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Public 4-Year Minimally Selective San Jose, CA NCAA Division I-FBS

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

84.6%
Acceptance Rate
$34,889/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$13,760/yr
Avg Price After Aid
66.8%
6-yr Grad Rate
27,601
Undergrads

About San Jose State University

San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California, a large city. The university serves an undergraduate enrollment of 27,601 students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 25:1.

Type
Public 4-Year
Undergrads
27,601
Avg Faculty Salary
$115,721
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$207.7M
Pell Students
35.2%
First-Gen
49%
What San Jose State University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Design and Applied Arts 161 graduates · 2.6% of degrees here vs 0.06% nationally 43×
Engineering Technologies/Technicians 97 graduates · 1.5% of degrees here vs 0.07% nationally 23×
Computer Software Engineering 156 graduates · 2.5% of degrees here vs 0.13% nationally 19×
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical... 261 graduates · 4.1% of degrees here vs 0.45% nationally
Business Administration and Management,... 1,594 graduates · 25.3% of degrees here vs 6.78% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
84.6%
Acceptance rate · Minimally Selective
35,780
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$13,760 avg net
Average net price after aid
$9,730
Under $30K income
$207.7M
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$62,448 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
66.8%
6-yr Grad Rate
$15,000
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

San Jose State University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
84.6%
35,780 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
25:1
Undergrad instruction

San Jose State University admits 84.6% of applicants, meaning most qualified candidates gain entry. Admitted students typically have an average high school GPA of 3.53 and ACT scores in the 20-30 range.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 35,780 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

GPA Distribution — Enrolled Students
8-band breakdown · Source: Common Data Set
4.0
28.4%
3.75–3.99
3.50–3.74
3.25–3.49
3.00–3.24
2.50–2.99
2.00–2.49
Below 2.0

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Not Considered
Class rank Not Considered
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Not Considered
Application essay Not Considered
Class Rank Profile
Source: Common Data Set

Not reported reliably. San Jose State University files 100% in all three class-rank bands, which describes no distribution of the class, so the profile is not shown.

Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 18,119 13,342 73.6% 2,285
Women 17,661 15,366 87% 2,235
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

San Jose State University admits 84.6% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 83%.

Acceptance rate
This school
84.6%
Similar colleges (532)
83%
CA (130)
76.5%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (27)
83.5%
National (1,934)
78.1%

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 Jose State University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$13,760
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$15,000
Federal Loan Rate
19.5%
Students borrowing federal loans

San Jose State University has a cost of attendance of $34,889, but the average net price is $13,760, meaning most students pay considerably less than the sticker price.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$34,889
In-state Tuition & Fees
$8,410
24%
Room & Board
$20,971
60%
Books & Supplies
$1,062
3%
Other Expenses
$4,446
13%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$9,730
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,114
$48,001 – $75,000
$12,099
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,102
Over $110,000
$22,862
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
60%
Federal loans
20%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $159.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, San Jose State University costs $13,760 a year — about 6% less than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$26,593
Similar colleges (565)
$25,083
CA (253)
$22,850
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (54)
$22,339
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
59.5%
Similar colleges (583)
84.8%
CA (409)
84.4%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (82)
82.1%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$15,000
Similar colleges (585)
$21,000
CA (416)
$10,750
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (79)
$11,537
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$13,760
Similar colleges (565)
$14,600
CA (503)
$20,807
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (97)
$17,246
National (5,106)
$17,160

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 Jose State University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
66.8%
Median Earnings 6yr
$62,448
6 years after entering

San Jose State University has a graduation rate of 66.8%, with graduates earning a median of $62,448 six years after entry and $78,988 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$66,085
Men
$59,299
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
64.4%
Pell recipients
63.8%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Business Administration and Management,...1,594
Psychology, General432
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical...261
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies214
Sociology, General194
Computer Science182
Biology/Biological Sciences, General178
Speech Communication and Rhetoric177
Public Health, General170
Mechanical Engineering168
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
79.3%
White
67.4%
Hispanic
59.8%
Black
54.3%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering San Jose State University are $70,420, and 73% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former San Jose State University students earn $62,448 — 36% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$78,988
Similar colleges (587)
$54,560
CA (462)
$41,247
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (89)
$47,224
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$62,448
Similar colleges (589)
$46,058
CA (488)
$36,007
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (96)
$39,805
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
66.8%
Similar colleges (566)
51.7%
CA (168)
61.2%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (31)
63.3%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
86.7%
Similar colleges (567)
76%
CA (124)
81.4%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (27)
84.5%
National (1,841)
75.7%

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 Jose State University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

San Jose State University, located in San Jose's large city setting, enrolls 27,601 undergraduates with a 25:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Nearly half of students are first-generation, and 35.2% receive Pell grants.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
12.4%
Asian
38.8%
Hispanic
32.5%
Black
3.5%
Other Indicators
First-generation
49%
Pell grant recipients
35.2%
Women
47.7%
San Jose State University Athletics
Total Revenue
$14M
Total Expense
$14M
Athletes
567
302 men · 265 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$295,690
Women's sports
$184,329

