San Diego State University
School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More
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$5,742
Avg in-state tuition
$17,622
Avg out-of-state tuition
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About San Diego State University
San Diego State University is a large public university located on an urban campus in San Diego, California. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 31,491, and admissions are very selective, with an acceptance rate of 37%. The university offers 93 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 76%, and a student-faculty ratio of 27:1. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $5,742, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $17,622.
Rankings
Learn more about how this school compares to other schools with rankings by BestColleges.
- #1 Ranked in The Best Online Colleges in California
- #2 Ranked in The Best Colleges for LGBTQ+ Students
- #4 Ranked in Best Online Accelerated Bachelor's Degrees
- #6 Ranked in Best Public Administration Programs
- #7 Ranked in Best Online Accelerated Criminal Justice Degree 2023
- #9 Ranked in Best Speech Pathology Programs
Admissions Breakdown
Acceptance Rate Insight
This school has a competitive acceptance rate.
This school is a little more selective about its students. Competitive acceptance schools welcome 15-50% of all applicants.
This school has a competitive acceptance rate.
This school is a little more selective about its students. Competitive acceptance schools welcome 15-50% of all applicants.
37% of students were accepted during the 2020-2021 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.
Retention Rate Insight
Students remain enrolled in this school at a higher rate than other schools.
This typically means students are happy with their school selection and wish to continue their education there.
Learn more about how we determine school awards
Students remain enrolled in this school at a higher rate than other schools.
This typically means students are happy with their school selection and wish to continue their education there.
Learn more about how we determine school awards89% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2019 and returned in Fall 2020.
Graduation Rate Insight
76% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2014. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.
Application Considerations
Test scores Required
High school transcript Required
High school rank Not required or recommended
Letter of recommendation Not required or recommended
High school GPA Required
Open admission No
Completion of college prep program Required
Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) Not required or recommended
Transfer Credit Policy
Dual enrollment Yes
Credit for qualified life experience* Yes
Advance placement (AP) credits Yes
*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.
SAT & ACT
ACT 25th-75th Percentile 22-29
SAT 25th-75th Percentile 1090-1300
Learning Environment
Student Body Stats
This school has a student body of more than 15,000 students.
Learn more about how we determine school awards36k
Students enrolled
99%
Online student enrollment
27:1
Student to faculty ratio
Ways Students Can Learn
Demographics
White
34%
Hispanic
33%
Asian
13%
Two or more races
6%
Non-U.S. Citizen
5%
Unknown
4%
Black
4%
American Indian/Alaska Native
0%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
Female student population
57%
Socio-economic diversity
26% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.
Explore Similar Schools
Online Programs
Offers Online Programs
Yes
Online Programs
13
Total Online Enrollment
35,821
Percent of Programs Online
94% On-campus
6% Online
Types of Online Programs Offered
Certificates Not offered
Associate Not offered
Bachelor's 6% online
Graduate Certificate 3% online
Master's 7% online
Doctorate Not offered
Student Charges
Tuition and Required Fees
Student Level | In-state | Out-of-state |
---|---|---|
Undergraduate | $5,742 | $17,622 |
Graduate | $7,176 | $16,680 |
Cost of Undergraduate Attendance
Costs based on full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2020–2021 academic year.
Costs to Consider | Price |
---|---|
Books and supplies | $1,079 |
On-campus room and board | $18,531 |
On-campus other expenses | $2,910 |
Off-campus (not with family) room and board | $13,860 |
Off-campus (not with family) other expenses | $3,515 |
Off-campus (with family) other expenses | $3,986 |
Total Undergraduate Cost
Total cost by category | In-state | Out-of-state |
---|---|---|
On-campus | $28,262 | $40,142 |
Off-campus without family | $24,196 | $36,076 |
Off-campus with family | $10,807 | $22,687 |
Financial Breakdown
Students Receiving Aid
Federal Grant Aid
26%
State Grant Aid
41%
Institution Grant Aid
25%
Pell Grant
26%
Average Aid Awarded
Financial Outlook
$15k
Average student debt after graduation
$42k
Average salary 6 years after starting school
Varsity Athletic Teams
NCAA Division I-FBS
of the overall student body is a member of an athletic team.
Participation
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming Diving
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
- All Track Combined
- Baseball
Degrees Awarded by Program
Degrees given for the 2020-2021 academic year.
