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Northern Illinois Illinois San Francisco State California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cal State Long Beach Sacramento State UC Riverside UCSC Cal State Fullerton San Diego State UIC CSU| San Jose State University | Illinois State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
| Location | San Jose, CA | Normal, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 36,062 | 20,989 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #571 | #501 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sjsu.edu | illinoisstate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $12,066 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $24,131 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,866 | $11,584 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,833 | $20,871 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,311 | $11,590 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 61% | 96% |
Admission |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 35,780 | 20,884 | ||
| Admitted | 28,708 | 18,589 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 80.2% | 89% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.7% | 22.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.35 | 3.41 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/26 | 22/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1240 | 1010/1230 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Dec 15, 2025 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 46% | 71% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,900 | $49,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $22,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $227 |
Diversity |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 15% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 19% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 0% |
Students |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 96% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 3% | ||
Campus |
San Jose State | ISU | ||
| 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 ISU based on total student enrollment (36,062 students vs. 20,989 students)
San Jose State vs. ISU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Jose State or ISU?
- Illinois State University is 110.1% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 36.9% higher at ISU than San Jose State University ($24,131.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than ISU ($13,833 vs. $20,871)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 71.5% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($11,584 vs. $19,866)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than San Jose State University (96% vs. 61%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 2.5% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($11,590 vs. $11,311)
San Jose State vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Jose State or ISU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ISU or San Jose State .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 35 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at San Jose State (23)
- Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than San Jose State (80.2%)
San Jose State vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Jose State or ISU? 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 ISU and San Jose State.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than San Jose State University (71% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from San Jose State University earn on average $10,900 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($59,900 vs. $49,000)
- San Jose State University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,000)
- San Jose State graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($155 vs. $227)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/