In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 55% of first-time freshman applicants to Mechanical Engineering (871 of 1,581), compared with 79% for all majors. That is down from 80% in 2021. 55% of transfer applicants were admitted (194 of 350). Of the freshmen admitted, 16% enrolled, so only 8.6% 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 | 1,581 | 871 | 55% | 136 | 350 | 194 | 55% |
| 2024 | 1,391 | 872 | 63% | 112 | 332 | 246 | 74% |
| 2023 | 1,267 | 667 | 53% | 100 | 300 | 250 | 83% |
| 2022 | 1,113 | 684 | 61% | 124 | 270 | 209 | 77% |
| 2021 | 800 | 643 | 80% | 126 | 310 | 246 | 79% |
Area: Engineering. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10.
SJSU’s published cutoffs
Lowest freshman impaction score admitted to Mechanical Engineering:
| Fall | Minimum score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4920 | About a 4.10 GPA and math GPA for a non-local applicant (3.93 for a Santa Clara County applicant) |
| 2025 | 4800 | About a 4.00 GPA and math GPA for a non-local applicant (3.83 for a Santa Clara County applicant) |
| 2024 | 4620 | About a 3.85 GPA and math GPA for a non-local applicant (3.68 for a Santa Clara County applicant) |
Engineering score = 800 × a-g GPA + 400 × math GPA, plus 200 for local applicants and 40 each for fee waiver, first-generation or military status. The GPA shown assumes the same overall and math GPA and no other bonus points.
Transfers, fall 2026: Math 30, Math 31, Physics 50 required; plus 4 extra courses: above 3.50; 3: above 3.70; 2: above 3.90; 1: above 4.10; none: not admitted. Local (Santa Clara and Santa Cruz County) community college students get a 0.25 GPA boost.
Mechanical Engineering at other CSU campuses
| Campus | Freshman applicants | Freshman admit rate | Transfer admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJSU | 1,581 | 55% | 55% |
| SDSU | 4,209 | 41% | 57% |
| Cal Poly SLO | 4,953 | 13% | 8.7% |
Engineering admit rates at every UC campus →
How admission works
- Every major at SJSU is impacted. Applicants are ranked within their major using an impaction score: 800 × your a-g GPA, plus 200 points if you graduate from a Santa Clara County high school (the same as 0.25 GPA), plus 40 points each for a Cal State Apply fee waiver, first-generation status or military service.
- Engineering majors add 400 × your math GPA, so the scores for engineering are on a different scale.
- SJSU publishes the lowest score it admitted in each major every year. A score of 2000 means every CSU-eligible applicant (2.5 GPA) to that major was admitted.
- Transfers are ranked by self-reported GPA within each major; Santa Clara and Santa Cruz County community college students get a 0.25 GPA boost, and some majors also give credit for completed prep courses.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SJSU Mechanical Engineering acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 55% (871 of 1,581) of first-time freshman applicants to Mechanical Engineering, compared with 79% for all majors.
What is the SJSU Mechanical Engineering transfer acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 55% (194 of 350) of transfer applicants to Mechanical Engineering.
What GPA do you need for Mechanical Engineering at SJSU?
For fall 2026, the lowest impaction score SJSU admitted to Mechanical Engineering was 4920: about a 4.10 GPA and math GPA for a non-local applicant (3.93 for a Santa Clara County applicant).
Is Mechanical Engineering easier to get into at SJSU or SDSU?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 55% of freshman Mechanical Engineering applicants and SDSU admitted 41%.
More for SJSU
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.