UC Berkeley vs. San Jose State

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

UC Berkeley San Jose State
Location Berkeley, CA San Jose, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,307 35,751
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #558
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu sjsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Berkeley San Jose State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $17,622
Room & Board $21,402 $18,568
Avg Net Price $19,257 $14,219
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $9,210
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 59%

Admission

UC Berkeley San Jose State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 34,002
Admitted 14,523 26,083
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 76.7%
Enrolled % 46.3% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.35
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 30/35 19/26
SAT Range 1310/1530 1010/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

UC Berkeley San Jose State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

UC Berkeley San Jose State
Graduation Rate 90% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $59,900
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $146 $155

Diversity

UC Berkeley San Jose State
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 19%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

UC Berkeley San Jose State
% In-State 78% 96%
% Out-of-State 11% 1%

Campus

UC Berkeley San Jose 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

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than San Jose State based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 35,751 students)

UC Berkeley vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or San Jose State?

  • University of California Berkeley is 101.4% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Berkeley than San Jose State University ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than UC Berkeley ($14,219 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Jose State University are 15.3% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($18,568 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Jose State University than University of California Berkeley (59% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 135.3% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($21,669 vs. $9,210)

UC Berkeley vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 342 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or San Jose 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 San Jose State and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than San Jose State University (90% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $14,800 more per year than San Jose State graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $59,900)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $800 lower median federal student loan debt than San Jose State graduates. ($14,200 vs. $15,000)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than San Jose State graduates. ($146 vs. $155)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 73%)

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