Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at San Francisco State

-19.65%

Applicants - since 2015

28.55%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at San Francisco State over the past 10 years is 80.95%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 96.44%. The acceptance rate at San Francisco State is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The acceptance rate has increased each year for the past 5 years, indicating decreasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 13.64%, and the 2025 yield is 8.60%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 52.06% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of San Francisco State applicants decreased by 5.55% (1,657 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants decreased by 19.65% overall.

Key Takeaways: San Francisco State Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 96.44%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that San Francisco State is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 8.60%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at San Francisco State. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.

Application Volume & Admission Trends

For the 2025 admission cycle, San Francisco State received approximately 28,221 applications, admitted 27,215 students, and enrolled 2,340 students. The declining application volume may indicate shifts in student interest patterns or broader demographic changes affecting college enrollment. Understanding these trends is crucial for prospective students and families assessing San Francisco State's position in the competitive admissions landscape.

Acceptance Rate Changes

San Francisco State 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at San Francisco State over the past decade show a pattern of decreasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate rising year-over-year for 5 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 80.95%, while the most recent rate stands at 96.44%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.

For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 96.44%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 79.27% and for women is 81.97%.

The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at San Francisco State have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 67.88% 64.19% 70.14%
2016-17 68.20%
0.32%
64.91%
0.71%
70.25%
0.10%
2017-18 70.46%
2.26%
68.69%
3.79%
71.54%
1.29%
2018-19 71.76%
1.29%
70.19%
1.50%
72.75%
1.21%
2019-20 67.30%
-4.45%
67.55%
-2.64%
67.15%
-5.60%
2020-21 84.09%
16.79%
82.02%
14.47%
85.39%
18.24%
2021-22 93.00%
8.91%
91.00%
8.97%
94.00%
8.61%
2022-23 94.20%
1.20%
92.83%
1.84%
95.08%
1.08%
2023-24 96.15%
1.95%
95.67%
2.84%
96.46%
1.38%
2024-25 96.44%
0.29%
95.65%
-0.02%
96.96%
0.50%
Average 80.95% 79.27% 81.97%
San Francisco State University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

San Francisco State has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 17.94% in 2015 to 8.60% in 2025, representing a 52.06% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 13.64%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at San Francisco State from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 52.06% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 17.94% 19.57% 17.02%
2016-17 14.74%
-3.19%
16.45%
-3.12%
13.76%
-3.25%
2017-18 17.77%
3.03%
18.50%
2.06%
17.34%
3.58%
2018-19 16.78%
-0.99%
17.80%
-0.70%
16.15%
-1.19%
2019-20 15.85%
-0.93%
16.92%
-0.89%
15.17%
-0.98%
2020-21 10.51%
-5.34%
11.19%
-5.72%
10.11%
-5.07%
2021-22 12.00%
1.49%
13.01%
1.81%
12.00%
1.90%
2022-23 11.84%
-0.16%
12.92%
-0.09%
11.16%
-0.84%
2023-24 10.39%
-1.45%
11.49%
-1.43%
9.68%
-1.48%
2024-25 8.60%
-1.79%
9.67%
-1.82%
7.89%
-1.79%
Average 13.64% 14.75% 13.03%
San Francisco State University enrollment rate trends chart showing historical yield changes from 2015 to 2025

Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled Headcount Changes

Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 32,334, the average number of admitted is 25,813, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 3,477.

The number of San Francisco State applicants decreased by 5.55% (1,657 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants decreased by 19.65% overall.

The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at San Francisco State University from 2015 to 2025.

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 35,122 23,841 4,276
2016-17 36,223
3.13%
24,704
3.62%
3,642
-14.83%
2017-18 34,524
-4.69%
24,327
-1.53%
4,323
18.70%
2018-19 35,606
3.13%
25,550
5.03%
4,287
-0.83%
2019-20 34,629
-2.74%
23,307
-8.78%
3,694
-13.83%
2020-21 31,430
-9.24%
26,431
13.40%
2,779
-24.77%
2021-22 27,777
-11.62%
25,833
-2.26%
3,100
11.55%
2022-23 29,932
7.76%
28,195
9.14%
3,339
7.71%
2023-24 29,878
-0.18%
28,727
1.89%
2,985
-10.60%
2024-25 28,221
-5.55%
27,215
-5.26%
2,340
-21.61%
Average 32,334 25,813 3,477
San Francisco State University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares San Francisco State University' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
San Francisco State University96.15%96.44%0.30%
University of California-Los Angeles8.97%8.73%2.75%
University of California-Berkeley10.98%11.66%-5.83%
University of California-San Diego26.71%24.52%8.93%
California State University-Fullerton90.52%86.74%4.36%
California State University-Long Beach46.27%47.12%-1.80%

Ratings & Review

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