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San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

San Jose State University at a glance

San Jose State University is a public university in San Jose, California with 37,661 students (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). It admitted 85% of applicants (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Its published in-state tuition is $8,410 (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25); students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $13,760 a year after grants (College Scorecard, a prior cohort). 69% of students finish within the federal tracking window (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021); 20% of students take federal loans, and borrowers leave with a median $15,000 (College Scorecard).

Tuition

$8,410

2024-25

Acceptance

85%

Fall 2024 applicants

Students

37,661

Fall 2024

Type

University

Setting

Urban

Cost & Financial Aid

In-State Tuition

$8,410

Out-of-State Tuition

$21,010

Avg On-Campus Living

$20,971

Avg Off-Campus Living

$22,086

Financial Aid & Outcomes

College Scorecard

What will it actually cost?

Sticker price: $29,381
Net price (after aid): $13,760

Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.

Net price by family income

$0 – $30k: $9,730
$30k – $48k: $10,114
$48k – $75k: $12,099
$75k – $110k: $15,102
$110k+: $22,862

Can federal loans cover it? (2026 limits)

At every income level reported here, the average net price is within the $25,500 a first-year dependent student and their parents can borrow from the federal government for loans made from 1 July 2026.

The ceiling is $5,500 in the student’s own Direct Loan plus up to $20,000 in Parent PLUS, which requires that the parent has no adverse credit history. Net prices are averages for a prior cohort of aid recipients, not a quote. Source: Federal Student Aid loan limits. Where this gap is largest.

After graduation

Median earnings (10yr): $78,988
Median debt at graduation: $15,000
Est. monthly loan payment: $159

Earnings-to-debt ratio

Strong · 5.3×

Graduates earn about 5.3× their median debt every year.

Financial access

Students on Pell Grants: 35%

Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.

Students with federal loans: 20%

Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.

Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.

How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.

FAFSA earnings check

: Not flagged

San Jose State University does not trigger the FAFSA's "lower earnings" notice. Its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $94,506, above the $36,565 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in California.

This is one figure for the whole institution, not for any program: earnings differ by credential and field. It covers graduates who completed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, received federal aid, and were working and not enrolled when earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, in January 2026 dollars. The Department says the notice is informational only: it does not change aid eligibility. Source: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Data Center, March 2026 release. Which colleges are flagged, and what changed.

Which California schools are flagged now

Student Outcomes

Graduation Rate

69%

Freshman Retention

87%

Source: IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25 (provisional release)

Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.

Scholarships available

Decision support · Cost & value

Quick Decision Highlights

The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.

Cost advantage

Affordable public option

In-state tuition in the lower range for public universities.

This school$8.4k
Public 4-yr avg$11k
Source: IPEDS 2024

Lower net price

$13.8k below avg

Strong aid for lower incomes

Reported net price for the $0–30k band runs below average.

Strong post-grad earnings

$79k above avg

Affordability snapshot

In-state tuition

$8.4k

below avg

Out-of-state

$21k

below avg

Net price

$13.8k

below avg

Pell

35%

above avg

Median debt

$15k

below avg

Earnings (10y)

$79k

above avg

“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.

Admissions

Acceptance rate

85%

SAT range

Institution does not report this

Institution does not report this

ACT range

Institution does not report this

Institution does not report this

Source: IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024 (provisional release)

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Location

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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school

Institution does not report this

San Jose, CA 95192

Academics

Studying online: a substantial share study entirely online

In Fall 2023, 5,358 of San Jose State University's 36,062 students (15%) were enrolled entirely at a distance. A further 17,954 (50%) took at least one distance course alongside in-person study.

Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.

U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023

Fields of study

San Jose State University reported conferring credentials in 93 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.

Campus & Student Life

Area Safety Rating

Decision support

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Frequently asked questions

About San Jose State University

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is San Jose State University located?
San Jose State University is located in San Jose, CA, in the United States.
What type of institution is San Jose State University?
San Jose State University is a public university based in CA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
What is the acceptance rate at San Jose State University?
The most recently reported acceptance rate at San Jose State University is approximately 85% (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.
What is the tuition at San Jose State University?
San Jose State University's published in-state tuition is approximately $8,410 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
How many students attend San Jose State University?
San Jose State University reports total enrollment of approximately 37,661 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
How much does San Jose State University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at San Jose State University is approximately $13,760 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $9,730 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $22,862. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
What is the graduation rate at San Jose State University?
San Jose State University reports a graduation rate of approximately 69% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
How much student debt do graduates of San Jose State University have?
Students who borrowed at San Jose State University left with a median of approximately $15,000 in federal loans, and about 20% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
How much do graduates of San Jose State University earn?
Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $78,988 for students who received federal financial aid at San Jose State University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
How should I verify final details about San Jose State University?
CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with San Jose State University.
Does San Jose State University get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?
No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, San Jose State University's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $94,506, above the $36,565 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in California, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.

Fields this college awarded credentials in

The 14 largest of 93 fields San Jose State University reported, by credentials conferred in 2024-25, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.

Fields San Jose State University reported conferring credentials in during 2024-25, with the number awarded and the highest credential level.
FieldAwardedLevel
Business Administration, Management and Operations1,853Graduate (214 graduate · 1,639 bachelor's)
Library Science and Administration846Graduate
Psychology, General541Graduate (17 graduate · 524 bachelor's)
Computer Engineering455Graduate (230 graduate · 225 bachelor's)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods411Graduate (247 graduate · 164 bachelor's)
Computer Science323Graduate (123 graduate · 200 bachelor's)
Social Work287Graduate (244 graduate · 43 bachelor's)
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness259Graduate (18 graduate · 241 bachelor's)
Data Science252Graduate (225 graduate · 27 bachelor's)
Design and Applied Arts234Graduate (5 graduate · 229 bachelor's)
Fine and Studio Arts229Graduate (13 graduate · 216 bachelor's)
Criminal Justice and Corrections218Graduate (12 graduate · 206 bachelor's)
Mechanical Engineering214Graduate (38 graduate · 176 bachelor's)
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering212Graduate (99 graduate · 113 bachelor's)

Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Data sources & methodology

Reporting period: 2024. Last verified: June 10, 2026.

Facts on this profile of San Jose State University are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Suggested citation

CampusPin. (2024). San Jose State University, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/san-jose-state-university

About this information

CampusPin compiles college information from recent publicly available data, including federal and institutional sources. College information can change as institutions and public agencies release new data.

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