San Diego State University

www.sdsu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,742

2021 Average Net Price

$6,867

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.18%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

37.9%

67,660 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

36,484

85.1% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

76.1%

3,773 Graduates

About

San Diego State University is a higher education institution located in San Diego County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at San Diego State University were General Business Administration & Management (1,770 degrees awarded), General Psychology (601 degrees), and General Health & Physical Education (416 degrees).

In 2021, 10,590 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at San Diego State University. 59% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,590 degrees), 1.06 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (3,382 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at San Diego State University is $5,742, which is $−23,250 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Stuart Seeger

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at San Diego State University is $5,742, which is $−23,250 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $6,867.

In 2021, 53% of undergraduate students attending San Diego State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 20% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,742

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at San Diego State University was $5,742. The cost of tuition at San Diego State University is $−23,250 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of San Diego State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$6,867

2021 Value

47.9%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 San Diego State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $6,867. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of San Diego State University grew by 47.9%.

This chart compares the average net price of San Diego State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,196

Room and Board

$1,079

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at San Diego State University was of $16,196 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 3.54% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,079. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 45.2% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at San Diego State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

53%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

20%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

53% of undergraduate students at San Diego State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2020, when 53% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at San Diego State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.18%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at San Diego State University was 1.18%, which represents 61 out of the 5164 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

San Diego State University received 67,660 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 4.44% annual growth. Out of those 67,660 applicants, 25,646 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 37.9% acceptance rate.

There were 36,484 students enrolled at San Diego State University in 2021. 85% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

San Diego State University has an overall enrollment yield of 20.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

37.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

25,646

Accepted Out of 67,660

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of San Diego State University was 37.9% (25,646 admissions from 67,660 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 36.7%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 4.44%, while admissions grew by 7.86%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of San Diego State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

85%

Submission Percentage (2020)

4,132

Scores Submitted (2020)

85% of enrolled first-time students at San Diego State University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

San Diego State University had a total enrollment of 36,484 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at San Diego State University is 31,032 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,452. This means that 85.1% of students enrolled at San Diego State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at San Diego State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 34.3% White, 33.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 6.56% Two or More Races, 4.09% Black or African American, 0.285% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.271% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at San Diego State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (20%), followed by White Female (19.9%) and White Male (14.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (23.6%), followed by White Female (23.4%) and White Male (11.6%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

85.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at San Diego State University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 36,484 students. The full-time enrollment at San Diego State University is 31,032 and the part-time enrollment is 5,452. This means that 85.1% of students enrolled at San Diego State University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at San Diego State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

90%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at San Diego State University was 90%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), San Diego State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at San Diego State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
12,499 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
12,095 enrolled students
Asian
4,663 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at San Diego State University is 34.3% White, 33.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 6.56% Two or More Races, 4.09% Black or African American, 0.285% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.271% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,128 students (3.09%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,904 more women than men received degrees from San Diego State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at San Diego State University is white (3,590 degrees awarded). There were 1.06 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (3382 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at San Diego State University is General Business Administration & Management (1,770 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (601 degrees) and General Health & Physical Education (416 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at San Diego State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (454 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (555 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (157 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Other managers (369,010 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (368,823 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (270,149 people), Postsecondary teachers (162,868 people), and Chief executives & legislators (159,613 people).

The most specialized majors at San Diego State University in 2021 are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (454 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (555 degrees), Language & Linguistics (157 degrees), Communications (531 degrees), and Social Sciences (845 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Sales engineers

The most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (454 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (555 degrees), Language & Linguistics (157 degrees), Communications (531 degrees), and Social Sciences (845 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Elementary & secondary schools (611,078 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (427,384 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (310,885 people), Legal services (306,061 people), and Computer Systems Design (277,070 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by San Diego State University.

Most Common (2021)

General Business Administration & Management
1,770 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
601 degree-majors awarded
General Health & Physical Education
416 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at San Diego State University was General Business Administration & Management with 1,770 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at San Diego State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

4,343

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

6,247

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 4,343 degrees were awarded to men at San Diego State University, which is 0.695 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (6,247).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at San Diego State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 1042 degrees were awarded to men at San Diego State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.21 times more than the 861 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 861 degrees were awarded to men at San Diego State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.826 times less than the 1042 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

39%

100% Completion Time

73%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 39% of students graduating from San Diego State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 73% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 75% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (86.6%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at San Diego State University is Female and Asian (86.6% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.94% of graduates (111 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
3,590 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
3,382 degrees awarded
Asian
1,246 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at San Diego State University is white (3,590 degrees awarded). There were 1.06 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (3382 degrees).

4.63% of degree recipients (490 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
2,170 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
2,121 degrees awarded
White Male
1,420 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at San Diego State University is white female (2,170 degrees awarded). There were 1.02 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino female (2121 degrees).

Operations

San Diego State University has an endowment valued at nearly $418M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 32M (7.65%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, San Diego State University had a total salary expenditure of 832M. San Diego State University employs 293 Professors, 248 Associate professors and 219 Lecturers. Most academics at San Diego State University are Male Professor (190), Male Associate professor (136), and Female Lecturer (124).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at San Diego State University are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 412 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 278 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 271 employees.

Endowment

$418M

2021 Endowment

18.3%

growth from 2020

San Diego State University has an endowment valued at about $418M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of San Diego State University grew 18.3% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $30.5M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at San Diego State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$264M

2021 Salaries

2.92%

decline from 2020

In 2021, San Diego State University paid a median of $264M in salaries, which represents 31.7% of their overall expenditure ($832M) and a 2.92% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$99M

Instructional Salaries

974

Number of Employees

In 2021, San Diego State University paid a total of $99M to 974 employees working as instructors, which represents 37.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

293 Employees

Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

412 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at San Diego State University were Professor with 293 employees, Associate professor with 248 employees, and Lecturer with 219 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at San Diego State University were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 412 employees, Business and Financial Operations with 278 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 271 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Lecturer

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at San Diego State University was Male Professor with 190 employees, Male Associate professor with 136 employees, and Female Lecturer with 124 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at San Diego State University.