San Francisco State University

www.sfsu.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,742

0% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$14,757

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

4.35%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

84.1%

31,430 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

27,349

80.5% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

55.2%

2,004 Graduates

About

San Francisco State University is a higher education institution located in San Francisco County, CA. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at San Francisco State University were General Business Administration & Management (1,477 degrees awarded), General Psychology (408 degrees), and Speech Communication & Rhetoric (406 degrees).

In 2020, 7,509 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at San Francisco State University. 58.1% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.9% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was hispanic or latino (2,081 degrees), 1.07 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1952 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at San Francisco State University is $5,742, which is $−22,821 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

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Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at San Francisco State University is $5,742, which is $−22,821 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $14,757.

In 2020, 61% of undergraduate students attending San Francisco State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 29% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,742

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at San Francisco State University was $5,742. The cost of tuition at San Francisco State University is $−22,821 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of San Francisco State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$14,757

2020 Value

2.7%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 San Francisco State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,757. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of San Francisco State University grew by 2.7%.

This chart compares the average net price of San Francisco State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,670

Room and Board

$2,002

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at San Francisco State University was of $15,670 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $2,002. The cost of room and board increased by 3.43% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at San Francisco State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

61%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

29%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

61% of undergraduate students at San Francisco State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2019, when 61% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at San Francisco State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

4.35%

2018 Default Rate

218

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at San Francisco State University was 4.35%, which represents 218 out of the 5012 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

San Francisco State University received 31,430 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 9.24% annual decline. Out of those 31,430 applicants, 26,431 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 84.1% acceptance rate.

There were 27,349 students enrolled at San Francisco State University in 2020, and 89% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

San Francisco State University has an overall enrollment yield of 10.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

84.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

26,431

Accepted Out of 31,430

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of San Francisco State University was 84.1% (26,431 admissions from 31,430 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 67.3%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants declined by −9.24%, while admissions grew by 13.4%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of San Francisco State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

89%

Submission Percentage

2,467

Scores Submitted

89% of enrolled first-time students at San Francisco State University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

San Francisco State University has a total enrollment of 27,349 students. The full-time enrollment at San Francisco State University is 22,019 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,330. This means that 80.5% of students enrolled at San Francisco State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at San Francisco State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 33.6% Hispanic or Latino, 24.8% Asian, 17.3% White, 5.75% Black or African American, 5.33% Two or More Races, 0.559% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.172% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at San Francisco State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (22.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Male (13.8%) and Asian Female (13.2%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (20.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (15.5%) and Asian Female (14.1%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

80.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at San Francisco State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 27,349 students. The full-time enrollment at San Francisco State University is 22,019 and the part-time enrollment is 5,330. This means that 80.5% of students enrolled at San Francisco State University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at San Francisco State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

82%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at San Francisco State University was 82%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), San Francisco State University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at San Francisco State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
9,195
Asian
6,789
White
4,737

The enrolled student population at San Francisco State University is 33.6% Hispanic or Latino, 24.8% Asian, 17.3% White, 5.75% Black or African American, 5.33% Two or More Races, 0.559% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.172% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,527 students (5.58%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 1209 more women than men received degrees from San Francisco State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at San Francisco State University is hispanic or latino (2,081 degrees awarded). There were 1.07 times more hispanic or latino graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1952 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at San Francisco State University is General Business Administration & Management (1,477 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (408 degrees) and Speech Communication & Rhetoric (406 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at San Francisco State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Cultural & Gender Studies (119 degrees awarded), Communications (660 degrees), and English (240 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Francisco State University are Elementary & middle school teachers (261,403 people), Other managers (232,141 people), Postsecondary teachers (171,374 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (155,438 people), and Secondary school teachers (112,886 people).

The most specialized majors at San Francisco State University are Cultural & Gender Studies (119 degrees awarded), Communications (660 degrees), English (240 degrees), Philosophy and Religious Studies (65 degrees), and Visual & Performing Arts (605 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Francisco State University are Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Aerospace engineers, and Physicians

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at San Francisco State University are Elementary & secondary schools (544,189 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (393,907 people), Computer Systems Design (194,304 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (146,145 people), and Legal services (144,116 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by San Francisco State University.

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
1477 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
408 degree-majorss awarded
Speech Communication & Rhetoric
406 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at San Francisco State University was General Business Administration & Management with 1477 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at San Francisco State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

3,150

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

4,359

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 3,150 degrees were awarded to men at San Francisco State University, which is 0.723 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,359).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at San Francisco State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 826 degrees were awarded to men at San Francisco State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.11 times more than the 744 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 744 degrees were awarded to women at San Francisco State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.901 times less than the 826 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

22%

100% Completion Time

55%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 22% of students graduating from San Francisco State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 55% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 59% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (71.4%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at San Francisco State University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (71.4% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.3% of graduates (46 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
2,081 degrees awarded
Asian
1,952 degrees awarded
White
1,656 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at San Francisco State University is hispanic or latino (2,081 degrees awarded). There were 1.07 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1952 degrees).

4.89% of degree recipients (367 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

Hispanic or Latino Female
1,314 degrees awarded
Asian Female
1,068 degrees awarded
White Female
944 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at San Francisco State University is hispanic or latino female (1,314 degrees awarded). There were 1.23 times more hispanic or latino female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian female (1,068 degrees).

Operations

San Francisco State University has an endowment valued at nearly $140M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $5.57M (3.99%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, San Francisco State University had a total salary expenditure of $662M. San Francisco State University employs 352 Professors, 184 Assistant professors, and 173 Associate professors. Most academics at San Francisco State University are Male Professors (184), Female Professors(168), and Female Assistant professors (121).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at San Francisco State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 562 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 217 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 181 employees.

Endowment

$140M

2020 Endowment

48.3%

growth from 2019

San Francisco State University has an endowment valued at about $140M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of San Francisco State University grew 48.3% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $167M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at San Francisco State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$21.7M - Federal
$2.33M - State
$1.19M - Local

As of 2020, San Francisco State University received $21.7M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $2.33M from state grants and contracts, and $1.19M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$231M

2020 Salaries

2.59%

growth from 2019

In 2020, San Francisco State University paid a median of $231M in salaries, which represents 34.9% of their overall expenditure ($662M) and a 2.59% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.01% growth from 2018 and a 4.81% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$85.2M

Instructional Salaries

840

Number of Employees

In 2020, San Francisco State University paid a total of $85.2M to 840 employees working as instructors, which represents 36.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

352 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

562 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at San Francisco State University were Professor with 352 employees; Assistant professor with 184 employees; and Assistant professor with 173 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at San Francisco State University were Business and Financial Operations with 562 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 217 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 181 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at San Francisco State University was Male Professor with 184 employees, Female Professor with 168 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 121 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at San Francisco State University.