Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location San Diego, CA
Population 3,000,000
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 170 (98% 😎)
Sunshine Hours 3,055 (89%)
Days Without Precipitation 322 (96% 🏖️)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 33,192
Men / Women 43% / 57%
From State 75%
From Region 4%
Athletes 1.6%

Racial/Ethnic

Hispanic 36%
White 34%
Asian 13%
Mixed 8%
Black 3%
International 2%
Native American 0%

Schools & Majors

Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
San Diego State University 9,105 43% / 57% 2% $59,622 72 94%
Aerospace Engineering 97 86% / 14% 2% $83,285 93 95%
Civil Engineering 152 72% / 28% 3% $85,665 94 100%
Computer Engineering 64 84% / 16% 3% $101,833 98 98%
Electrical Engineering 73 86% / 14% 8% $89,086 96 93%
Environmental Engineering 38 45% / 55% 3% $77,060 90 98%
Mechanical Engineering 224 82% / 18% 2% $88,292 95 99%
Computer Science 339 +3 83% / 17% 6% $101,716 98 93%
Applied Mathematics 28 +1 68% / 32% 14% $60,665 74 97%
Astronomy 15 67% / 33% 0% $62,436 76
Atomic/Molecular Physics 3 67% / 33% 0% $62,952 77
Chemistry 33 42% / 58% 3% $59,638 72 94%
Geosciences 9 +2 100% / 0% 0% $64,187 79 100%
Mathematics 39 46% / 54% 0% $50,549 53 94%
Physical Sciences 1 100% / 0% 0% $62,970 77
Physics 9 89% / 11% 0% $62,456 76
Statistics 52 +1 56% / 44% 6% $72,404 86 100%
Biology 256 +1 30% / 70% 3% $62,404 76 93%
Microbiology 26 31% / 69% 4% $70,702 85 100%
Environmental Science 50 40% / 60% 0% $51,838 56 96%
Environmental Studies 64 +2 33% / 67% 3% $51,838 56 96%
Nutritional Sciences 66 17% / 83% 2% $48,036 46 100%
Athletic Training $46,734 42 95%
Communicative Disorders 98 +1 3% / 97% 0% $66,927 82 91%
Kinesiology 381 43% / 57% 2% $57,576 69 94%
Nursing 224 13% / 87% 0% $97,733 98 98%
Public Health 175 13% / 87% 1% $53,081 59 100%
Business Administration 2,210 +8 55% / 45% 2% $66,115 81 94%
Economics 181 +3 69% / 31% 6% $68,984 83 88%
Hospitality Management 58 19% / 81% 5% $52,126 57 93%
International Business 98 39% / 61% 1% $55,894 65 97%
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 25 44% / 56% 4% $55,792 65 100%
Africana Studies 9 67% / 33% 0% $39,502 21 94%
Anthropology 36 25% / 75% 0% $47,056 43 95%
Asian Studies 3 33% / 67% 0% $39,755 22
Chicana and Chicano Studies 8 +1 25% / 75% 0% $39,502 21 94%
Classical Humanities 1 100% / 0% 0% $38,366 18
Communication Studies 336 +4 38% / 62% 2% $53,110 59 94%
Comparative Literature 1 0% / 100% 0% $37,409 16 93%
English 139 +1 26% / 74% 0% $44,915 37 93%
Ethnic Studies 2 50% / 50% 0% $39,502 21 94%
European Studies 2 50% / 50% 0%
French 2 +1 0% / 100% 0% $39,046 20 86%
Geography 23 70% / 30% 0% $50,553 53 100%
Geography and Environmental Studies 9 +1 78% / 22% 0%
German 1 0% / 100% 0% $38,316 18
Gerontology 5 20% / 80% 0% $44,585 36
Health Communication 19 21% / 79% 0% $61,474 75 97%
History 93 +2 71% / 29% 3% $40,632 24 95%
Humanities 7 14% / 86% 0% $51,761 56 93%
Interdisciplinary Social Sciences 40 +1 68% / 32% 0% $28,340 5 94%
Interdisciplinary Studies 160 +2 45% / 55% 2% $42,665 30 88%
International Security and Conflict Resolution 45 +6 51% / 49% 2% $59,603 72 97%
International Studies 15 +2 13% / 87% 13% $54,012 61
Islamic Studies 1 0% / 100% 0% $46,077 40
Japanese 6 +8 83% / 17% 0% $22,521 2 74%
Jewish Studies $44,908 37
Journalism 166 +3 27% / 73% 2% $47,061 43 100%
Latin American Studies +1 $39,930 22
Liberal Studies 254 11% / 89% 0% $51,761 56 93%
Linguistics 9 44% / 56% 0% $37,409 16 93%
Linguistics and Anthropology 4 +1 25% / 75% 0% $44,688 36
Native American Studies 6 83% / 17% 0% $39,502 21
Philosophy 27 +4 67% / 33% 0% $46,532 42 94%
Political Science 180 +7 38% / 62% 1% $63,131 77 94%
Psychology 759 +15 19% / 81% 1% $40,982 25 94%
Public Administration 48 +1 48% / 52% 0% $45,216 38 94%
Religious Studies 4 +1 50% / 50% 0% $45,674 39
Russian +1 $38,200 18
Social Work 102 15% / 85% 0% $47,884 46 93%
Sociology 146 +17 23% / 77% 1% $44,790 36 97%
Spanish 36 +13 28% / 72% 3% $39,046 20 86%
Women's Studies 9 +6 0% / 100% 0% $39,502 21 94%
Writing 8 +2 38% / 62% 0% $46,844 43
Early Childhood Education 154 1% / 99% 0% $40,699 24 92%
Art 327 +4 29% / 71% 2% $36,405 14 78%
Dance 21 10% / 90% 0% $31,814 8
Music 2 100% / 0% 0% $30,467 7 100%
Music Performance 49 +1 69% / 31% 2% $30,467 7 100%
Musical Theatre 9 22% / 78% 0% $25,224 3 96%
Television, Film, and New Media 93 +3 62% / 38% 2% $47,175 44 85%
Theatre 37 +1 22% / 78% 3% $25,224 3 96%
Urban Studies 18 61% / 39% 0% $57,614 69
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 14 71% / 29% 0% $87,647 95 100%
Construction Management 25 84% / 16% 0% $92,250 97
Criminal Justice 547 +13 36% / 64% 0% $49,480 50 96%

