Admissions Factors
What San Diego State Looks For
San Diego State rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.
How San Diego State rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Very important
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
37.4%
35,709 of 95,444 applicants
Early decision admit rate
No early decision
Admitted from the waitlist
16%
962 of 6,016 who stayed on it
Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 3.82. 25% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.
Frequently asked questions
What does San Diego State look for in applicants?
San Diego State rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.
Does San Diego State consider legacy status?
San Diego State rates alumni relation as "not considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does San Diego State track demonstrated interest?
San Diego State rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".
What is San Diego State's waitlist acceptance rate?
6,016 students stayed on the waitlist and 962 were admitted, a rate of 16%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.
Source: San Diego State’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.
