SFSU acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
San Francisco State University · Public · San Francisco, CA · 20,756 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
SFSU admitted 96.1% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 63.8% in 2013. California residents pay $8,324 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $21,644.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 63.8% | 31,462 | 20,070 |
| 2014 | 66.0% | 31,963 | 21,087 |
| 2015 | 67.9% | 35,122 | 23,841 |
| 2016 | 68.2% | 36,223 | 24,704 |
| 2017 | 70.5% | 34,524 | 24,327 |
| 2018 | 71.8% | 35,606 | 25,550 |
| 2019 | 67.3% | 34,629 | 23,307 |
| 2020 | 84.1% | 31,430 | 26,431 |
| 2021 | 92.9% | 27,777 | 25,809 |
| 2022 | 94.2% | 29,932 | 28,195 |
| 2023 | 96.1% | 29,878 | 28,727 |
Applications went from 31,462 in fall 2013 to 29,878 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $6,699 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,385 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $8,572 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,150 |
| Over $110,000 | $20,813 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $8,324 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $21,644 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $25,244 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $9,803 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno State CA | 96.4% | $8,224 in-state |
| CSUSM CA | 95.7% | $8,454 in-state |
| Chico State CA | 93.7% | $8,896 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
San Francisco State admitted 96.1% of the 29,878 students who applied for fall 2023.1 In 2013 the admit rate was 63.8%, a gain of 32.3 percentage points through 2023.1 It declined in only 1 of the 10 yearly comparisons and jumped to 84.1% in 2020.1 Applications slipped 5% over the span, from 31,462 to 29,878, while admitted students rose 43%, from 20,070 to 28,727.1
The university is test-blind for fall 2023 and reports no score ranges.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $8,324 for California residents and $21,644 for nonresidents, and the resident price is below the $8,846 median of 33 public bachelor's colleges in California.2 The 2024-25 average net price rises with income, from $6,699 at $0 to $30,000 to $8,572 at $48,001 to $75,000 and $20,813 over $110,000.2
50% of the 2019 entrants finished within 6 years, under the 60% median across 123 California colleges.2 Of fall 2023 entrants, 83% came back, and 46% of undergraduates received Pell grants.2 Earnings have a median of $73,299 10 years after entry, a little above the $70,012 state median, and borrowers carry a median of $15,000.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 29,878 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 28,727 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,985 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 20,756 | 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 | $8,324 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $21,644 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $25,244 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $9,803 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $6,699 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,385 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $8,572 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,150 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $20,813 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 50% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 83% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 46% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $73,299 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $15,000 | 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 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, California (N = 129) | $70,012 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
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 SFSU, 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