San Jose State University (SJSU) vs Cal Poly Humboldt

San Jose State University (SJSU) and California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (Humboldt State) are two distinct universities within the California State University system, each offering unique educational experiences. SJSU, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, including a strong focus on engineering and computer science. Humboldt State, nestled in the scenic redwood forests of Northern California, emphasizes environmental studies and natural resources management, while also offering a variety of other majors. With different acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to different student preferences and aspirations. Explore the comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt logo

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

San Jose State University logo

San Jose State University

Overview

Location Arcata, California San Jose, California
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 74.0% 89.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.5% 84.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 7,013 30,441
Total number of admissions given out 6,414 25,682
Admitted students who chose to enroll 629 4,222
Yield rate 9.8% 16.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $25,668

Out of state: $37,548
In state: $31,435

Out of state: $43,315
Average net price $13,904 $14,603
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,638

Meal plan: $5,600
Room/dormitory: $9,062

Meal plan: $5,880
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

75.0%
Average amount $9,716
66.0%
Average amount $9,184
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $4,831
16.0%
Average amount $4,861
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,255
1.0%
Average amount $15,326

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,354
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
28,288
Men 51.1% Women 48.9%
Graduate students 554
Men 30.0% Women 70.0%
8,845
Men 36.5% Women 63.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 7.0% 1.4%
International students 1.3% 9.1%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,069 4,261
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Oregon Washington Colorado Hawaii California Washington Hawaii Oregon Arizona

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Library Science
  • Health Professions
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 24:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.5% 68.8%
Dropout rate 42.0% 23.4%
Transferred out 7.8% 3.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,497
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $69,150
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,856
  • Year 2: $48,265
  • Year 3: $60,145
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $58,243
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,405
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,583
Forestry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,805
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $46,240
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,362
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $45,717
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,892
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $42,797
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,215
  • Year 2: $36,294
  • Year 3: $41,528
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,882
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $39,496
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,867
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $37,639
Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,052
  • Year 2: $125,015
  • Year 3: $138,269
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,196
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $112,207
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,934
  • Year 2: $87,973
  • Year 3: $106,648
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,060
  • Year 2: $78,074
  • Year 3: $101,682
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,074
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: $100,628
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,789
  • Year 2: $73,720
  • Year 3: $94,854
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,280
  • Year 2: $86,550
  • Year 3: $91,260
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $77,401
  • Year 3: $89,882
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $86,270
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $85,185

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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