Admin v2 Preview — Sections marked with a yellow border use mock data until v2 scraping is complete.

PublicUrban

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California 94132

Campus Vibe

Large UniversityUrbanPublic

Strong graduate outcomes — known for business

San Francisco State University is a public institution in San Francisco with particular strength in business and psychology.

A large campus of 20K undergraduates with a 16:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

50% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $68,077 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $12,882.

Established

1899

Motto

Experientia Docet

Mascot

Gator

Type

Public research university

Conference

NCAA Division II and are a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (wrestling competes

Division

Division II

Campus Visits

114 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Apr 13 · Campus Tour

104 more tours beyond 5 daysGet access →

Get access to view details →

96%Acceptance

—SAT Avg

20,033Students

16:1Student:Faculty

50%Grad Rate

$68,077Earnings 10yr

$12,882Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

San Francisco State University Launches New Data Science Minor

Get access to view details →

tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

Get access to view details →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate96.2%

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

96.2%

Trend

Yield Rate

35.0%

Get access to view details →

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$7,424

Tuition (out-of-state)$19,304

Room & Board$17,955

Books & Supplies$1,099

Total Cost of Attendance$25,258

Average Net Price$12,882

Median Debt at Graduation$15,371

Monthly Payment (10yr)$163

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$9,307

$30–48K$10,251

$48–75K$12,916

$75–110K$16,944

$110K+$22,813

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$12,882

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

74.6%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$12,923

SAT Range	Avg Award	Note
1400-1600	$25,000	Academic merit scholarship
1200-1399	$15,000	Dean's scholarship
1000-1199	$8,000	Achievement award

Get access to view details →

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

152

Peer Average

240

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

24/7 campus police department, blue-light phone network, emergency mass notification system

Get access to view details →

Programs (192)

Student Life

Get access to view details →

Student Body

Undergrads

20,033

Gender Split

54% / 46%

Women / Men

First Generation

48%

Pell Grant Recipients

41%

Race & Ethnicity

White 15%

Black 6%

Hispanic 40%

Asian 24%

Two+ 6%

Int'l 4%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate50.1%

Freshman Retention83.7%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$52,650

8 Years$60,831

10 Years$68,077

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$51,900

Men

$59,300

Rankings

U.S. News

#204

Get access to view details →

Forbes

#137

Get access to view details →

Washington Monthly

#76

Get access to view details →

More About This School

Varsity Sports

Get access to view details →

Rankings

Get access to view details →

History & Fun Facts

•In 1862, it became the California State Normal School, the first postsecondary institution established by the state.
•Only six students were enrolled on its first day.
•By 1866, enrollment had increased to 384.
•In 1867, the principal of Girls' High School and Normal School, Ellis Holmes, realized that the California State Normal School was not meeting the demand for teachers.
•When the California State Normal School was moved to San José in 1871, Girls' High became the only publicly supported teacher-training institution.

Get access to view details →

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

112Above Average

Housing and food costs are higher than national average

Climate (School Year)

68°

Sep

55°

Oct

42°

Nov

30°

Dec

25°

Jan

28°

Feb

38°

Mar

50°

Apr

62°

May

Snowfall: 48"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 120

Nearest Cities

Bostonpop. 675,647

90 miles(95 min)

Hartfordpop. 121,054

60 miles(70 min)

Get access to view details →

Getting There

Nearest Airports

SFO San Francisco9 mi

SJC San Jose39 mi

SMF Sacramento83 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2697 mi · ~77h 55m drive

New York, NY2570 mi · ~74h 15m drive

Hartford, CT2624 mi · ~75h 48m drive

Providence, RI2687 mi · ~77h 37m drive

Albany, NY2558 mi · ~73h 54m drive

Syracuse, NY2435 mi · ~70h 21m drive

Rochester, NY2361 mi · ~68h 12m drive

Buffalo, NY2299 mi · ~66h 25m drive

Philadelphia, PA2521 mi · ~72h 50m drive

Pittsburgh, PA2264 mi · ~65h 24m drive

Harrisburg, PA2427 mi · ~70h 7m drive

Newark, NJ2561 mi · ~73h 59m drive

Washington, DC2439 mi · ~70h 28m drive

Baltimore, MD2455 mi · ~70h 55m drive

Atlanta, GA2139 mi · ~61h 48m drive

Charlotte, NC2301 mi · ~66h 28m drive

Raleigh, NC2408 mi · ~69h 34m drive

Miami, FL2594 mi · ~74h 56m drive

Orlando, FL2440 mi · ~70h 29m drive

Tampa, FL2399 mi · ~69h 18m drive

Nashville, TN1962 mi · ~56h 41m drive

New Orleans, LA1925 mi · ~55h 37m drive

Richmond, VA2440 mi · ~70h 29m drive

Chicago, IL1859 mi · ~53h 42m drive

Detroit, MI2091 mi · ~60h 24m drive

Minneapolis, MN1586 mi · ~45h 49m drive

St. Louis, MO1745 mi · ~50h 25m drive

Kansas City, MO1507 mi · ~43h 32m drive

Indianapolis, IN1949 mi · ~56h 18m drive

Columbus, OH2113 mi · ~61h 3m drive

Cleveland, OH2166 mi · ~62h 34m drive

Milwaukee, WI1843 mi · ~53h 15m drive

Dallas, TX1484 mi · ~42h 52m drive

Houston, TX1645 mi · ~47h 31m drive

Austin, TX1502 mi · ~43h 23m drive

San Antonio, TX1489 mi · ~43h 1m drive

Los Angeles, CA347 mi · ~10h 1m drive

San Francisco, CA5 mi · ~9 min drive

San Diego, CA458 mi · ~13h 14m drive

Seattle, WA683 mi · ~19h 44m drive

Portland, OR539 mi · ~15h 34m drive

Denver, CO951 mi · ~27h 28m drive

Phoenix, AZ654 mi · ~18h 54m drive

Salt Lake City, UT604 mi · ~17h 27m drive

Honolulu, HI2391 mi · ~69h 4m drive

Mid-Atlantic / Central (moderate winters, warm summers)

Get access to view details →

Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Budget

University Inn10% campus visitor discount

$89-129

0.5 mi

Mid-Range

Marriott Conference Center

Upscale

Airport Transit

San Francisco (SFO)9 miles

Rental car

14 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

18 min$11-18

San Jose (SJC)39 miles

Rental car

59 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

78 min$47-78

Get access to view details →

Schools Like This

Get access to view details →

Deadline Calendar

Get access to view details →

San Francisco State University Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

Verify at source →

Official High School Transcript

Verify at source →

School Report + Counselor Recommendation

Verify at source →

Two Teacher Recommendations

Verify at source →

SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

Verify at source →

San Francisco State University Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

Verify at source →

CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

Verify at source →

Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

Verify at source →

Interview (recommended)Optional

Verify at source →

Get access to view details →

Decision Notifications

Get access to view details →