About

About San Diego State University

public research universityselective admissionsbusiness and engineering focuslarge campus community

San Diego State University is a public research university in San Diego, CA, known for its public research university, selective admissions, and business and engineering focus. With an acceptance rate of 39%, SDSU is selective, typically enrolling around 6,573 students each year. SDSU is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. SDSU offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $10,761 per year; the sticker price of $43,364 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

San Diego State University acceptance rate and admitted student profile

selective

39%
Overall Accept Rate
3.75
Typical Admitted GPA
GPATypical admitted range: 3.50 – 4.00 unweighted

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to San Diego State University

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Application Strategy
SDSU is primarily a GPA and coursework driven school, so make sure your transcript shows consistent grades in a solid course load including honors or AP classes if available at your high school. Admissions officers here weight academic performance heavily, so a strong senior year schedule matters.
Application Strategy
Some majors at SDSU like Nursing, Business, and Engineering are significantly more competitive than others, so research the specific acceptance rates and requirements for your intended major before you apply. If your stats are borderline, consider whether applying undeclared or to a related but less competitive major could improve your chances.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What San Diego State University actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$43k/yr$9.9k
30k-48k~$43k/yr$10.0k
48k-75k~$43k/yr$12.7k
75k-110k~$43k/yr$15.9k
110k+~$43k/yr$23.8k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

78%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$53k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
27:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
29,679
Undergrad Enrollment
San Diego State University Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch