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California's oldest public institution of higher education, SJSU is located in downtown San Jose, in the heart of Silicon Valley -- an advantage for students interested in exploring professional opportunities or internships at one of the many tech companies and startups in the area. Apple, Intuit, Salesforce, PayPal, and IBM are among the companies that have hired SJSU students, and alumni in the tech sector include Intel's Gordon Moore, Dolby Labs' Ray Dolby, and Oracle's Ed Oates. SJSU students have likewise excelled in other areas: look no further than singer Stevie Nicks, writer Amy Tan, and the late gorilla researcher and advocate Dian Fossey. The cost is relatively inexpensive, less than the national average; the university offers students an average $8,000 in financial aid. There are more than 450 student organizations on campus, including 40 fraternities or sororities, multiple cultural and religious groups, and around 40 club sports. The cultural center on campus, MOSAIC, hosts conferences and events supporting social justice issues for marginalized groups. The school is remarkably diverse. Less than a fifth of the student body is white, Hispanic students make up a quarter of the student population, and Asians comprise 36%. And at 65%, its graduation rate is 31% higher than at universities with similar demographics.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
FALL 2020 PLAN: The majority of courses are online for the fall, like the rest of the California State University system campuses. Some students were allowed to live on campus at a reduced capacity, with first-years and those with demonstrated need being given top priority.
costs
Est. Full Price 2020-2021
$30,100
% of students who get any grants
62%
Est. price for students who receive aid
$15,200
Average price for low-income students
$11,500
admissions
Acceptance rate
55%
Median SAT/ACT Score
1150/23
SAT/ACT Required for Fall 2021?
no
Enrollment
27,130
Financial Aid
% of students with need who get grants
76%
% of need met
86%
% of students who get merit* grants
N/A
Average merit grant
$1,800
student success
Graduation rate
65%
Average time to a degree
5 years
Average student debt
$15,720
Average salary within 5 years
$60,600
% earning more than $28,000
81%
key deadlines
Early decision application
N/A
Regular application
Dec 15
coronavirus update
FALL 2020 PLAN: The majority of courses are online for the fall, like the rest of the California State University system campuses. Some students were allowed to live on campus at a reduced capacity, with first-years and those with demonstrated need being given top priority.
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