San Jose, CA · Public · 27,601 undergraduates · urban
San Jose State University
Less selective
SJSU's central advantage is location: engineering, computing and business students study inside the Silicon Valley labor market.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in mobility, and strong in affordability.- Admission
- 80.2% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 77.8%
35,780 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$78,988 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets San Jose State University apart
Academic design
Engineering, computer science, business, design and applied professional programs dominate many career-oriented pathways.
Campus pattern
Compact campus occupies downtown San Jose within the urban core of Silicon Valley.
Career & value signal
Internships and part-time work can connect directly to technology, hardware, software and semiconductor employers.
Can I get in?
80.2% admitted
Admission is major-specific, and many undergraduate majors use impacted admission standards.
Recent applicant pool
35,780About 80 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
Admission by residency
The same either way
Degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students · Fall 2025
San Jose State University admitted 80.7% of California applicants and 74.7% of applicants from other states. Both groups were admitted at close to the same rate. California students took 96% of the seats in the entering class.
28,137 admitted from 34,882 applicants
1,070 admitted from 1,432 applicants
638 admitted from 810 applicants
With one-year access
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for San Jose State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landWith one-year access
What San Jose State University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Engineering, computer science, business, design and applied professional programs dominate many career-oriented pathways.
Make institutional fit specific
SJSU's central advantage is location: engineering, computing and business students study inside the Silicon Valley labor market.
Use the application route carefully
Admission is major-specific, and many undergraduate majors use impacted admission standards.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Admission is major-specific, and many undergraduate majors use impacted admission standards.
$70 application fee
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Communication and journalismAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Computer scienceAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Health professionsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Hospitality and hotel managementAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
With one-year access
Average annual cost by household income at San Jose State University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Admits separately
Psychology, General
Communication and Media Studies
Admits separately
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Computer Engineering
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
San Jose State University beyond the classroom
Compact campus occupies downtown San Jose within the urban core of Silicon Valley.
A defining academic feature
Engineering, computer science, business, design and applied professional programs dominate many career-oriented pathways.
What shapes an ordinary week
Compact campus occupies downtown San Jose within the urban core of Silicon Valley.
Where the degree can lead
Internships and part-time work can connect directly to technology, hardware, software and semiconductor employers.