San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA · Public · Large city · Carnegie R1/R2 · SFSU
Public institution in San Francisco, CA · 20,033 undergraduates · 96% acceptance rate · $68,077 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 5%Undergraduates
- Top 15%In-state tuition & fees
- Top 16%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- Top 18%Median graduate debt
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
- $12,882505th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $7,424310th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $19,304813th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $25,258703rd cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $15,371345th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $68,077315th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $52,650433rd highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 50.1%1,134th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 83.7%492nd highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 96.2%1,435th most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 20,033117th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 16.0:11,454th smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 41.4%646th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 9 mi (SFO)
On 4 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 83 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $105,167 | $111,769 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $69,338 | $66,592 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $67,420 | $61,516 |
| Computer Science | bachelors | $67,180 | $68,499 |
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $64,493 | $69,338 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $63,005 | $66,171 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusiness | bachelors | $61,020 | $47,260 |
| StatisticsMathematics & Statistics | bachelors | $54,713 | — |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $53,636 | $53,219 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesPhysical Sciences | bachelors | $50,270 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $48,610 | $47,891 |
| Hospitality Administration/ManagementBusiness | bachelors | $48,080 | $44,755 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1899source
- Athletic nickname: "Gators"source
- Cox Stadium seats about 5,000source
- Competes in NCAA Division IIsource
- Mascot: Gatorsource
- Motto: "Experientia Docet (Latin)"source
- Formerly known as "San Francisco State Normal School" (1899–1921)source
- Formerly known as "San Francisco State Teachers College" (1921–1935)source
- Formerly known as "San Francisco State College" (1935–1972)source
- Formerly known as "California State University, San Francisco" (1972–1974)source
- Athletic conference: CCAAsource
- Fight song: ""State Victory Song""source
- Notable alum: Anne Ricesource
- Notable alum: Annette Beningsource
- Notable alum: Kirk Hammettsource
- Notable alum: Rob Schneidersource
- Notable alum: David Carradinesource
Athletics — 8 sports
NCAA Division II without football · NCAA Division II
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $711,845 (M $336,486 · W $375,359)
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to San Francisco State University’s 20,033 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In CA
- University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA · 20,817 undergrads
- California State University-FresnoFresno, CA · 21,070 undergrads
- Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, CA · 21,194 undergrads
- California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · 21,478 undergrads
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · 21,521 undergrads
- Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, CA · 22,011 undergrads
Elsewhere
- University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA · 20,189 undergrads
- East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC · 19,857 undergrads
- University of KansasLawrence, KS · 19,857 undergrads
- University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY · 20,284 undergrads
- University of OregonEugene, OR · 19,758 undergrads
- Utah State UniversityLogan, UT · 20,342 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitesfsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 122597)
- 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
- Compare with University of Southern CaliforniaSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: San Francisco State University vs University of Southern CaliforniaHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 8 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.