CSU vs. San Jose State

Should I go to California State University Chico or San Jose State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or San Jose State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California State University Chico vs. San Jose State University comparison
California State University Chico San Jose State University College 3 College 4
California State University Chico San Jose State University
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Overview

CSU San Jose State
Location Chico, CA San Jose, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 14,183 35,751
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #558
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu sjsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU San Jose State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $15,212 $18,568
Avg Net Price $15,517 $14,219
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $9,210
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 59%

Admission

CSU San Jose State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 34,002
Admitted 20,347 26,083
Acceptance Rate 95% 76.7%
Enrolled % 9.9% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.35
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/26
SAT Range 970/1170 1010/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

CSU San Jose State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

CSU San Jose State
Graduation Rate 59% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $59,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $155

Diversity

CSU San Jose State
% Men 45% 48%
% Women 55% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 19%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 29% 26%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

CSU San Jose State
% In-State 97% 96%
% Out-of-State 2% 1%

Campus

CSU San Jose State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Jose State University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (35,751 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or San Jose State?

  • California State University Chico and San Jose State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at CSU as San Jose State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than CSU ($14,219 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 22.1% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($15,212 vs. $18,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico than San Jose State University (62% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Jose State University students is 0.5% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($9,210 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or San Jose State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Jose State or CSU .

  • The average SAT score at San Jose State University (1055) is 52 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming San Jose State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than San Jose State (76.7%)

CSU vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or San Jose State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between San Jose State and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than San Jose State University (59% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Jose State University earn on average $7,500 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($59,900 vs. $52,400)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $17,000)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($155 vs. $175)
  • More San Jose State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/