San Diego State University

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,742

4.93% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$13,363

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

2.95%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

35.4%

60,910 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

35,135

85.6% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

74.2%

2,694 Graduates

About

San Diego State University is a higher education institution located in San Diego County, CA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at San Diego State University were General Business Administration & Management (1,303 degrees awarded), General Psychology (589 degrees), and Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (364 degrees).

In 2017, 9,319 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at San Diego State University. 58.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.3% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (3,201 degrees), 1.12 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (2863 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at San Diego State University is $5,742, which is $-20,758 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

Photo by Stuart Seeger

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at San Diego State University is $5,742, which is $-20,758 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $13,363.

In 2017, 52% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 31% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$5,742

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at San Diego State University was $5,742. The cost of tuition at San Diego State University is $-20,758 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

This chart compares the tuition costs of San Diego State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$13,363

2017 Value

6.84%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 San Diego State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $13,363. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of San Diego State University grew by 6.84%.

This chart compares the average net price of San Diego State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$13,431

Room and Board

$1,818

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at San Diego State University was of $13,431 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,818. The cost of room and board decreased by 1.5% between 2016 and 2017. The cost of books and supplies increased by 0.776% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at San Diego State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

52%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

31%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

52% of undergraduate students at San Diego State University received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a decline of 3.7% with respect to 2016, when 54% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at San Diego State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2.95%

2016 Default Rate

155

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at San Diego State University was 2.95%, which represents 155 out of the 5255 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

San Diego State University received 60,910 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 0.125% annual growth. Out of those 60,910 applicants, 21,574 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 35.4% acceptance rate.

There were 35,135 students enrolled at San Diego State University in 2017, and 79% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

San Diego State University has an overall enrollment yield of 24.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

35.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

21,574

Accepted Out of 60,910

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of San Diego State University was 35.4% (21,574 admissions from 60,910 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 34.6%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants grew by 0.125%, while admissions grew by 2.38%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of San Diego State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

79%

Submission Percentage

4,232

Scores Submitted

79% of enrolled first-time students at San Diego State University in 2017 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

San Diego State University has a total enrollment of 35,135 students. The full-time enrollment at San Diego State University is 30,070 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,065. This means that 85.6% of students enrolled at San Diego State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at San Diego State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 34% White, 29.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 6.41% Two or More Races, 3.82% Black or African American, 0.367% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.211% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at San Diego State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Female (18.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (17.3%) and White Male (15.4%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (24.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (18.4%) and White Male (12.5%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

85.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at San Diego State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 35,135 students. The full-time enrollment at San Diego State University is 30,070 and the part-time enrollment is 5,065. This means that 85.6% of students enrolled at San Diego State University are enrolled full-time compared with 78% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at San Diego State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

89%

2017 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at San Diego State University was 89%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), San Diego State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at San Diego State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
11,937
Hispanic or Latino
10,509
Asian
4,471

The enrolled student population at San Diego State University is 34% White, 29.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 6.41% Two or More Races, 3.82% Black or African American, 0.367% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.211% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 51.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.57% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,643 students (4.68%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 1615 more women than men received degrees from San Diego State University. The majority of degree recipients at San Diego State University are white (3,201 degrees awarded). There were 1.12 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (2863 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at San Diego State University is General Business Administration & Management (1,303 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (589 degrees) and Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (364 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at San Diego State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Language & Linguistics (212 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (405 degrees), and Social Sciences (883 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (349,166 people), Other managers (319,983 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (279,360 people), Postsecondary teachers (144,946 people), and Chief executives & legislators (129,388 people).

The most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Language & Linguistics (212 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (405 degrees), Social Sciences (883 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (63 degrees), and Communications (518 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Sales managers, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Surgeons

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Diego State University are Elementary & secondary schools (529,425 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (384,983 people), Legal services (293,444 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (226,460 people), and Computer Systems Design (215,309 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by San Diego State University.

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
1303 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
589 degree-majorss awarded
Criminal Justice - Safety Studies
364 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at San Diego State University was General Business Administration & Management with 1303 degree-majorss awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at San Diego State University according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

3,852
5,467

In 2017, 3,852 degrees were awarded to men at San Diego State University, which is 0.705 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,467).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at San Diego State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 866 degrees were awarded to men at San Diego State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.34 times more than the 648 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 648 degrees were awarded to women at San Diego State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.748 times less than the 866 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

30%

100% Completion Time

68%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 30% of students graduating from San Diego State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 68% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 72% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

White Female

Highest Graduation Rate (78.9%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at San Diego State University is Female and White (78.9% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (68.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.6% of graduates (70 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
3,201 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
2,863 degrees awarded
Asian
1,083 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at San Diego State University is white (3,201 degrees awarded). There were 1.12 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (2863 degrees).

6.4% of degree recipients (596 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
1,886 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
1,792 degrees awarded
White Male
1,315 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at San Diego State University is white female (1,886 degrees awarded). There were 1.05 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino female (1,792 degrees).

Operations

San Diego State University has an endowment valued at nearly $268M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $3.1M (1.16%), compared to the 5.91% average return ($16.9M on $287M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2017, San Diego State University had a total salary expenditure of $572M. San Diego State University employs 331 Professors, 209 Associate professors, and 179 Lecturers. Most academics at San Diego State University are Male Professors (213), Female Lecturers(119), and Female Professors (118).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at San Diego State University are: Office and Administrative Support, with 334 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 300 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 241 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$268M

2017 Endowment

20.2%

growth from 2016

San Diego State University has an endowment valued at about $268M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of San Diego State University grew 20.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $18.1M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at San Diego State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$109k - Federal
$103k - State
$0 - Local

As of 2017, San Diego State University received $109k in grants and contracts from the federal government, $103k from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$225M

2017 Salaries

6.34%

growth from 2016

In 2017, San Diego State University paid a median of $225M in salaries, which represents 39.3% of their overall expenditure ($572M) and a 6.34% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.74% decline from 2015 and a 9.08% growth from 2014.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 215M (42.7% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$87.2M

Instructional Salaries

888

Number of Employees

In 2017, San Diego State University paid a total of $87.2M to 888 employees working as instructors, which represents 38.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $61.3M (31.9%) for similar Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

331 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

334 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at San Diego State University were Professor with 331 employees; Associate professor with 209 employees; and Associate professor with 179 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at San Diego State University were Office and Administrative Support with 334 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 300 employees; and Business and Financial Operations with 241 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Lecturer
Female Professor

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at San Diego State University was Male Professor with 213 employees, Female Lecturer with 119 employees, and Female Professor with 118 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at San Diego State University.

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