
San Jose State University (SJSU) is located in downtown San Jose, California, the heart of what is known as "Silicon Valley" - a busy area for the high-technology industry. The SJSU location is halfway between San Francisco and Monterey, California. SJSU is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system, and offers more than 134 undergraduate and graduate degrees in 110 concentrations or areas of emphasis.
SJSU boasts many famous and illustrious alumni including author Amy Tan, Olympic medallists Lee Evans and Chuck Adkins, and gorilla researcher and author Dian Fossey, among others. SJSU is one of the top 200 research universities in the U.S.
History
San Jose State University was founded in 1857 as a frontier school that trained teachers. Over time it matured into a metropolitan university.
Academics
San Jose State University follows the semester-format academic calendar, with a fall and spring semester.
Colleges and Schools
San Jose State University offers 69 undergraduate and 65 graduate degrees in a full range of majors, with a selection of minors, from its seven colleges and many departments, including:
- Applied Sciences & Arts
- Business
- Education
- Engineering
- Humanities & the Arts
- Science
- Social Sciences
SJSU also offers many certificate programs.
Student Life
San Jose State University offers its students the opportunity to participate in more than 150 clubs and organizations as well as NCAA athletics. SJSU also offers on-campus access to many student resources including student housing and dining, events, study abroad programs, student advising and learning assistance, career advising, a health center, and more.
Athletics
The SJSU athletics department competes in many intercollegiate sports with its "Spartans" teams, including:
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming/Diving
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Community Life
Students from San Jose State University benefit from the campus's location in the heart of "Silicon Valley" through the many research programs and internships offered at local Silicon Valley companies. Further, San Jose is a cultural metro center with many opportunities for recreation, arts and entertainment. It also is conveniently located to San Francisco and coastal cities like Santa Cruz and Carmel.
Admission Requirements & Details
The admissions information below may give an overview of the candidates San Jose State University accepts. The details may include admissions application requirements and recommendations, as well as any AP college credits that may be transferred.
College Credits Accepted
- Dual Credits
- AP Course Credits
Student Enrollment
Total enrollment at San Jose State University is around 33,000 students. The enrollment breakdown by academic level is 11% enrolling as graduate students and 82% as undergraduate students.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $13,600. To calculate a more personalized cost visit the net price calculator. There is also a $55 application fee for students applying to the school. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Annual tuition range estimates:
- State Residents: $5,500-$6,600
- Out-of-State: $17,000-$19,960
Financial Aid Details
The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.
Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
---|---|---|
Any Financial Aid | 76% | - |
Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 72% | $8,011 |
Receiving Student Loans | 41% | $5,589 |
Academics & Student Services
Student Services
To help support students, San Jose State University may provide services to students like those listed below:- Online classes
- Remedial instructional courses
- Career path counseling
- Work study style employment
- Assisting students to find work
- Day care
Graduation Rates
San Jose State University has an overall graduation rate which is approximately 48%.
Number of Year to Graduate | Percent of Entering Class |
---|---|
Students Graduating in 4 Years | 8% |
Graduating in 5 Years | 25% |
Graduating in 6 Years | 15% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Art and Design Program
- Dance Program
- Dietetics Program
- Music Program
- Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) Program
- Nursing (MSN, DSN) Program
- Occupational Therapy (OT) Program
- Graduate Level Public Health (Outside School of Public Health) Program
- Speech-Language Pathology Program
- Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Education Program
- Theatre Program
Intercollegiate Athletics
San Jose State University is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports being in the NCAA Division I-A classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:
- Baseball (Mountain West Conference)
- Basketball (Mountain West Conference)
- Football (Mountain West Conference)
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Track and Field, X-Country
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.

Get more information about the programs offered by San Jose State University by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Architecture
- Urban Planning (M)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (B, M)
- Microbiology (B, M)
- Zoology (B)
- Entomology
Business and Marketing Studies
- Business Administration (B, M)
- Hospitality Administration and Management (B)
- Taxation (M)
- Accounting (M)
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management (M)
Communications and Journalism
- Communications (B, M)
- Radio and Television (B)
- Public Relations (B)
- Advertising (B)
- Journalism (B)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer Science (B, M)
Education
- Education (M)
- Early Childhood Education (B, M)
- ESL (M)
- Science Teacher (M)
Engineering
- Software Engineering (B, M)
- Electrical Engineering (B, M)
- Civil Engineering (B, M)
- Mechanical Engineering (B, M)
- Computer Engineering (B, M)
- Engineering (B, M)
- Industrial Engineering (B, M)
- Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (B, M)
- Chemical Engineering (B, M)
- Biomedical Engineering (B, M)
- Materials Engineering (B, M)
Engineering Technology
English Language and Literature
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Linguistics (B, M)
- Spanish Language and Literature (B, M)
- Japanese Language and Literature (B)
- French Language and Literature (B, M)
- Chinese Language and Literature (B)
- German Language and Literature
Health and Clinical Professions
- Health Services (B)
- Nursing (B, M)
- Dietetics (B, M)
- Occupational Therapy (B, M)
- Public Health (M)
- Communication Disorders (B)
- Athletic Training (B)
History
- History (B, M)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- Behavioral Science (B)
- Marine Sciences (M)
- International and Global Studies (B)
- Natural Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Liberal Arts (B)
- Humanistic Studies (B)
Library Science
- Library Science, Librarianship (M)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Statistics (M)
- Math (B, M)
- Applied Mathematics (B)
Natural Resources and Conservation
- Environmental Science (B, M)
- Environmental Studies
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (B, M)
- Religious Studies (B)
Physical Sciences
- Chemistry (B, M)
- Physics (B, M)
- Geology (B, M)
- Meteorology (B, M)
- Geological and Earth Sciences, Geosciences (B)
Psychology
- Psychology (B, M)
- Organizational Psychology (M)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Social Work (B, M)
- Public Administration (M)
Recreation and Fitness Studies
- Sports Medicine (B, M)
- Parks and Recreation (B, M)
Security and Protective Services
- Criminal Justice (B, M)
Social Sciences
- Sociology (B, M)
- Economics (B, M)
- Political Science (B)
- Anthropology (B, M)
- Urban Studies (C)
- Social Science (B)
- Geography (B)
- International Relations
Transportation and Materials Moving
- Aviation (B)
Visual and Performing Arts
- Art Studies (B, M)
- Fine Arts and Studio Arts (B, M)
- Industrial Design (B)
- Graphic Design (B)
- Interior Design (B)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (B, M)
- Music Performance (B)
- Visual and Performing Arts (B)
- Music (B, M)
- Dance (B)
Other 4-Year Public Colleges
The list of schools below have been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to San Jose State University.
- California State University - East Bay in Hayward, CA (23 miles away)
- University of California - Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA (26 miles away)
- San Francisco State University in San Francisco, CA (40 miles away)
- University of California - Berkeley in Berkeley, CA (41 miles away)
- California State University - Monterey Bay in Seaside, CA (48 miles away)
Also, you can compare schools by looking through our list of colleges & universities:
- Get a list of all the colleges in California
- Get a list of all state universities in California