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Is San Diego State University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for San Diego State, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Affordable
San Diego State lands in the affordable band for a typical family. Graduates earn a median of $73,494 ten years after enrolling, and that makes the median debt of $14,500 more manageable than it looks at first glance. For context, San Diego State's net price runs about 48% above the typical 4-year, public school. On the numbers alone, this school clears the bar comfortably.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$19,500
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $6,346 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $25,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$13,243
Median earnings 10 years out
$73,494
Median debt at graduation
$14,500
Graduation rate
77%
At San Diego State, a typical graduate carries about $14,500 in student debt and earns roughly $73,494 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $165 per month, or 3% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $41,018 more than the typical working high school graduate in California ($32,476) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
85% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in California ($32,476).
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 47 working graduates counted
$35,416
$2,940 above the benchmark
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor's degree · 60 working graduates counted
$41,812
$9,336 above the benchmark
Music
Bachelor's degree · 50 working graduates counted
$42,090
$9,614 above the benchmark
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
Bachelor's degree · 28 working graduates counted
$42,922
$10,446 above the benchmark
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Bachelor's degree · 127 working graduates counted
$43,485
$11,009 above the benchmark
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor's degree · 157 working graduates counted
$48,471
$15,995 above the benchmark
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Bachelor's degree · 82 working graduates counted
$49,167
$16,691 above the benchmark
English Language and Literature, General
Bachelor's degree · 109 working graduates counted
$49,406
$16,930 above the benchmark
Real Estate
Bachelor's degree · 20 working graduates counted
$50,662
$18,186 above the benchmark
Psychology, General
Bachelor's degree · 466 working graduates counted
$51,021
$18,545 above the benchmark
33 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent San Diego State University and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
San Diego State is a public four year school in San Diego, CA. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata, CA
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $13,751
Public 4-year
California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA
Worth-It Score: 73/100
Median net price: $13,861
Public 4-year
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
Worth-It Score: 90/100
Median net price: $13,866
Public 4-year
University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA
Worth-It Score: 82/100
Median net price: $12,672
Public 4-year
California State University-Chico
Chico, CA
Worth-It Score: 74/100
Median net price: $14,157
Common questions about San Diego State
The median net price at San Diego State is $13,243 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in California? See the most affordable public universities in California →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at San Diego State in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$13,243a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →