Quad

Head-to-head

U. Massachusetts-Lowell
San Jose State

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    San Jose State has 17 pts more first-gen students than U. Massachusetts-Lowell (49% vs. 32%)

    First-generation students
  2. 2

    San Jose State grads earn $14.1K more ten years out than U. Massachusetts-Lowell's ($78,988 vs. $64,874)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  3. 3

    San Jose State has 2.4× as many undergrads as U. Massachusetts-Lowell

    Undergrads
  4. 4

    San Jose State graduates 12 pts more of its students than U. Massachusetts-Lowell (78% vs. 66%)

    Graduation rate
  5. 5

    U. Massachusetts-Lowell's grants cover 34% of its full price on average, vs. 24% at San Jose State

    Aid generosity
  6. 6

    San Jose State has 5 pts more Pell recipients than U. Massachusetts-Lowell (35% vs. 30%)

    Pell Grant recipients

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

U. Massachusetts-Lowell admits 83%, San Jose State 85%; U. Massachusetts-Lowell's yield is higher, at 18%.

Acceptance rate
U. Massachusetts-Lowell83%
San Jose State85%
Quad's selectivity
  • U. Massachusetts-LowellAccessible
  • San Jose StateAccessible
SAT middle 50%Axis 1100–1600
U. Massachusetts-Lowell
1180–1370
San Jose StateTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • U. Massachusetts-LowellRigor and GPA very important48%
  • San Jose StateGPA, school record, and prep program required

Who's on each campus

San Jose State has 2.4× as many undergrads as U. Massachusetts-Lowell and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
U. Massachusetts-Lowell11.4K
San Jose State27.6K
Pell Grant share
U. Massachusetts-Lowell30%
San Jose State35%

Majors and faculty

Business Administration and Management leads at both; U. Massachusetts-Lowell has 17 students per faculty member to San Jose State's 25.

Students per faculty member
U. Massachusetts-Lowell17 to 1
San Jose State25 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • U. Massachusetts-LowellBusiness Administration and Management, General21%
  • San Jose StateBusiness Administration and Management, General25%

What each costs

U. Massachusetts-Lowell and San Jose State cost about the same a year on average; U. Massachusetts-Lowell's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
U. Massachusetts-Lowell$24.6K
San Jose State$25K
Aid generosity
U. Massachusetts-Lowell34%
San Jose State24%

What each pays off

San Jose State's former students earn more, a median $79K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 60% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
U. Massachusetts-Lowell$64.9K
San Jose State$79K
Graduation rate
U. Massachusetts-Lowell66%
San Jose State78%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • U. Massachusetts-LowellGrowing+47%
  • San Jose StateGrowing+25%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;University of Massachusetts-Lowell Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;University of Massachusetts-Lowell Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why