San Diego State vs. San Jose State

Should I go to San Diego State University or San Jose State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if San Diego State or San Jose State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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San Diego State University vs. San Jose State University comparison
San Diego State University San Jose State University College 3 College 4
San Diego State University San Jose State University
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Overview

San Diego State San Jose State
Location San Diego, CA San Jose, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,402 35,751
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #558
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu sjsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State San Jose State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $19,714 $18,568
Avg Net Price $13,017 $14,219
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $9,210
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 59%

Admission

San Diego State San Jose State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 34,002
Admitted 30,331 26,083
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 76.7%
Enrolled % 21.7% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.35
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 19/26
SAT Range 1090/1300 1010/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Dec 15, 2023

Academics

San Diego State San Jose State
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

San Diego State San Jose State
Graduation Rate 66% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $59,900
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $158 $155

Diversity

San Diego State San Jose State
% Men 42% 48%
% Women 58% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 19%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 31% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

San Diego State San Jose State
% In-State 77% 96%
% Out-of-State 21% 1%

Campus

San Diego State San Jose State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Diego State University is larger than than San Jose State based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 35,751 students)

San Diego State vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or San Jose State?

  • San Diego State University and San Jose State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at San Diego State as San Jose State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than San Jose State ($13,017 vs. $14,219)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Jose State University are 6.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($18,568 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Jose State University than San Diego State University (59% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 7.9% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($9,934 vs. $9,210)

San Diego State vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or San Jose State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Jose State or San Diego State .

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 75 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State or San Jose State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between San Jose State and San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than San Jose State University (66% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Jose State University earn on average $6,500 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($59,900 vs. $53,400)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $349 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($15,000 vs. $15,349)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($155 vs. $158)
  • More San Jose State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 65%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/