San Jose State vs. SCI-Arc

Should I go to San Jose State University or Southern California Institute of Architecture? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if San Jose State or SCI-Arc 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 Jose State University vs. Southern California Institute of Architecture comparison
San Jose State University Southern California Institute of Architecture College 3 College 4
San Jose State University Southern California Institute of Architecture
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Overview

San Jose State SCI-Arc
Location San Jose, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,062 457
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #571
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sjsu.edu sciarc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Jose State SCI-Arc
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $51,964
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $51,964
Room & Board $19,866 $13,555
Avg Net Price $13,833 $21,514
Avg Grant Aid $11,311 $45,500
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 25%

Admission

San Jose State SCI-Arc
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 35,780 606
Admitted 28,708 501
Acceptance Rate 80.2% 82.7%
Enrolled % 15.7% 7%
Avg High School GPA 3.35 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 1010/1240 1020/1230
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

San Jose State SCI-Arc
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Architecture (100%)

Outcomes

San Jose State SCI-Arc
Graduation Rate 46% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,900 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $42,750
Median Loan Payment $155 $442

Diversity

San Jose State SCI-Arc
% Men 9% 28%
% Women 15% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 13%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 26% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 6% 51%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

San Jose State SCI-Arc
% In-State 96% 29%
% Out-of-State 1% 14%

Campus

San Jose State SCI-Arc
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
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Comparable Facts

  • San Jose State University is larger than than SCI-Arc based on total student enrollment (36,062 students vs. 457 students)

San Jose State vs. SCI-Arc Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Jose State or SCI-Arc?

  • Southern California Institute of Architecture is 805% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($51,964.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 194.9% higher at SCI-Arc than San Jose State University ($51,964.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than SCI-Arc ($13,833 vs. $21,514)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern California Institute of Architecture are 46.6% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($13,555 vs. $19,866)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Jose State University than Southern California Institute of Architecture (61% vs. 25%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern California Institute of Architecture students is 302.3% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($45,500 vs. $11,311)

San Jose State vs. SCI-Arc Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern California Institute of Architecture (1116) is 61 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming SCI-Arc students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman SCI-Arc students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • SCI-Arc has a higher acceptance rate (82.7%) than San Jose State (80.2%)

San Jose State vs. SCI-Arc Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Jose State or SCI-Arc? 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 SCI-Arc and San Jose State.

  • The graduation rate at SCI-Arc is higher than San Jose State University (58% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Jose State University earn on average $13,500 more per year than SCI-Arc graduates after ten years. ($59,900 vs. $46,400)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $27,750 lower median federal student loan debt than SCI-Arc graduates. ($15,000 vs. $42,750)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $287 less per month on federal student loans than SCI-Arc graduates. ($155 vs. $442)
  • More San Jose State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCI-Arc students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 62%)

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