San Diego State Acceptance Rate & Chances CDS VERIFIED

San Diego, California (West) · 31,000 undergrads · ~53 avg class size · 24:1 student-faculty · $8,728/yr sticker

public Tier 4

Acceptance rate

36.0%

GPA mid-50%

3.7–4.05

SAT mid-50%

Test-blind

ACT mid-50%

Test-blind

Median earnings (10yr)

$64K

CDS-based estimates from recent admissions cycles. Verify on the school's official site.

36.0% is the average applicant's shot. Your odds depend on your GPA, scores, and hooks. See where you actually stand.

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Chances by GPA: 3.0 GPA · 3.5 GPA · 3.7 GPA · 3.9 GPA · 4.0 GPA

Acceptance by round

same school, very different odds by round

By application round

Regular Decision35.9%

State residency

In-state40.0%

Out-of-state32.0%

What San Diego State weighs in admissions (3 factors they call very important)

From San Diego State's Common Data Set (Section C7) — the factors they say matter most, and the ones they don't.

Weighs most heavily

Course rigorGPAState residency

Considered

Class rankTest scoresFirst-generationGeography

Does not consider

Essays, Recommendations, Interview, Extracurriculars, Talent / ability, Character, Legacy, Religious affiliation, Volunteer work, Work experience, Demonstrated interest

Career outcomes · 10 sources

$52K

Entry

$64K

10-year

$64K

Mid-career

Median graduate earnings · 1.7 yrs to pay back 4 yrs of cost · est. lifetime ROI $306K.
Earnings cross-referenced across 10 sources (College Scorecard, Opportunity Insights, Georgetown CEW, FREOPP, PayScale, and more).

Where this leads

Real career pipelines from this school, based on alumni outcomes and recruiting patterns.

Biotech/pharma manufacturing in San Diego County: strong local talent pipeline.
Military/defense contracting (General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman): proximity advantage, security clearance culture.
Real estate development: local market knowledge, builder networks, competitive entry point.
Tech startups: growing but overshadowed by SF/LA, not elite venture capital.
Tourism/hospitality operations: abundant entry roles, limited ceiling for ambitious grads.

About San Diego State

Southern Cal CSU. Strong international business, hospitality, journalism. Good weather and price for Californians.

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Reference links

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