As part of California's budget agreement, the state's two massive college systems would face cuts of $650 million, or more than 20% each.
California's public education system is by far the largest in the country with the University of California and California State University colleges accounting for more than 600,000 students at 33 campuses.
And while neither system has identified exactly how extensive tuition increases will be, steep hikes are definitely on the table.
"The latest state budget plan is deeply disappointing," UC President Mark Yudof said in a statement Tuesday morning. "Because cuts of this magnitude inevitably will drive up tuition for public university students and their families, we cannot stand silent."
Tuition at both university systems has already risen 40% since the 2008-2009 school year. Fees at the UC schools averaged around $11,000 last year, while at the CSU schools, fees averaged $5,400.
