San Jose State vs. ISU

Should I go to San Jose State University or Illinois State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if San Jose State or ISU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
San Jose State University vs. Illinois State University comparison
San Jose State University Illinois State University College 3 College 4
San Jose State University Illinois State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

San Jose State ISU
Location San Jose, CA Normal, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 35,751 20,683
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #558 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sjsu.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Jose State ISU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $23,681
Room & Board $18,568 $10,602
Avg Net Price $14,219 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $9,210 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 97%

Admission

San Jose State ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,002 19,596
Admitted 26,083 16,899
Acceptance Rate 76.7% 86.2%
Enrolled % 15.5% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.35 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 21/27
SAT Range 1010/1240 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

San Jose State ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

San Jose State ISU
Graduation Rate 46% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,900 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $155 $227

Diversity

San Jose State ISU
% Men 48% 42%
% Women 52% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 19% 77%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 26% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

San Jose State ISU
% In-State 96% 96%
% Out-of-State 1% 3%

Campus

San Jose State ISU
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 Jose State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (35,751 students vs. 20,683 students)

San Jose State vs. ISU Cost Comparison

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

  • Illinois State University is 106.2% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.4% higher at ISU than San Jose State University ($23,681.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than ISU ($14,219 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 75.1% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($10,602 vs. $18,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than San Jose State University (97% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 26.2% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($11,619 vs. $9,210)

San Jose State vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 35 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than San Jose State (76.7%)

San Jose State vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Jose State or ISU? 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 ISU and San Jose State.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than San Jose State University (71% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Jose State University earn on average $10,900 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($59,900 vs. $49,000)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,000)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($155 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)

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