $1,238 | $616 |
| Books & Supplies* | $1,062 | $531 |
| Total Direct Costs | $2,300 | $1,147 |
| Costs Not Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Living Expenses (Food and Housing) | $25,407 | $8,469 |
| Transportation | $1,962 | $654 |
| Personal | $4,968 | $1,656 |
| Total Indirect Costs | $32,337 | $10,779 |
| Total CA Resident Living with Parent/Guardian | $34,637 | $11,926 |
| Costs Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Enrollment and Fees | $10,572 | $5,283 |
| Books & Supplies* | $1,062 | $531 |
| Total Direct Costs | $11,634 | $5,814 |
| Costs Not Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Living Expenses (Food and Housing) | $12,753 | $4,251 |
| Transportation | $1,791 | $597 |
| Personal | $4,059 | $1,353 |
| Total Indirect Costs | $18,603 | $6,201 |
| Total CA Resident Living with Parent/Guardian | $30,237 | $12,015 |
| Costs Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Enrollment and Fees | $10,572 | $5,283 |
| Books & Supplies* | $1,062 | $531 |
| Total Direct Costs | $11,634 | $5,814 |
| Costs Not Paid Directly to the College | Fall & Spring | Summer |
| Living Expenses (Food and Housing) | $25,407 | $8,469 |
| Transportation | $1,962 | $654 |
| Personal | $4,968 | $1,656 |
| Total Indirect Costs | $32,337 | $10,779 |
| Total CA Resident Living with Parent/Guardian | $43,971 | $16,593 |
Net Price Calculator
The Net Price Calculator helps you find out what students paid to attend our institution in the previous year, after taking grants and scholarship aid into account. Although your actual eligibility for financial aid may vary from the information provided by the Net Price Calculator, the information you see will give you an estimate of the amount of aid you may qualify for based on the date provided by you.