In fall 2025, SDSU admitted 41% of first-time freshman applicants to Mechanical Engineering (1,730 of 4,209), compared with 37% for all majors. That is down from 48% in 2021. 57% of transfer applicants were admitted (245 of 428). Of the freshmen admitted, 16% enrolled, so only 6.5% of applicants ended up starting in the major.
Mechanical Engineering admissions, 2021–2025
| Fall | Freshmen applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Enrolled | Transfers applied | Admitted | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,209 | 1,730 | 41% | 274 | 428 | 245 | 57% |
| 2024 | 3,707 | 1,580 | 43% | 249 | 377 | 196 | 52% |
| 2023 | 3,058 | 1,474 | 48% | 272 | 318 | 255 | 80% |
| 2022 | 2,572 | 1,288 | 50% | 217 | 506 | 165 | 33% |
| 2021 | 2,150 | 1,038 | 48% | 174 | 572 | 108 | 19% |
Area: Engineering. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10.
Mechanical Engineering at other CSU campuses
| Campus | Freshman applicants | Freshman admit rate | Transfer admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDSU | 4,209 | 41% | 57% |
| SJSU | 1,581 | 55% | 55% |
| Cal Poly SLO | 4,953 | 13% | 8.7% |
Engineering admit rates at every UC campus →
How admission works
- Every major at SDSU is impacted: there are more eligible applicants than spaces, so meeting the CSU minimum does not guarantee admission.
- Freshmen from high schools in San Diego County south of State Route 56 and in Imperial County are local applicants and get priority. Transfer students from Cuyamaca, Grossmont, Imperial Valley, San Diego City, Mesa, Miramar and Southwestern colleges are local transfers.
- Like most CSU campuses, SDSU uses the CSU admission GPA, calculated from 10th–12th grade a-g courses with extra points for up to eight semesters of honors courses. SDSU does not publish its cutoff for each major.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SDSU Mechanical Engineering acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SDSU admitted 41% (1,730 of 4,209) of first-time freshman applicants to Mechanical Engineering, compared with 37% for all majors.
What is the SDSU Mechanical Engineering transfer acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SDSU admitted 57% (245 of 428) of transfer applicants to Mechanical Engineering.
Is Mechanical Engineering easier to get into at SDSU or SJSU?
In fall 2025, SDSU admitted 41% of freshman Mechanical Engineering applicants and SJSU admitted 55%.
More for SDSU
Source: California State University, Applications and Admissions Dashboard by Discipline, fall 2021–2025 (first-time freshmen and undergraduate transfers); SJSU impaction results from sjsu.edu. CSU counts every application submitted, including ones later withdrawn, left incomplete or not meeting minimum eligibility, so admit rates among complete applications are somewhat higher. “Non-residents” includes out-of-state and international applicants. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10. This site is independent and not affiliated with the California State University. Admit rates describe past applicants, not any individual student’s chances.