SDSU transfer acceptance rate by major

In fall 2025, San Diego State University admitted 55% of undergraduate transfer applicants (9,761 of 17,595), and 56% of California residents. As for freshmen, transfer applicants compete within their major.

The hardest SDSU majors for transfers in fall 2025 were Nursing (3.8%), Finance (31%) and Biology (31%).

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.

Fall 2025 transfer admit rate by major

MajorAreaAppliedAdmittedAdmit rate2021 rateEnrolled
All majors17,5959,76155%30%4,819
PsychologyPsychology1,82167237%12%436
Business AdministrationBusiness and Management1,49488759%42%527
NursingHealth Professions952363.8%4.1%19
Communication StudiesLetters87162872%28%240
Computer ScienceComputer and Information Sciences84431838%10%157
Criminal JusticePublic Affairs and Services74859680%43%341
BiologyBiological Science74623431%12%89
AccountancyBusiness and Management66322334%32%132
KinesiologyEducation60536560%20%206
FinanceBusiness and Management58818331%24%106
MarketingBusiness and Management57823541%29%139
EconomicsSocial Sciences51142784%53%147
SociologySocial Sciences47640585%28%127
Political ScienceSocial Sciences45839586%26%77
ManagementBusiness and Management43523554%34%132
Mechanical EngineeringEngineering42824557%19%125
Public HealthHealth Professions34320058%52%93
Liberal StudiesInterdisciplinary Studies24120183%47%136
Television, Film and MediaCommunications22712555%26%50
EnglishLetters22619185%45%71
ArtFine and Applied Arts22320090%46%75
Child DevelopmentEducation22117780%46%106
Civil EngineeringEngineering22011150%37%73
Information SystemsComputer and Information Sciences2138741%45%62
Electrical EngineeringEngineering20013367%41%62
Graphic DesignFine and Applied Arts18614276%34%80
HistorySocial Sciences18516086%45%59
Social WorkPublic Affairs and Services16313281%28%91
Financial ServicesBusiness and Management16310665%56%55
ChemistryPhysical Science1389267%22%29
AnthropologySocial Sciences12811691%45%31
Computer EngineeringEngineering1267862%42%27
Aerospace EngineeringEngineering1228066%25%30
StatisticsMathematics1207865%32%15
Speech Language Pathology (Entry-Ready)Health Professions1188068%58%50
Interior DesignArchitecture and Environmental Design1035553%47%41
Music (Professional Performance)Fine and Applied Arts1004545%32%23
Applied MathematicsMathematics987880%40%23
JournalismCommunications965658%45%28
Real EstateBusiness and Management843643%27%21
International BusinessBusiness and Management765471%40%38
Environmental ScienceInterdisciplinary Studies745473%38%25
Theatre ArtsFine and Applied Arts703956%36%18
Construction ManagementBusiness and Management633149%<10 admitted19
PhilosophyLetters614980%51%11
NutritionHome Economics603457%54%21
PhysicsPhysical Science603863%28%11
Public AdministrationPublic Affairs and Services514588%59%34
MicrobiologyBiological Science492347%26%12
Hotel and Restaurant/Hospitality ManagementBusiness and Management493367%40%20
Art HistoryFine and Applied Arts494082%61%17
Nursing (RN-to-Nursing Degree)Health Professions4848100%100%32
GeographySocial Sciences463780%59%16
SpanishForeign Languages454191%63%28
MathematicsMathematics443477%21%16
Social Science/Social and Behavioral SciencesSocial Sciences403588%70%21
Public RelationsBusiness and Management392462%45%15
Urban StudiesSocial Sciences363289%36%14
Health CommunicationCommunications352983%47%16
Environmental EngineeringEngineering261038%33%<10
LinguisticsLetters231983%54%<10
MultimediaCommunications221359%39%<10
GeologyPhysical Science201365%<10 admitted<10
Musical TheatreFine and Applied Arts17<10<10 admitted—<10
International Studies/Global StudiesSocial Sciences161169%65%<10
AstronomyPhysical Science15<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
International Security and Conflict ResolutionSocial Sciences141071%45%<10
Dance (Professional Performance)Fine and Applied Arts14<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
African-American StudiesSocial Sciences141286%66%<10
Native American StudiesSocial Sciences141393%—12
MusicFine and Applied Arts13<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
HumanitiesLetters12<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
JapaneseForeign Languages12<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
Organizational LeadershipInterdisciplinary Studies111091%—10
AdvertisingCommunications11<10<10 admitted57%<10
Recreation AdministrationPublic Affairs and Services11<10<10 admitted57%<10
DanceFine and Applied Arts10<10<10 admitted—<10
Mexican-American/Chicano/Chicana StudiesSocial Sciences10<10<10 admitted52%<10

Frequently asked questions

What is the SDSU transfer acceptance rate?

In fall 2025, SDSU admitted 55% (9,761 of 17,595) of undergraduate transfer applicants.

What is the hardest major to transfer into at SDSU?

Among majors with at least 100 transfer applicants in fall 2025, the lowest admit rates were Nursing (3.8%), Finance (31%) and Biology (31%).

Other CSU campuses

SJSU transfers65% of transfer applicants admittedCal Poly SLO transfers20% of transfer applicants admitted

Compare with the University of California

UC admit rates by majorAll nine campuses, freshman and transferUC in-state vs out-of-stateEvery campus, 2021–2025UC chances calculatorYour GPA and intended major

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.