In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 84% of first-time freshman applicants to Sociology (216 of 256), compared with 79% for all majors. That is down from 95% in 2021. 54% of transfer applicants were admitted (114 of 210). Of the freshmen admitted, 12% enrolled, so only 10% of applicants ended up starting in the major.
Sociology admissions, 2021–2025
| Fall | Freshmen applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Enrolled | Transfers applied | Admitted | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 256 | 216 | 84% | 26 | 210 | 114 | 54% |
| 2024 | 287 | 270 | 94% | 29 | 256 | 181 | 71% |
| 2023 | 399 | 373 | 93% | 54 | 291 | 192 | 66% |
| 2022 | 497 | 461 | 93% | 64 | 484 | 383 | 79% |
| 2021 | 503 | 480 | 95% | 61 | 665 | 559 | 84% |
Area: Social Sciences. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10.
Sociology at other CSU campuses
| Campus | Freshman applicants | Freshman admit rate | Transfer admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJSU | 256 | 84% | 54% |
| SDSU | 958 | 70% | 85% |
| Cal Poly SLO | 949 | 30% | 26% |
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 Sociology acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 84% (216 of 256) of first-time freshman applicants to Sociology, compared with 79% for all majors.
What is the SJSU Sociology transfer acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 54% (114 of 210) of transfer applicants to Sociology.
Is Sociology easier to get into at SJSU or SDSU?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 84% of freshman Sociology applicants and SDSU admitted 70%.
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.