San Jose State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

San Jose State University is a public university with an acceptance rate of 55%. Located on 154 acres in downtown San Jose, SJSU offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in 134 fields. Business administration is the most popular major among undergraduates, but communications studies, engineering, and art are also strong. At the master's level, the library science major is well respected. The school's Silicon Valley location provides many opportunities for students in technical and professional fields. In athletics, the SJSU Spartans compete in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference.

Considering applying to SJSU? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, San Jose State University had an acceptance rate of 55%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 55 students were admitted, making SJSU's admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

SJSU requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 91% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of San Jose State's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to SJSU scored between 510 and 620, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 620. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 520 and 640, while 25% scored below 520 and 25% scored above 640. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1260 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at San Jose State.

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Requirements

San Jose State does not require the SAT writing section. Note that San Jose State will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject test scores are not required, but if the score meets a benchmark, it may be used to fulfill certain core course requirements.

ACT Scores and Requirements

San Jose State University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 25% of admitted student submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of SJSU's admitted students fall within the bottom 46% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to San Jose State received a composite ACT score between 19 and 26, while 25% scored above 26 and 25% scored below 19.

Requirements

San Jose State University does not require the ACT writing section. Note that SJSU does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. 

GPA

In 2018, the average high school GPA for incoming San Jose State freshmen was 3.4. These results suggest that most successful applicants to SJSU have primarily B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to San Jose State University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted applicants, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

San Jose State, which accepts just over half of applicants, has a selective admissions process. What makes the difference between an acceptance and a rejection? Unlike the University of California System, the California State University admission process is not holistic. Except for EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) students, applicants do not need to submit letters of recommendation or an application essay, and extracurricular involvement is not part of the standard application. Instead, admissions are based primarily on an eligibility index that combines GPA and test scores. Minimum high school course requirements include two years of history and social science, four years of college prep English, three years of math, two years of laboratory science, one year of visual or performing arts, and one year of a college preparatory elective. The reasons why an applicant with adequate scores and grades would be rejected tends to come down to factors such as insufficient college preparatory classes, high school classes that weren't challenging, or an incomplete application.

Be aware that San Jose State University is designated as impacted because it receives more applications than can be accommodated. Due to impaction, the university holds all applicants to a higher standard. In addition, majors in the College of Engineering have additional requirements for eligibility.

The green and blue dots in the above graph represent accepted students. The majority of successful applicants had "B" averages or higher, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 950 or higher, and ACT scores of 18 or higher.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and San Jose State University Undergraduate Admissions Office.