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $8,946
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $21,998
Est. In-State Cost $11,573
Est. Out-of-State Cost $28,457
ROI Percentile 72th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 91%
4-Year Graduation Rate 56%
6-Year Graduation Rate 76%
Transfer-Out Rate 2%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

% Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 29.9% 2,721 30% / 70% 1% $46,687 42 94%
Business & Economics 28.2% 2,572 55% / 45% 3% $65,512 80 93%
Health Sciences 9.6% 878 25% / 75% 1% $67,969 83 96%
Engineering 7.1% 648 79% / 21% 3% $87,694 95 98%
Professional 6.4% 586 39% / 61% 0% $52,216 57 96%
Arts 6.1% 556 38% / 62% 2% $37,250 16 83%
Computer Science 3.7% 339 83% / 17% 6% $101,716 98 93%
Life & Natural Sciences 3.1% 282 30% / 70% 3% $63,169 77 94%
Physical Sciences & Math 2.1% 189 58% / 42% 4% $62,070 76 97%
Agriculture & Food Science 2.0% 180 29% / 71% 2% $50,444 53 97%
Education 1.7% 154 1% / 99% 0% $40,699 24 92%

Research R1

Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Humanities & Social Sciences $49.9M #38 50% $0 14 #211 118 26
Health Sciences $28.9M #92 53% $0.0M 16 #106 112 12
Physical Sciences & Math $21.6M #126 47% $0.0M 10 #167 93 23
Life & Natural Sciences $19.7M #129 45% $0.1M 9 #153 75 28
Engineering $17.1M #159 37% $0.8M 7 #193 68 22
Business & Economics $11.0M #62 8% $0 1
Education $8.2M #62 46% $0 74 #30
Computer Science $3.0M #167 31% $0.0M 12 #81 32
Agriculture & Food Science $1.3M #147 96% $0
Total $160M #133 45% $0.9M 142 #141 498 112

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 37%
Yield (Unbound) 19%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 31% 91% 59%

Standardized Tests

Test Policy blind