San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · Public · Large city · Carnegie R1/R2 · SDSU
Public institution in San Diego, CA · 33,654 undergraduates · 34% acceptance rate · $64,909 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 2%Undergraduates
- Top 9%Acceptance rate
- Top 12%Graduation rate (4-year)
- Top 13%Full-time retention
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $16,174761st cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $8,290399th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $20,170869th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $27,357827th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $15,000310th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $64,909381st highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $52,620435th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 78.3%244th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 90.3%235th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 34.4%137th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 33,65436th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 22.0:11,989th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 31.4%1,120th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 8 mi (SAN)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 78 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $86,454 | $87,377 |
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $79,598 | $70,456 |
| Construction Engineering TechnologiesEngineering Technology | bachelors | $77,401 | $72,231 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,413 | $69,757 |
| Computer Science | bachelors | $68,219 | $66,318 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $68,052 | $65,089 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $64,990 | $63,005 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $64,553 | $62,317 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $55,884 | $51,690 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $55,625 | $56,415 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $50,439 | $35,060 |
| MarketingBusiness | bachelors | $48,215 | $42,682 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1897source
- Athletic nickname: "Aztecs"source
- Dignity Health Sports Park seats about 30,510source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- School colors: Red and Blacksource
- Mascot: Aztec warriorsource
- Motto: ""Leadership Starts Here""source
- Campus size: about 280 acressource
- Formerly known as "San Diego Normal School" (1897–1923)source
- Formerly known as "San Diego State Teachers College" (1923–1935)source
- Formerly known as "San Diego State College" (1935–1972)source
- Formerly known as "California State University, San Diego" (1972–1974)source
- Athletic conference: Pac-12source
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]] institutionsource
- Plays for the "Oil Can" (since 1923)source
- Fight song: ""SDSU Fight Song""source
- Notable alum: Gregory Pecksource
- Notable alum: Raquel Welchsource
- Notable alum: Julie Kavnersource
- Notable alum: Kawhi Leonardsource
- Notable alum: Carl Weatherssource
Athletics — 12 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $11,111,128 (M $5,724,054 · W $5,387,074)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitesdsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 122409)
- Compare colleges in CARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in CaliforniaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: San Diego State University vs University of California-San DiegoHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 12 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.