Admissions
Getting in, fall 2025
San Diego State admits about 1 in 3 applicants (37%). That puts it in the "Very selective in-state, Accessible out of state" tier, more selective than 91% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$70 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 34%, women at 38%.
Where applicants live
California applicants were admitted at 31%, applicants from other states at 91%, and international applicants at 59%.
All applicants in the same class: 37%
Of those admitted, 20% from California enrolled, against 17% from other states and 15% from abroad.
Counted by where applicants lived when they applied, which can differ from who qualifies for in-state tuition. A group's rate reflects who applies from there as well as how the college chooses.
Yield
19% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 11,627 offered a place, 6,016 accepted, 962 admitted (16% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Offers early decision. The college doesn't publish how many apply or are admitted early.
Early decision is binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll. Recruited athletes and other applicants with an edge often apply early, so the early rate overstates the gain for a typical applicant.
Early action (not binding)
Where you stand
How San Diego State reads a record
and GPA are both very important. 65% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight. Scores aren't read. Most high schools no longer rank; this college doesn't lean on it. Recommends 4 years of math and 3 of science (3 and 2 required). See the years by subject
What they look at
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Not considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Not considered | ||||
| Essay | Not considered | ||||
| Recommendations | Not considered | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Not considered | ||||
| Talent or ability | Not considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Not considered | ||||
| First generation | Not considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Not considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Not considered | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Not considered | ||||
| Work experience | Not considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
55% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 37% of first-year applicants
16,556 applied · 9,093 admitted · 4,432 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall.
At least 60 semester completed to apply as a transfer.
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by November 30, decisions by March 1, reply by May 1
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Recommended for some
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Not required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Not required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by November 30 for fall 2026.
- $375 housing deposit, due May 1, non-refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | – |
| Math | 3 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2 / 3) | 2 | 3 |
| Foreign language | 2 | – |
| Social studies | 1 | – |
| History | 1 | – |
| Academic electives | 1 | – |
| Total | 15 | 7* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
On the admissions map
The map plots acceptance rate against SAT scores. San Diego State University doesn't report both, so it isn't shown.
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.82
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.034%
- 3.75–3.9931%
- 3.50–3.7421%
- 3.25–3.4910%
- 3.00–3.243%
- below 3.01%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.50–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 34.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 31.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 21.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 10.0% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 3.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 1.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
25% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 66% in the top quarter, of the 29% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
Not considered
Scores aren't considered, even if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Sources:San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)