1Architecture And Related Services
BA
MA
DOC
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
BA
MA
DOC
2Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Women's Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Asian Studies/Civilization
BA
MA
DOC
European Studies/Civilization
BA
MA
DOC
Latin American Studies
BA
MA
DOC
African-American/Black Studies
BA
MA
DOC
American Indian/Native American Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, and Gender Studies, Other
BA
MA
DOC
3Biological And Biomedical Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Ecology
BA
MA
DOC
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
BA
MA
DOC
Evolutionary Biology
BA
MA
DOC
Microbiology, General
BA
MA
DOC
Bioinformatics
BA
MA
DOC
Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other
BA
MA
DOC
4Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
BA
MA
DOC
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
BA
MA
DOC
Accounting
BA
MA
DOC
International Business/Trade/Commerce
BA
MA
DOC
Hospitality Administration/Management, General
BA
MA
DOC
Business Administration and Management, General
BA
MA
DOC
5Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
BA
MA
DOC
Radio and Television
BA
MA
DOC
Health Communication
BA
MA
DOC
Journalism
BA
MA
DOC
Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
BA
MA
DOC
6Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
BA
MA
DOC
Computer Science
BA
MA
DOC
7Education
BA
MA
DOC
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
BA
MA
DOC
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other
BA
MA
DOC
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
BA
MA
DOC
Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
BA
MA
DOC
Community College Education
BA
MA
DOC
Educational Leadership and Administration, General
BA
MA
DOC
Education, General
BA
MA
DOC
8Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BA
MA
DOC
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BA
MA
DOC
9Engineering
BA
MA
DOC
Mechanical Engineering
BA
MA
DOC
Manufacturing Engineering
BA
MA
DOC
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BA
MA
DOC
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BA
MA
DOC
Civil Engineering, General
BA
MA
DOC
Computer Engineering, General
BA
MA
DOC
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BA
MA
DOC
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BA
MA
DOC
10English Language And Literature/Letters
BA
MA
DOC
English Language and Literature, General
BA
MA
DOC
Writing, General
BA
MA
DOC
Creative Writing
BA
MA
DOC
11Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
BA
MA
DOC
Japanese Language and Literature
BA
MA
DOC
Linguistics
BA
MA
DOC
Russian Language and Literature
BA
MA
DOC
Comparative Literature
BA
MA
DOC
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
BA
MA
DOC
Spanish Language and Literature
BA
MA
DOC
French Language and Literature
BA
MA
DOC
German Language and Literature
BA
MA
DOC
12Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Physical Therapy/Therapist
BA
MA
DOC
Athletic Training/Trainer
BA
MA
DOC
Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
BA
MA
DOC
Public Health, General (MPH, DPH)
BA
MA
DOC
Health/Medical Physics
BA
MA
DOC
Public Health, Other
BA
MA
DOC
Audiology/Audiologist and Hearing Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Communication Disorders, General
BA
MA
DOC
Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor
BA
MA
DOC
Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)
BA
MA
DOC
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BA
MA
DOC
13History
BA
MA
DOC
History, General
BA
MA
DOC
14Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
BA
MA
DOC
Humanities/Humanistic Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
BA
MA
DOC
15Mathematics And Statistics
BA
MA
DOC
Statistics, General
BA
MA
DOC
Applied Mathematics
BA
MA
DOC
Mathematics, General
BA
MA
DOC
16Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Mathematics and Computer Science
BA
MA
DOC
Gerontology
BA
MA
DOC
Nutrition Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
International/Global Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BA
MA
DOC
17Natural Resources And Conservation
BA
MA
DOC
Environmental Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Environmental Science
BA
MA
DOC
18Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Health and Physical Education, General
BA
MA
DOC
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
BA
MA
DOC
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BA
MA
DOC
19Philosophy And Religious Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Philosophy
BA
MA
DOC
Religion/Religious Studies
BA
MA
DOC
20Physical Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Astronomy
BA
MA
DOC
Chemistry, General
BA
MA
DOC
Geology/Earth Science, General
BA
MA
DOC
Physics, General
BA
MA
DOC
Atomic/Molecular Physics
BA
MA
DOC
21Psychology
BA
MA
DOC
School Psychology
BA
MA
DOC
Psychology, General
BA
MA
DOC
Clinical Psychology
BA
MA
DOC
22Public Administration And Social Service Professions
BA
MA
DOC
Public Administration
BA
MA
DOC
Social Work
BA
MA
DOC
23Security And Protective Services
BA
MA
DOC
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
BA
MA
DOC
24Social Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
National Security Policy Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Criminology
BA
MA
DOC
Social Sciences, General
BA
MA
DOC
Urban Studies/Affairs
BA
MA
DOC
Sociology
BA
MA
DOC
Political Science and Government, General
BA
MA
DOC
International Relations and National Security Studies, Other
BA
MA
DOC
Anthropology
BA
MA
DOC
Geography
BA
MA
DOC
Economics, General
BA
MA
DOC
25Visual And Performing Arts
BA
MA
DOC
Art/Art Studies, General
BA
MA
DOC
Music, General
BA
MA
DOC
Dance, General
BA
MA
DOC
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
BA
MA
DOC
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
BA
MA
DOC
Music Performance, General
BA
MA
DOC
Fine/Studio Arts, General
BA
MA
DOC
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Data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), [2020-2021]. In the absence of IPED data, information was collected directly from the school and is accurate as of the date of collection. Contact the school directly for the most current and complete information.
- All Track Combined
- Football
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