San Diego State University

San Diego State University Overview

San Diego State University is a public, state school in the city of San Diego, California. SDSU was founded in 1897 and the school now enrolls around 35,732 students per year, including 30,865 undergraduate students. SDSU ensures housing for up to 6,282 students. Most students live in off campus housing.

📆 Mark your calendar! The deadline to apply regular decision to SDSU for Fall 2023 is November 30. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2023 should find out if they have been admitted by March 31.

Student Activities at SDSU

Interested in music or performing? At SDSU you can join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? SDSU students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Excited for Greek life? SDSU has both fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? SDSU has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at SDSU on the Student Life page.

Is SDSU a Good School?

The definition of a "good school" can mean different things for different people. Admissions difficulty, admitted student statistics, tuition, and financial aid can provide a sense of how selective a college is.

Let's take a look at these factors to get a clearer view of what SDSU offers and if the school seems like the right college for you.

SDSU Acceptance Rate 2022

It is moderately difficult to get into SDSU. SDSU admitted 38% of all applicants in 2022. Out of 67,660 applications received in 2022, 25,646 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at SDSU

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. Retention measures how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Approximately 90% of students who start at SDSU return for their second year of college. Around 78% of students who started at SDSU earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.

Job Outlook SDSU Graduates

Job placement statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers.

Check with SDSU directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

SDSU's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.

As of 2022, the total market value of San Diego State University's endowment was $418.1 million. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021. The school spends $11,285 for each full-time student enrolled.

Tuition and Financial Aid at SDSU

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

SDSU meets 55% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $10,542 a year.

In 2020, students graduated with an average of $21,552 in student loans for each student with debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! No one should ever pay to fill out the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid, (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at SDSU.

Based on this information, is SDSU the school for you? Remember, the best school for one person may be a terrible fit for someone else! So ask yourself: Is SDSU a good school for you?

If San Diego State University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

Still Exploring Schools?

To learn more about SDSU, choose from the options below:

Admissions

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

SDSU Community Forums

Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting accepted at some of the best colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is SDSU?

SDSU is located in the urban setting of San Diego, California, less than an hour from San Diego.

If you are interested in seeing SDSU for yourself, be sure to plan a visit! The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 8 to San Diego, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Lindbergh Field.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what SDSU and San Diego are like without leaving home.

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