SDSU acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
San Diego State University · Public · San Diego, CA · 34,050 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
SDSU admitted 34.4% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 31.2% in 2013. California residents pay $9,180 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $25,500.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 31.2% | 51,163 | 15,970 |
| 2014 | 34.5% | 56,921 | 19,625 |
| 2015 | 34.4% | 59,051 | 20,321 |
| 2016 | 34.6% | 60,834 | 21,072 |
| 2017 | 35.4% | 60,910 | 21,574 |
| 2018 | 34.6% | 69,399 | 23,998 |
| 2019 | 34.1% | 70,048 | 23,905 |
| 2020 | 36.7% | 64,784 | 23,778 |
| 2021 | 37.9% | 67,660 | 25,646 |
| 2022 | 39.3% | 77,250 | 30,331 |
| 2023 | 34.4% | 82,800 | 28,517 |
Applications went from 51,163 in fall 2013 to 82,800 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
Show as table
| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $8,258 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $8,236 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,413 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $13,498 |
| Over $110,000 | $22,130 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $9,180 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $25,500 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $26,045 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $13,243 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly SLO CA | 29.8% | $15,039 in-state |
| UC Merced CA | 39.2% | $16,271 in-state |
| UCSB CA | 27.8% | $16,989 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
SDSU drew 82,800 applications for the fall 2023 class and offered places to 28,517, which works out to a 34.4% admit rate.1 Back in 2013 the rate was 31.2%, so it is now 3.2 percentage points higher.1 The path was uneven, with the rate declining in 4 of the 10 yearly changes between 2013 and 2023.1 Over those years applications grew 62% and admitted students grew 79%, from 15,970 to 28,517.1
The college is test-blind, which means SAT and ACT scores are not used and none are reported for fall 2023.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $9,180 for California residents and $25,500 for those from outside the state.2 The resident price sits above the $8,846 median of the 33 public bachelor's colleges in California.2 Net price after grants climbs with income. In 2024-25 families earning $0 to $30,000 paid $8,258 on average, the $75,001 to $110,000 band paid $13,498, and families earning over $110,000 paid $22,130.2
The graduation rate for students who entered in 2019 was 78% within 6 years, well above the 60% median across 123 California bachelor's colleges.2 Retention of the fall 2023 entering class was 91%.2 Former students earned a median of $73,494 in 2022-23, and graduates who borrowed federally left with a median debt of $14,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 82,800 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 28,517 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 6,162 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 34,050 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-blind | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $9,180 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $25,500 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $26,045 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $13,243 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $8,258 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $8,236 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,413 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $13,498 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $22,130 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 78% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 91% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 35% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $73,494 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $14,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, California (N = 33) | $8,846 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, California (N = 123) | 60% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with SDSU, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page