College Costs Are Soaring

Earlier this month, the Trump administration proposed a five-year tuition freeze for universities, but that’s cold comfort for students already facing record-high costs. At UC Berkeley, tuition is under $18,000 a year — but housing, food, and other expenses push the real price of attendance well past $40,000. For many, the dream of a college degree now comes with years of debt, part-time jobs, and mounting stress just to make ends meet.

College shouldn’t be this expensive — not in a state as wealthy as California. The root of the problem goes deeper than tuition: decades of disinvestment and an unfair tax system have left students to shoulder the cost of what should be a public good. By reforming Proposition 13 and ensuring corporations pay their fair share, California can reinvest in its students, expand affordable housing, and make higher education a realistic goal again. Because opportunity shouldn’t depend on your ability to pay rent.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

College is increasingly unaffordable in California. Tuition isn’t the main problem

By Jordan McGillis &Christopher Elmendorf | SF Chronicle | October 14th, 2025