San Diego State University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
San Diego State University is a public research university in San Diego, California, enrolling about 35,377 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 36.19% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $64,909 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $8,728
- 2024 Average Net Price: $15,364 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 36.19% Selective
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 35,377 90.8% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 76.43%
- Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
- First-Generation Students: 41.2%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 1.4% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price increase of 27.1% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 50.0%
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 38,492
- Applicants (IPEDS): 82,800
- Room & Board: $23,030 annual estimate
San Diego State University: what the data shows
Common questions about San Diego State University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is San Diego State University?
San Diego State University is located in San Diego, CA (ZIP 92182-0001).
NCES locale classification: City.
Is San Diego State University public or private?
San Diego State University is a Public institution.
How much does San Diego State University cost?
Published tuition: $8,728 in-state, $21,328 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $15,364.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $9,910 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $10,017 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $12,697 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $15,891 |
| $110,001+ | $23,821 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $34,912.
How hard is it to get into San Diego State University?
Admission rate: 36.19%.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is San Diego State University?
Total enrollment: 35,377 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 38,492 students.
Graduate enrollment: 5,355 students.
About 91% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at San Diego State University?
150%-time completion rate: 76.43%.
First-year retention: 90.6%.
What do graduates of San Diego State University earn?
Median earnings: $52,620 six years after entry; $64,909 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $15,000.
31.74% of students receive Pell grants.
What is San Diego State University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business Administration and Management, General (2,399 completions)
- Psychology, General (707 completions)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (547 completions)
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General (406 completions)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric (321 completions)
- Art/Art Studies, General (285 completions)
- Computer Science (281 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (277 completions)
- Public Health, General (274 completions)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies (265 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is San Diego State University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 36.19%; completion rate 76.43%; median earnings $64,909 at 10 years; net price $15,364. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$8,728
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at San Diego State University was $8,728.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$15,364
2024 Value
In 2024 San Diego State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $15,364.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$61,456 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$15,364 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$34,912 4-Year In-State Tuition
$85,312 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
$23,030 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$946 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$32,704 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$130,816 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for San Diego State University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
31.74% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
23.25% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at San Diego State University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for San Diego State University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $6,766 | $17,926 | $11,724 |
| 2014 | $6,866 | $18,026 | $12,567 |
| 2015 | $6,976 | $18,136 | $13,475 |
| 2016 | $7,084 | $18,244 | $14,585 |
| 2017 | $7,460 | $19,340 | $14,030 |
| 2018 | $7,488 | $19,340 | $15,287 |
| 2019 | $7,510 | $19,390 | $14,788 |
| 2020 | $7,720 | $19,600 | $13,845 |
| 2021 | $8,136 | $20,016 | $6,488 |
| 2022 | $8,174 | $20,054 | $12,721 |
| 2023 | $8,290 | $20,170 | $16,174 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
36.19% Acceptance Rate
82,800 Total Applicants
28,517 Students Admitted
6,162 First-Time Students Enrolled
21.61% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
San Diego State University reported total enrollment of about 35,377 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 43% male and 57% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (36.7%), White (33.8%), and Asian (13.2%). About 31.74% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 41.2% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
90.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at San Diego State University in 2024 is 35,377 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 38,492 students. Graduate enrollment is about 5,355 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
90.6%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is Hispanic or Latino at 36.7%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
56.27% 100% Completion Time
76.43% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 56.27% of students graduating from San Diego State University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 53% male / 47% female
- Psychology, General: 18% male / 82% female
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 37% male / 63% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: Hispanic or Latino.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for San Diego State University.
Return on Investment
$15,000 Median Student Debt
$64,909 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
23.11% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
956.19% Return on Investment
2.3 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for San Diego State University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 134 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business Administration and Management, General: 2,399 completions
2. Psychology, General: 707 completions
3. Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 547 completions
4. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General: 406 completions
5. Speech Communication and Rhetoric: 321 completions
6. Art/Art Studies, General: 285 completions
7. Computer Science: 281 completions
8. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 277 completions
9. Public Health, General: 274 completions
Most popular programs at San Diego State University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for San Diego State University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for San Diego State University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 50.0%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $13,042
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,619
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, CA, classified as Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Business Administration and Management, General, Psychology, General, Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. Enrollment is approximately 35,377 students. Student body composition includes Hispanic or Latino (36.7%), White (33.8%), Asian (13.2%). It is selective, with an admission rate of 36.19%. The 150%-time completion rate is 76.43%. Approximately 31.74% of students receive Pell Grants. About 41.2% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Public
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Location
San Diego, CA 92182-0001
Region: Far West
Insights and Analysis
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 134 distinct degree programs, San Diego State University provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is San Diego State University located?
San Diego State University is located in San Diego, CA.
What is San Diego State University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at San Diego State University is 36.2% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 82,800 applicants and 28,517 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does San Diego State University cost?
Reported tuition is $8,728 and average net price is $15,364 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $23,030 annually.
What is the student body demographics at San Diego State University?
San Diego State University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 38,492 students, Hispanic or Latino (36.7%), White (33.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend San Diego State University?
About 41.2% of students at San Diego State University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of San Diego State University earn?
Median earnings are $52,620 six years after entry and $64,909 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at San Diego State University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 76.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do San Diego State University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $15,000.
Is San Diego State University public or private?
San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, CA.
Is San Diego State University an HBCU?
No. San Diego State University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is San Diego State University a tribal college?
No. San Diego State University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is San Diego State University a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
By the common federal eligibility proxy used here (≥25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard), yes—San Diego State University reports 36.7% Hispanic enrollment share.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- California college costs
- California colleges by ROI
- San Diego, California city profile
- Far West regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in California
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.