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#10 Best Public Universities in California

San Diego State Admission Requirements

San Diego, California

 3 Reviews

Chances of getting into San Diego State University

Acceptance Rate

Admitted 
38%
Admission Difficulty for San Diego State University
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Difficult 
Applicant Competition High 
How hard is it to get into San Diego State and can I get accepted?

The acceptance rate at San Diego State is 38%.  It ranks #18 in California and #129 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. San Diego State is a highly competitive school to get into with a lesser chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Last year, 25,646 out of 67,660 applicants were admitted.

The school has difficult admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 40 percent on standardized admission tests. San Diego State University typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.82. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top quarter of their high school class. 21% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

The San Diego State application fee is $70 and applications are due by Nov 30.

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required or recommended by San Diego State University.

San Diego State SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 
1090-1300
Applicants Submitting SAT 
84%
SAT Scores for San Diego State University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 550
SAT Math 25th 540
SAT Composite 25th 1090
SAT Scores for San Diego State University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 640
SAT Math 75th 660
SAT Composite 75th 1300
Average SAT Score 1200

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to San Diego State University?

San Diego State University is a test optional school meaning applicants are not required to submit SAT scores with their application. The position on SAT scores from the school is "neither required nor recommended".

Students who get into San Diego State University score in the top 43 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1090-1300.

Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

San Diego State University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1300 and Above Good >54%
1195 to 1300 Avg + 38%-54%
1090 to 1195 Avg - 24%-38%
985 to 1090 Reach 15%-24%
Less than 985 Low <15%
Calculate My Chances 

San Diego State ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 
22-29 
Applicants Submitting ACT 
43%
ACT Scores for San Diego State University
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 21
ACT Math 25th 21
ACT Composite 25th 22
ACT Scores for San Diego State University
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 30
ACT Math 75th 27
ACT Composite 75th 29
Average ACT Score 25

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into San Diego State?

San Diego State University is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "neither required nor recommended".

San Diego State regularly accepts students who score 22 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 37 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 22-29.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

San Diego State University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
29 and Above Good >56%
25 to 29 Avg + 38%-56%
22 to 25 Avg - 26%-38%
19 to 22 Reach 17%-26%
Less than 19 Low <17%
Calculate My Chances 

San Diego State GPA

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 
3.82
Typical High School Grades 
A-

What GPA do you need to get into San Diego State University?

Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into San Diego State. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at San Diego State University was 3.82 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #18 in California for highest average GPA. Even with a competitive GPA, admission to San Diego State will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.

 What do these ratings mean?

Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements

High School GPA's for admitted San Diego State University students
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness 
4.0 33.8% Good
3.75 to 3.99 31.5% Avg
3.50 to 3.74 19.6% Reach
3.25 to 3.49 9.6% Reach
3.00 to 3.24 4.1% Reach
2.50 to 2.99 1.2% Reach
2.00 to 2.49 0.2% Low
1.00 to 1.99 0% Low
less than 1.00 0% Low

GPA Data Source, Peterson's Data 2022

High School Class Rank

61% of San Diego State University freshman were in the top twenty five percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted San Diego State University students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 24%
Top 25% of class 61%
Top 50% of class 91%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

San Diego State University admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 40,237 27,423 67,660
Accepted 16,060 9,586 25,646
Acceptance Rate 40% 35% 38%
Enrolled 3,195 2,074 5,269
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 20% 22% 21%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

Applications were Due
Nov 30, 2022
Days left to Apply
None

The application deadline for Fall 2023 has passed. Applications were due on Nov 30, 2022.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to San Diego State University is $70.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to San Diego State University and what student information is used for admission decisions?

San Diego State University Application Requirements
Test Scores Neither required nor recommended
High School GPA Required
High School Class Rank Neither required nor recommended
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Neither required nor recommended
Demonstration of Competencies Neither required nor recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at San Diego State University
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No
Other Colleges to Consider 

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=122409 IPEDS survey data for San Diego State University.

FAQs

Does San Diego State University prefer SAT or ACT?

84% of students submit their SAT scores to San Diego State. 43% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into San Diego State University?

38% of those who apply are granted admission to San Diego State. Admission competition is high and the college has difficult admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for San Diego State University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1090 and 1300. 84% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for San Diego State University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 22 and 29. 43% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.