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San Diego State University

Name: Campus Tour
Start: 2026-04-14T10:00:00
Location: San Diego State University

San Diego, California 92182-0001

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Campus Vibe

Business-focusedLarge campusUrbanSports culture

Known for business — major research university

San Diego State University is a public institution in San Diego with particular strength in business and engineering.

A large campus of 33.7K undergraduates with a 22:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

78% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $64,909 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $16,174.

Established

1897

Motto

"Leadership Starts Here"

Mascot

Aztec warrior

Type

Public research university

Conference

NCAA Division I (FBS)

Division

Division I

Campus Visits

7 upcoming visits · Next: Thu, Apr 9 · Campus Tour

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34%Acceptance

—SAT Avg

33,654Students

22:1Student:Faculty

78%Grad Rate

$64,909Earnings 10yr

$16,174Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

San Diego State University Launches New Data Science Minor

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tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

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Admissions

Acceptance Rate34.4%

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

34.4%

Trend

Yield Rate

35.0%

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Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$8,290

Tuition (out-of-state)$20,170

Room & Board$21,630

Books & Supplies$908

Total Cost of Attendance$27,357

Average Net Price$16,174

Median Debt at Graduation$15,000

Monthly Payment (10yr)$159

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$9,655

$30–48K$10,241

$48–75K$14,205

$75–110K$18,176

$110K+$24,913

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$16,174

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

7700.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$12,847

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Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

256

Peer Average

240

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

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

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Programs (212)

Student Life

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Student Body

Undergrads

33,654

Gender Split

56% / 44%

Women / Men

First Generation

41%

Pell Grant Recipients

31%

Race & Ethnicity

White 34%

Black 4%

Hispanic 36%

Asian 13%

Two+ 7%

Int'l 2%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate78.3%

Freshman Retention90.3%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$52,620

8 Years$61,120

10 Years$64,909

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$51,500

Men

$62,800

Rankings

U.S. News

#109

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Forbes

#77

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Wall Street Journal

#29

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Washington Monthly

#99

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More About This School

Varsity Sports — Charlie Smith

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Rankings

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History & Fun Facts

•It opened with 7 faculty members and 91 students; at first, the curriculum was limited to English, history and mathematics.
•In 1923, the San Diego Normal School became "San Diego State Teachers College", "a four-year public institution controlled by the California State Board of Education.
•" The first graduating class of the opening year of the newly constructed San Diego Normal School, 1899 By the 1930s the school had outgrown its original campus.
•In 1931 it moved to its current location on Montezuma Mesa at what was then the eastern edge of San Diego.
•In 1935, the school expanded its offerings beyond teacher education and became "San Diego State College".

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Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

163Very High

Estimated from CA state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 0"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

San Diegopop. 1.4M

7 mi(12 min)

Los Angelespop. 3.9M

111 mi(192 min)

Phoenixpop. 1.6M

293 mi(508 min)

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Getting There

Nearest Airports

SAN San Diego8 mi

LAX Los Angeles112 mi

LAS Las Vegas253 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2572 mi · ~74h 18m drive

New York, NY2421 mi · ~69h 56m drive

Hartford, CT2490 mi · ~71h 56m drive

Providence, RI2555 mi · ~73h 49m drive

Albany, NY2435 mi · ~70h 21m drive

Syracuse, NY2315 mi · ~66h 53m drive

Rochester, NY2242 mi · ~64h 46m drive

Buffalo, NY2177 mi · ~62h 53m drive

Philadelphia, PA2361 mi · ~68h 12m drive

Pittsburgh, PA2107 mi · ~60h 52m drive

Harrisburg, PA2270 mi · ~65h 35m drive

Newark, NJ2413 mi · ~69h 43m drive

Washington, DC2263 mi · ~65h 23m drive

Baltimore, MD2285 mi · ~66h 1m drive

Atlanta, GA1882 mi · ~54h 22m drive

Charlotte, NC2071 mi · ~59h 50m drive

Raleigh, NC2190 mi · ~63h 16m drive

Miami, FL2263 mi · ~65h 23m drive

Orlando, FL2131 mi · ~61h 34m drive

Tampa, FL2081 mi · ~60h 7m drive

Nashville, TN1734 mi · ~50h 6m drive

New Orleans, LA1600 mi · ~46h 13m drive

Richmond, VA2246 mi · ~64h 53m drive

Chicago, IL1725 mi · ~49h 50m drive

Detroit, MI1962 mi · ~56h 41m drive

Minneapolis, MN1524 mi · ~44h 2m drive

St. Louis, MO1555 mi · ~44h 55m drive

Kansas City, MO1328 mi · ~38h 22m drive

Indianapolis, IN1779 mi · ~51h 24m drive

Columbus, OH1947 mi · ~56h 15m drive

Cleveland, OH2024 mi · ~58h 28m drive

Milwaukee, WI1729 mi · ~49h 57m drive

Dallas, TX1176 mi · ~33h 58m drive

Houston, TX1296 mi · ~37h 26m drive

Austin, TX1150 mi · ~33h 13m drive

San Antonio, TX1122 mi · ~32h 25m drive

Los Angeles, CA111 mi · ~3h 12m drive

San Francisco, CA458 mi · ~13h 14m drive

San Diego, CA7 mi · ~12 min drive

Seattle, WA1061 mi · ~30h 39m drive

Portland, OR930 mi · ~26h 52m drive

Denver, CO826 mi · ~23h 52m drive

Phoenix, AZ293 mi · ~8h 28m drive

Salt Lake City, UT622 mi · ~17h 58m drive

Honolulu, HI2614 mi · ~75h 31m drive

Southern (mild winters, hot summers)

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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

Mid-Range

Budget

Airport Transit

San Diego (SAN)8 miles

Rental car

12 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

16 min$10-16

Los Angeles (LAX)112 miles

Rental car

168 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

224 min$134-224

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Schools Like This

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Deadline Calendar

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San Diego State University Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

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Official High School Transcript

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School Report + Counselor Recommendation

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Two Teacher Recommendations

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SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

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San Diego State University Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

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CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

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Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

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Interview (recommended)Optional

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Decision Notifications

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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