Pomona vs. San Jose State

Should I go to Pomona College or San Jose State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pomona 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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Pomona College vs. San Jose State University comparison
Pomona College San Jose State University College 3 College 4
Pomona College San Jose State University
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Overview

Pomona San Jose State
Location Claremont, CA San Jose, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,664 36,062
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #20 #571
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pomona.edu sjsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pomona San Jose State
Tuition (In State) $61,906 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $61,906 $17,622
Room & Board $20,374 $19,866
Avg Net Price $17,423 $13,833
Avg Grant Aid $63,773 $11,311
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 61%

Admission

Pomona San Jose State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,121 35,780
Admitted 819 28,708
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 80.2%
Enrolled % 49.8% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.35
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Moderate
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 19/26
SAT Range 1480/1560 1010/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 8, 2026 Dec 15, 2025

Academics

Pomona San Jose State
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

Pomona San Jose State
Graduation Rate 95% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,500 $59,900
Making Student Loan Payments - 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $113 $155

Diversity

Pomona San Jose State
% Men 1% 9%
% Women 1% 15%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 19%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Pomona San Jose State
% In-State 30% 96%
% Out-of-State 51% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • San Jose State University is larger than than Pomona based on total student enrollment (36,062 students vs. 1,664 students)

Pomona vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison

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

  • Pomona College is 978.1% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($61,906.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 251.3% higher at Pomona than San Jose State University ($61,906.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than Pomona ($13,833 vs. $17,423)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Jose State University are 2.6% lower than costs at Pomona College ($19,866 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Jose State University than Pomona College (61% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pomona College students is 463.8% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($63,773 vs. $11,311)

Pomona vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Pomona 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 Pomona .

  • The average SAT score at Pomona College (1435) is 380 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming Pomona students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Pomona students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (80.2%) than Pomona (6.8%)

Pomona vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pomona 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 Pomona.

  • The graduation rate at Pomona is higher than San Jose State University (95% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Pomona College earn on average $10,600 more per year than San Jose State graduates after ten years. ($70,500 vs. $59,900)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than San Jose State graduates. ($11,000 vs. $15,000)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than San Jose State graduates. ($113 vs. $155)

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