San Diego State University
San Diego, California
- Public
- City
- 35,377 undergrads
- Admit rate
- 36%Source: College Scorecard
- Average net price
- $13,243per year, after grantsSource: College Scorecard
- Graduation rate
- 77%within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $73,49410 years after startingSource: College Scorecard
What's special
First-year students from outside SDSU's local admissions area must live on campus and have a meal plan for their first and second years.
First-year students from outside the local admissions area must live on campus and have a meal plan for their first two years.
Getting in
- Admit rate
- 36%About 4 in 10 applicants get in.Source: College Scorecard
- Test policy
- Test-blindScores are not considered, even if you send them.Source: College Scorecard
- SAT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
- ACT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
From San Diego State University's own report
These numbers come from the school's Common Data Set for 2025–26, a standard report colleges publish about their applicants and first-year students. Open the report.
65% had a 3.75 or higher. The average was 3.82. Schools count GPA differently (weighted or not), so compare ranges loosely.
- Admit rate in this report
- 37%35,709 admitted of 95,444 first-year applicants
- Off the wait list
- 16%962 admitted of 6,016 who stayed on the wait list (11,627 were offered a spot)
- Top 10% of their class
- 25%66% were in the top quarter. Based on the 29% whose school ranks.
What the admissions office says it weighs
Very important
- GPA
Important
- Where you live
- Living in the state
Not considered
- Class rank
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Activities
- A talent or ability
- Character and personal qualities
- Being first in your family to go to college
- Family who went there (legacy)
- Religious affiliation
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Showing interest in the school
Where you'd stand
Enter your numbers to see where they'd fall among San Diego State University's first-year students. This isn't a prediction: it shows how you compare with students who enrolled, using the sources linked below.
Leave out anything you don't have. Your numbers stay in this browser and fill in on other school pages. See my list
Sources: San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26. Test ranges describe enrolled students who sent scores.
What it really costs
Most families pay less than the sticker price. Net price is what's left after grants and scholarships.
- Average net price
- $13,243full-time first-years who got grant aidSource: College Scorecard
- Total cost of attendance
- $26,045sticker price incl. housing, per yearSource: College Scorecard
- Tuition, in-state
- $9,180Source: College Scorecard
- Tuition, out-of-state
- $25,500Source: College Scorecard
After you enroll
- Graduation rate
- 77%first-time, full-time students finishing within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Came back for year two
- 91%full-time first-year studentsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $73,49410 years after starting, for students who got federal aidSource: College Scorecard
- Median debt at graduation
- $14,500federal loans, students who finishedSource: College Scorecard
Students
- Undergraduates
- 35,377Source: College Scorecard
- Receive Pell grants
- 35%a sign of economic diversitySource: College Scorecard
- First-generation students
- 41%parents didn't go beyond high schoolSource: College Scorecard
Similar schools
Similar, and easier to get into
- California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA — admits 91%
- University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA — admits 76%
- San Jose State University San Jose, CA — admits 85%
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA — admits 75%
Also worth a look
- University of California-Davis Davis, CA — admits 42%
- University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA — admits 29%
- University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA — admits 27%
- University of Georgia Athens, GA — admits 38%
- California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA — admits 46%
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA — admits 39%
Where these numbers come from
Every number on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard page for San Diego State University, which draws on what the school reports to the federal government and on federal student aid and tax records. We last pulled the data on November 4, 2026. Different measures cover different years; here's how each one works.
Spot something wrong? Report a data error.