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Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?Data Sources
Academics
gradeB+
Value
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Diversity
gradeA+
Campus
gradeA
Athletics
gradeA
Party Scene
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Professors
gradeB
Location
gradeA
Dorms
gradeC+
Campus Food
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Student Life
gradeA+
Safety
gradeB
editorial
San Diego State is a highly rated public university located in San Diego, California. It is a large institution with an enrollment of 28,634 undergraduate students. Admissions is fairly competitive as the San Diego State acceptance rate is 38%. Popular majors include Business, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Psychology. Graduating 76% of students, San Diego State alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $37,700.
About
About San Diego State...
- Hispanic-Serving Institution
- Public College
- SAT/ACT Optional
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FBS
Athletic Conference
Mountain West Conference
Compare to Other Colleges
- California
- San Diego
San Diego State University Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
See All San Diego State University Rankings
SDSU Admissions
Acceptance Rate
38%
Application Deadline
Deadline for application submissions. Please contact the school for more details.
November 30
SAT Range
1090-1300
ACT Range
22-29
Application Fee
$70
SAT/ACT
Considered but not required
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
No
Application Website
Students also applied to ...
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University of California - San Diego
gradeA+
University of California - Irvine
gradeB+
University of California - Santa Cruz
gradeB
San Francisco State University
gradeA
University of California - Davis
gradeB
San Jose State University
gradeA minus
University of San Francisco
More
Read More About Admissions
Will You Get Into SDSU?
Test Scores and High School GPA for San Diego State University See Other Colleges
Cost
Net Price
$6,867/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Average Total Aid Awarded
$9,026/ year
National
$7,535
Students Receiving Financial Aid
58%
Find Private Student Loans
Find College Scholarships
Find college scholarships
Academics
Professors
gradeB
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
22:1
Evening Degree Programs
Yes
74%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.311 responses
37%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.396 responses
49%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.396 responses
Read More About Academics
Majors
Most Popular Majors
Business
1,770 Graduates
Liberal Arts and Humanities
636 Graduates
Psychology
601 Graduates
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
416 Graduates
Criminal Justice and Safety Studies
391 Graduates
Computer Science
295 Graduates
Biology
282 Graduates
Communications
261 Graduates
Economics
240 Graduates
Nursing
237 Graduates
More
See All Majors
Online
Programs Offered Entirely Online
Total number of complete undergraduate programs offered online or through distance learning.
Offers Online Courses
College offers distance education courses.
Yes
Online Certificate Programs
Total number of certificate degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Online Associates Programs
Total number of associate degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Online Bachelor's Programs
Total number of bachelor's degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Explore All Online Majors
How Students Learn
Based on class setting of student enrollment.
Mix of Online and on Campus
57%
On Campus
40%
Online
3%
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
28,634Undergrads
Part-Time Undergrads
3,560
Undergrads Over 25
12%
Pell Grant
25%
Varsity Athletes
2%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on
276 responses
Fun but studious -
37%
Good mix of fun and studious
31%
Fun
8%
GREAT VIBES
8%
Dedicated
5%
Delinquent criminal party people
2%
Great crowd
2%
More
Read More About the Students
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
No data available —
Poll
52%
of students say that Greek life is pretty big.456 responses
Poll
69%
of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.497 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on
298 responses
Work hard, play hard
26%
Difficult yet fun
26%
Very balanced
14%
Hard but crazy fun
7%
Laid back
7%
Sociable
6%
Just transferred
3%
More
Read More About Campus Life
After College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$51,000/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
76%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
92%
National
83%
81%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.204 responses
Read More About Life After Graduation
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gradeA+
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gradeA
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gradeA+
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gradeB+
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San Diego State University Reviews
Rating 3.77 out of 5 5,414 reviews
Rating 4 out of 5
I had the unique experience of transferring to San Diego State University during the pandemic. My junior year was fully online so I didn't get to experience campus life or get a feel for the community the school has built, as it's very hard to make connections with a lot of people through a screen. The professors were all very understanding and accommodating. In my time here I learned a lot of valuable information from professors who are well spoken and knowledgable. It never felt like the coursework I was given was just busywork, but applicable to what my career goal was. My senior year I did partially online and on campus, but at this point I just wanted to be finished. I wish I had given campus life a bigger chance that way I could've made connections with other people, but unfortunately I didn't get to experience that side of SDSU. However, I can attest that their academics were and still are very valuable to me!
- Alum
- 11 days ago
Rating 5 out of 5
When I was looking for the universities I was interested in attending, I knew I wanted a campus that wasn't too large yet not too small. The campus at San Diego State is beautiful, fresh (nature), and a great size. As for the academics, it definitely shows that they want the students to succeed and there are so many resources available. So far, I haven't had a negative experience with any professor. I am overall happy with choosing San Diego State for the next 4 years. Go Aztecs!
- Freshman
- 24 days ago
Rating 4 out of 5
Being a freshman at SDSU, I have really enjoyed it! All the class I have taken, have been beneficial for my career and learning. I am also in the Weber Honors College, which is extremely beneficial for me. Coming into the school year with many other credits from community college, SDSU took almost all of them which has been extremely helpful. I absolutely love the campus and it accommodates all students and is so well taken care of. One major change I would like to see is more advised care for students. Being this is a large campus and many students attend, getting help can be complicated sometimes and take longer than expected. Some promises made can be misleading and not held up to your expectations. The professors all seem to really care about the students and their learning outcomes, which is super important. One of my favorite things about SDSU is the diversity across the whole campus. Everyone is welcomed and extremely nice. SDSU is a beautiful school and a great education!
- Freshman
- 3 months ago