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$4,613,230
Women's aid
$4,289,709
Academic Resources
862
Full-time faculty
$115,721
Avg faculty salary
9,308
FT staff
$207.7M
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$117,707
Women (avg)
$114,049
Overall avg
$115,721
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
27,601
Graduate students
9,653
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
2.2%

480 of 21,741 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
6.2%
Undergrads taking any
65.3%
Grad students fully online
40.9%

1,693 of 27,111 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 3,665 of 8,951 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

San Jose State University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median
Pell grant share
This school
35.2%
Similar colleges (590)
34%
CA (541)
43.5%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (104)
36%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$7,578
Similar colleges (531)
$8,786
CA (193)
$6,054
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (47)
$7,613
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
25:1
Similar colleges (595)
16:1
CA (559)
19:1
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (110)
17:1
National (5,427)
15:1

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.

Every Major at San Jose State University
82 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
6,293 graduates
Business and Marketing 1,614 grads · 3 majors
Business Administration and Management,... 1,594
Hospitality Administration/Management,... 19
Organizational Behavior Studies 1
Engineering 788 grads · 11 majors
Mechanical Engineering 168
Computer Software Engineering 156
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 101
Civil Engineering, General 96
Computer Engineering, General 83
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 60
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and... 55
Industrial Engineering 38
Chemical Engineering 15
Materials Engineering 9
Engineering, General 7
Visual and Performing Arts 473 grads · 13 majors
Design and Applied Arts, Other 161
Fine/Studio Arts, General 153
Art/Art Studies, General 41
Music Performance, General 27
Interior Design 22
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 20
Graphic Design 15
Industrial and Product Design 12
Music, General 8
Dance, General 6
Visual and Performing Arts, General 4
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 3
Digital Arts 1
Psychology 432 grads · 1 major
Psychology, General 432
Social Sciences 386 grads · 7 majors
Sociology, General 194
Political Science and Government, General 74
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 49
Economics, General 35
Anthropology, General 21
Social Sciences, General 8
Geography 5
Health Professions 372 grads · 3 majors
Public Health, General 170
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 157
Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 45
Communication and Journalism 322 grads · 5 majors
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 177
Radio and Television 52
Advertising 40
Journalism 29
Public Relations/Image Management 24
Parks, Recreation and Kinesiology 282 grads · 2 majors
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical... 261
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 21
Homeland Security and Protective Services 250 grads · 2 majors
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 214
Forensic Science and Technology 36
Computer and Information Sciences 234 grads · 2 majors
Computer Science 182
Information Science/Studies 52
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 187 grads · 3 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 178
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 5
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 4
Education 159 grads · 1 major
Early Childhood Education and Teaching 159
Multidisciplinary Studies 146 grads · 4 majors
Nutrition Sciences 54
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 42
Behavioral Sciences 38
International/Globalization Studies 12
Engineering Technologies 108 grads · 3 majors
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 97
Packaging Science 9
Industrial Technology/Technician 2
Mathematics and Statistics 77 grads · 2 majors
Mathematics, General 40
Applied Mathematics, General 37
English Language and Literature 68 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 68
Physical Sciences 67 grads · 4 majors
Chemistry, General 42
Physics, General 16
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 5
Geology/Earth Science, General 4
Transportation 54 grads · 1 major
Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science... 54
Natural Resources and Conservation 53 grads · 1 major
Environmental Science 53
Liberal Arts and General Studies 53 grads · 2 majors
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 47
Humanities/Humanistic Studies 6
Public Administration and Social Services 52 grads · 1 major
Social Work 52
History 49 grads · 1 major
History, General 49
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 30 grads · 5 majors
Linguistics 10
Japanese Language and Literature 9
Spanish Language and Literature 8
French Language and Literature 2
Chinese Language and Literature 1
Philosophy and Religious Studies 23 grads · 1 major
Philosophy 23
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 14 grads · 3 majors
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and... 8
African-American/Black Studies 5
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and... 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

San Jose State University Location & Campus Safety

San Jose State University is in San Jose, CA, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 4.6 miles from the center of San Jose. There are 7 other colleges within 25 miles, and San Jose, CA is 4.6 miles away.

San Jose State University Other colleges within 30 miles
Large city
Campus Setting
4.6 mi
To City Center
7
Colleges Within 25 mi
990,054
San Jose Population
Living in San Jose
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$2,617
Median Rent / mo
$141,565
Median Household Income
30%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
64.6%
Walk
1.8%
Public transit
2.8%

Santa Clara County scores 13.7 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average 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 6.7% of San Jose's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index
Colleges Near San Jose State University
Within 30 miles, at least 500 students, by straight-line distance
Santa Clara University 6,552 students 3.2 mi
SOURCEIPEDS campus coordinates, San Jose State University to each campus

Campus Safety at San Jose State University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures San Jose State University reported for 2024.

37
On-Campus Offenses
10
In Residence Halls
1
Per 1,000 Students
25
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

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.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
74
2023
76
2024
37
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Burglary
10
Aggravated assault
8
Motor vehicle theft
7
Sexual offenses
6
Arson
4
Robbery
2

Separately, San Jose State University reported 107 arrests and 58 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.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about San Jose State University admissions, costs, and outcomes.