Ensure Access: Preserve Pell
The Pell Grant is the foundation of federal student aid, providing opportunity to millions of students who might otherwise be unable to attend college. The vast majority of Pell recipients come from families with incomes at or below $30,000. Over 180,000 CSU students receive Pell Grants, with an average grant of over $4,000.
Broad Access: With 23 campuses and almost 437,000 students, the California State University is the nation’s largest and most diverse. Nearly 35% of CSU students are in the first generation in their family to attend college. The CSU provides more than half of all undergraduate degrees to California’s Latino, African American and Native American students, and is a leader in transitioning veterans to the civilian workforce.
Job-Ready Graduates: The CSU awards over 96,000 degrees per year. It provides California with the bulk of undergraduate degrees in high demand fields, such as agriculture (62%); business and professional services (54%); criminal justice (72%); education (78%); engineering (45%); nursing (56%); life sciences (39%); tourism (64%); and hospitality management (94%). CSU students’ starting and mid-career salaries are higher than national averages.
Low tuition, low debt: Average annual tuition at the CSU for a full time undergraduate from California is $6,612. CSU students' loan debt upon graduation is significantly less than the national average. Only 47 percent of CSU students carry student loan debt at graduation (compared to 67 percent nationally), at an average of approximately $16,600 (compared to $26,600 nationally).
State Aid: The state of California and CSU institutions provide need-based aid totaling over $913 million to more than 210,000 CSU students.
Significant need remains: Nearly 3 out of 4 CSU students have jobs, and almost 18% work more than 30 hours per week. Even with jobs and state aid, many CSU students require additional assistance.
Results: In 2011-12, almost half (37,000) of CSU bachelor’s degrees awarded were to Pell Grant recipients.
- Support current Pell Grant program funding level, supporting a maximum award of $5,785
- Ensure that any Pell Grant program savings stay in the program for use in future years
- Invest in the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) program, which helps nearly 19,000 CSU students with the greatest need purchase items like books and supplies
- Bolster Work-Study funding, which currently aids nearly 6,800 CSU students
