San Francisco Conservatory of Music vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

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

San Francisco State University is larger than San Francisco Conservatory of Music based on total student enrollment (22,563 students vs. 439 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Francisco Conservatory of Music is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Francisco Conservatory of Music 5:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

San Francisco Conservatory of Music vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Francisco Conservatory of Music 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 Francisco Conservatory of Music ($13,168 vs. $43,746).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco State University are 2.9% lower than at San Francisco Conservatory of Music ($22,266 vs. $22,930).
• San Francisco Conservatory of Music is 606.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Francisco State (about $48,200 more per year; $56,150.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 173.2% higher at San Francisco Conservatory of Music than at San Francisco State University (about $35,600 more per year; $56,150.00 vs. $20,550.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco Conservatory of Music than at San Francisco State University (100% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco Conservatory of Music students is 177.4% larger than aid received by San Francisco State University students ($36,052 vs. $12,996).

San Francisco Conservatory of Music vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Francisco Conservatory of Music or San Francisco State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between San Francisco State and San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSan Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSan Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: San Francisco Conservatory of Music - Test-free; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: San Francisco Conservatory of Music Dec 7, 2026; San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than San Francisco Conservatory of Music (54.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.2% at San Francisco Conservatory of Music vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

San Francisco Conservatory of Music vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Francisco Conservatory of Music and San Francisco State? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• San Francisco Conservatory of Music's six-year graduation rate (73%) is higher than San Francisco State University's (46%).
• Graduates from San Francisco State University earn a median of about $22,400 more per year than San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,600 vs. $30,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Francisco State University graduates have a $9,000 lower median loan debt than San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates ($17,250 vs. $26,250).
• Among borrowers, San Francisco State graduates have an estimated $93 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates ($178 vs. $271).
• More San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (66% 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.