San Francisco, CA
San Francisco State University is a public four-year institution in San Francisco, California, a large city in San Francisco County. It enrolls 18,639 students at a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The cost of attendance is $36,050, against an average net price of $12,278.
San Francisco State University received 29,878 applications for Fall 2023, admitted 28,727 students, and enrolled 2,985. The reported acceptance rate is 96.4%.
| Applied | Admitted | Rate | Enrolled | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 11,778 | 11,268 | 95.7% | 1,295 |
| Women | 18,100 | 17,459 | 96.5% | 1,690 |
San Francisco State University admits 96.4% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 83%.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
In-state tuition and fees are $7,950 and the full cost of attendance is $36,050. The average net price after grant aid is $12,278.
Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $163.
After aid, San Francisco State University costs $12,278 a year — about 16% less than a typical similar college.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
The six-year graduation rate is 50.3%. Median earnings are $52,650 six years after entry, rising to $68,077 at the ten-year mark.
| Major | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management,... | 941 |
| Psychology, General | 442 |
| Computer Science | 365 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General | 336 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching | 207 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 204 |
| Film/Cinema/Media Studies | 184 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 181 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | 168 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical... | 143 |
Median earnings eight years after entering San Francisco State University are $60,831, and 68% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.
Six years after entry, former San Francisco State University students earn $52,650 — 14% more than at a typical similar college.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
The campus is in San Francisco, a large city. Of 18,639 students, 53.7% are women, 40.1% are Hispanic, and 48.2% are first-generation.
Average head coach salary by program gender.
256 of 16,481 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.
1,591 of 20,756 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 374 of 3,152 graduate students.
San Francisco State University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
San Francisco State University spends $24,836 per student on research — about 3× a typical similar college.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 30.4 miles from the center of San Francisco. There are 12 other colleges within 25 miles, and Berkeley, CA is 13.9 miles away.
San Francisco County scores 16.0 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — most walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.
Undergraduates make up about 4.7% of San Francisco's residents.
Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures San Francisco State University reported for 2024.
Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.
Separately, San Francisco State University reported 5 arrests and 26 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.
Common questions about San Francisco State University admissions, costs, and outcomes.
The reported acceptance rate is 96.4%. In the Fall 2023 admissions cycle the university received 29,878 applications, admitted 28,727 students, and enrolled 2,985 of them.
The cost of attendance is $36,050, combining $7,950 in in-state tuition and fees, $22,266 for room and board, $1,100 for books and supplies, and $4,734 in other expenses. The average net price after grant aid is $12,278.
In-state tuition and fees are $7,950. Out-of-state students pay $20,550 in tuition and fees.
50.3% of students complete a degree within six years. Pell grant recipients graduate at 48% and students without Pell grants at 49.7%.
Median earnings are $52,650 six years after entry and $68,077 ten years after entry. By gender, median earnings are $53,951 for men and $51,538 for women.
Enrollment is 18,639 students, with 756 faculty members and a student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1.
23.2% of students take out federal loans. Median debt at completion is $15,371, equal to a typical monthly payment of $163.
42.2% of undergraduates receive Pell grants, and 48.2% are first-generation students.
Business Administration and Management, General accounts for the most completions at 941, followed by Psychology, General at 442, Computer Science at 365, and Biology/Biological Sciences, General at 336.
The university competes in NCAA Division II without football. 313 students take part in varsity athletics, 143 men and 170 women, with athletic expenses of $4.2 million.