San Jose State University

San Jose State University's published cost of attendance is $26,593, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $9,730 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $12,099, and higher-income families pay approximately $22,862.

Azimuth ranks San Jose State University #153 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

The gap between sticker price and what families actually pay reflects how [net price and published cost can diverge substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). San Jose State University participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and work-study, per the financial aid page.

Work-study opportunities are available as part of the aid package for qualifying students, providing an additional avenue to offset costs beyond grant aid. Families apply using the FAFSA, and the university's Financial Aid and Scholarships office administers both need-based and institutional award programs.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $15,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $20,820; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $89,614, median federal debt of $15,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $169 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of San Jose State University earn median earnings of $89,614 four years after enrollment, placing San Jose State University in the 88.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $36,613 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 99.2 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks San Jose State University #97 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects San Jose State University's applied, professionally oriented program mix. Business is the dominant program family, accounting for 24% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 12% and Arts at 7%.

Psychology, General stands out as the highest aggregate-return major, combining large cohort scale with strong earnings — a combination that anchors much of the university's overall return profile. Among the most popular programs, Business Administration graduates 1,710 students annually and Psychology, General graduates 582, both feeding directly into CA's deep technology and professional services labor market.

Communication and Media Studies and Computer Science add further breadth, graduating 309 and 288 students respectively. Azimuth ranks Public Health among the programs tracked nationally [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 249 graduates contributing to the university's workforce footprint across the South Bay region.

San Jose State University's program mix is anchored in Business, with strong representation across engineering, social sciences, and health-related fields — a portfolio shaped by the university's position in the heart of Silicon Valley. