by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is the data on what it actually costs to attend San Jose State University, from the published cost of attendance and projected degree cost through to net price, median student debt at graduation, default outcomes, and how aid varies by family income.
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The full cost of attending San Jose State University came in between $25,695.00 and up to $38,295.00 depending on whether you qualify for in-state rates.
In-state students paid the lower published figure, while out-of-state students faced the higher one: about $25,695.00 in-state versus $38,295.00 out of state.
Cost is shown below as the full sticker price, the average net price after aid, and the low-income net price.
| Tuition and fees | $8,410.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $17,285.00 |
| Total cost | $25,695.00 |
| That is 33% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $25,695.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,833.00 |
| Net price | $12,862.00 |
| That is 33% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $25,695.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$16,863.00 |
| Net price | $8,832.00 |
| That is 54% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $21,010.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $17,285.00 |
| Total cost | $38,295.00 |
| That is 99% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $38,295.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,833.00 |
| Net price | $25,462.00 |
| That is 32% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $38,295.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$16,863.00 |
| Net price | $21,432.00 |
| That is 11% above the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on tuition and fees plus living costs. |
Costs have trended upward in recent years at about 2.1% per year, so the four-year total runs well above today’s cost. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. The loan rows amortise the projected total over a ten-year, 6.8% repayment.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Freshman year | $9,021.00 | $13,138.00 | $26,246.00 |
| Senior year | $9,615.00 | $14,002.00 | $27,972.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $37,264.00 | $54,267.00 | $108,411.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $14,196.00 | $20,674.00 | $41,301.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $429.00 | $625.00 | $1,248.00 |
| Total amount paid | $51,460.00 | $74,940.00 | $149,712.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Freshman year | $9,021.00 | $13,138.00 | $26,246.00 |
| Senior year | $9,215.00 | $13,420.00 | $26,809.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $18,236.00 | $26,558.00 | $53,055.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $6,947.00 | $10,117.00 | $20,212.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $210.00 | $306.00 | $611.00 |
| Total amount paid | $25,184.00 | $36,675.00 | $73,267.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Freshman year | $21,892.00 | $26,008.00 | $39,116.00 |
| Senior year | $23,331.00 | $27,718.00 | $41,688.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $90,425.00 | $107,428.00 | $161,572.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $34,449.00 | $40,926.00 | $61,553.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,041.00 | $1,236.00 | $1,859.00 |
| Total amount paid | $124,873.00 | $148,354.00 | $223,126.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Freshman year | $21,892.00 | $26,008.00 | $39,116.00 |
| Senior year | $22,361.00 | $26,566.00 | $39,955.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $44,253.00 | $52,574.00 | $79,072.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $16,859.00 | $20,029.00 | $30,124.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $509.00 | $605.00 | $910.00 |
| Total amount paid | $61,112.00 | $72,603.00 | $109,195.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the net-price section.
Net price strips out grant and scholarship aid to show what families really pay. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $13,760.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $13,741.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. The figures below give average net price by income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $9,743.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $9,863.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $12,948.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $17,047.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $23,401.00 |
For a personalized estimate, try the San Jose State University Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the grants & scholarships detail.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of San Jose State University comes to $12,000.00, categorized as a Low ($10-20k) debt-burden category.
Across borrowers, debt at graduation distributes like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,500.00 |
| 25th | $5,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $12,000.00 |
| 75th | $22,996.00 |
| 90th | $31,000.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt detail.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. Below the data splits borrowers across three income groups:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,000.00 |
| Middle income | $11,500.00 |
| High income | $13,000.00 |
First-generation students frequently graduate with different debt than continuing-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,000.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,000.00 |
The Pell Grant is the main federal need-based award for undergraduates. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at San Jose State University is $-500.00.
The federal default-rate tier for San Jose State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 3.2% |
To put the rates in context, Stafford loans at San Jose State University add up to $1,023,349,281.00 over 53,201 loan recipients.
Veterans and current servicemembers may be eligible for major federal education benefits including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Department of Defense Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 354 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $6,713.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 4 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,412.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the veterans benefits detail.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about San Jose State University, a few questions are worth asking:
Use the pages below to go deeper on a specific part of the cost story:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.