San Diego State vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

Compare San Diego State University in San Diego, CA with San Francisco State University in San Francisco, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

San Diego State University is larger than San Francisco State based on total student enrollment (41,137 students vs. 22,563 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Diego State University is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• San Diego State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Diego State University 27:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

San Diego State vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or San Francisco State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco State University than San Diego State ($13,168 vs. $14,704).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco State University are 3.3% lower than at San Diego State University ($22,266 vs. $23,030).
• San Diego State University is 9.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Francisco State (about $778 more per year; $8,728.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.8% higher at San Diego State than at San Francisco State University (about $778 more per year; $21,328.00 vs. $20,550.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco State University than at San Diego State University (77% vs. 47%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco State University students is 7.8% larger than aid received by San Diego State University students ($12,996 vs. $12,053).

San Diego State vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or San Francisco State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between San Francisco State and San Diego State.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at San Diego State University (1200) is 170 points higher than at San Francisco State (1030).
• Incoming San Diego State students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (25 vs. 19 at San Francisco State).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: San Diego State University 1090/1300; San Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: San Diego State University 22/29; San Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: San Diego State - Test-free; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: San Diego State Nov 30, 2026; San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at San Francisco State (3.31).
• San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than San Diego State (36.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.4% at San Diego State vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

San Diego State vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Diego State and San Francisco State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• San Diego State University's six-year graduation rate (66%) is higher than San Francisco State University's (46%).
• Graduates from San Diego State University earn a median of about $800 more per year than San Francisco State graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,400 vs. $52,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego State University graduates have a $1,901 lower median loan debt than San Francisco State graduates ($15,349 vs. $17,250).
• Among borrowers, San Diego State graduates have an estimated $20 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than San Francisco State graduates ($158 vs. $178).
• More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.