San Diego State vs. Georgia State

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

San Diego State Georgia State
Location San Diego, CA Atlanta, GA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 39,241 34,974
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #720
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu gsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State Georgia State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,158
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $22,389
Room & Board $21,630 $16,328
Avg Net Price $19,500 $16,390
Avg Grant Aid $5,459 $10,928
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 93%

Admission

San Diego State Georgia State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 82,800 30,230
Admitted 28,517 18,826
Acceptance Rate 34.4% 62.3%
Enrolled % 21.6% 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/29 19/26
SAT Range 1090/1300 1040/1280
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025 Apr 1, 2026

Academics

San Diego State Georgia State
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

San Diego State Georgia State
Graduation Rate 66% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $23,699
Median Loan Payment $158 $245

Diversity

San Diego State Georgia State
% Men 5% 7%
% Women 8% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 26%
% Black 4% 42%
% Hispanic 31% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

San Diego State Georgia State
% In-State 75% 86%
% Out-of-State 23% 6%

Campus

San Diego State Georgia 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 Diego State University is larger than than Georgia State based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 34,974 students)

San Diego State vs. Georgia State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or Georgia State?

  • Georgia State University is 24.7% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($7,158.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.1% higher at Georgia State than San Diego State University ($22,389.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Georgia State University than San Diego State ($16,390 vs. $19,500)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Georgia State University are 32.5% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($16,328 vs. $21,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than Georgia State University (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Georgia State University students is 100.2% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($10,928 vs. $5,459)

San Diego State vs. Georgia State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 74 points higher than at Georgia State (1056)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Georgia State (23)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Georgia State (3.54)
  • Georgia State has a higher acceptance rate (62.3%) than San Diego State (34.4%)

San Diego State vs. Georgia State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State or Georgia 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 Georgia State and San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than Georgia State University (66% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $7,200 more per year than Georgia State graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $46,200)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $8,350 lower median federal student loan debt than Georgia State graduates. ($15,349 vs. $23,699)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than Georgia State graduates. ($158 vs. $245)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Georgia State students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 45%)

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