San Jose State University
PublicSan Jose, CA
Located in San Jose, CA, San Jose State University is a public very large school with roughly 27,601 undergraduates. It's not highly selective, admitting a majority of applicants, admitting about 85% of applicants. On-campus housing isn't required, so many students live off campus. About 20% of students borrow federal loans here.
Admissions
Cost & outcomes
Out-of-state students pay $12,600 more per year in tuition and fees (2.5x the in-state rate).
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Paying less as an out-of-state student
San Jose State University takes part in this regional program, which can cut the out-of-state rate for students from nearby states.
Western Undergraduate Exchange
Students from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and the Pacific territories pay no more than 150% of in-state tuition. Each school sets its own requirements, often a GPA minimum, and some majors are left out.
Where do you stand against San Jose State University's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow San Jose State University weighs your application
From San Jose State University's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What admitted applicants who posted their results listed
19 admitted applicants who posted their profiles publicly, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles. Too few rejected or waitlisted applicants have posted to compare, so every figure here describes admits only. It shows what admitted posters looked like, not what made the difference.
No SAT/ACT figures: San Jose State University doesn't consider test scores, so none of these applicants' scores were in front of it.
Most common activities among admits
Most common awards among admits
Who the admitted posters were
How this compares across big public universities: Big Public University Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not San Jose State University's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. Expect these medians to run above the school's real admitted class. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what San Jose State University weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does San Jose State University look for in applicants?
Per San Jose State University's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates academic GPA as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is San Jose State University's acceptance rate?
San Jose State University in San Jose, CA admits approximately 85% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
How much does San Jose State University cost?
San Jose State University's total cost of attendance is reported at $26,593 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
Does San Jose State University offer reduced tuition for out-of-state students?
Yes -- San Jose State University takes part in the Western Undergraduate Exchange, a regional program that lets qualifying out-of-state students pay less than the full out-of-state rate. Eligibility depends on your home state, and the school sets its own requirements.
What is out-of-state tuition at San Jose State University?
For 2024-25, San Jose State University's published tuition and required fees were $21,010 for out-of-state students and $8,410 for in-state students -- $12,600 more per year for out-of-state students. That's before financial aid, and room and board are extra.
Does San Jose State University require students to live on campus?
No -- San Jose State University doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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