UCLA Tuition 2016-2017
UC systemwide tuition for California residents was $12,294 for the 2016-2017 academic year. Non-residents paid $38,976 including Nonresident Supplemental Tuition. Campus-based fees averaged $1,258 across UC.
Resident Tuition
$12,294
Non-Resident Tuition
$38,976
Campus Fees (UC average)
$1,258
Year-over-year change: Resident tuition changed by +0.4%. Non-resident tuition changed by +5.49%.
What changed in 2016-2017
Sixth frozen year, second straight 8% nonresident hit
Resident tuition held at $11,160 for a sixth consecutive year, the last year of the freeze. The Student Services Fee rose another $54 to $1,074, and campus-based fees reached $1,258. Against that, Nonresident Supplemental Tuition rose 8 percent again, up $1,974 to $26,682.
The cumulative shape of the freeze era is visible here: from 2011-12 to 2016-17 resident tuition did not move at all, but weighted-average campus-based fees rose from $989 to $1,258, roughly 27 percent. A freeze on the headline number was not a freeze on the bill.
The politics had also turned against UC's nonresident strategy. On March 29, 2016 the California State Auditor found that from 2010-11 through 2014-15 nonresident enrollment grew 82 percent, about 18,000 students, while resident enrollment fell 1 percent — and that UC had admitted roughly 16,000 nonresidents whose scores and grades were below the median for admitted residents. UC spent $158,000 on an advertising campaign disputing the findings.
2016-2017 tuition in 2025 dollars
Comparing tuition across decades only works once inflation is stripped out. Adjusted with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, the $12,294 a California resident paid in 2016-2017 is equivalent to $16,491 in 2025 dollars. Non-resident tuition of $38,976 works out to $52,282 in 2025 dollars.
Resident tuition in 2025 dollars
$16,491
Non-resident tuition in 2025 dollars
$52,282
Inflation adjustment uses CPI-U annual average, U.S. city average, all items (1982-84=100). The 2025 annual average is computed from eleven months because the October 2025 index was never collected during the federal funding lapse.
What does that mean? UCLA tuition worked out to roughly $46/day of instruction, or $820/class (assuming 15 classes per year).
At California's $10.00/hr minimum wage back then, covering tuition alone would take 1,229 hours of work (~31 full-time weeks) — before housing and food.
Quick Facts
Resident Tuition
vs. 5 years earlier (2011-2012)
+$102
Resident tuition rose 0.84% from $12,192 to $12,294
vs. 10 years earlier (2006-2007)
+$6,153
Resident tuition rose 100.2% from $6,141 to $12,294
Non-Resident Tuition
vs. 5 years earlier (2011-2012)
+$3,906
Non-resident tuition rose 11.14% from $35,070 to $38,976
vs. 10 years earlier (2006-2007)
+$14,151
Non-resident tuition rose 57% from $24,825 to $38,976
Looking for Current UCLA Costs?
UCLA tuition for 2026-2027 is now $16,430 for California residents. Use our interactive Cost Calculator to estimate your total cost of attendance — including housing, meal plans, books, and more.
Sources
Figures and historical context for 2016-2017 are drawn from the following sources.
- California State Auditor report 2015-107 (March 29, 2016)(opens in a new tab)
- Regents minutes, May 21, 2015 (nonresident authority through 2019-20)(opens in a new tab)
- Daily Bruin: UC spends $158,000 on advertising campaign after state audit (July 1, 2016)(opens in a new tab)
- UCOP Historical Fee Levels, Tables 1-3(opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (CUUR0000SA0)(opens in a new tab)
- California Department of Industrial Relations, History of California Minimum Wage(opens in a new tab)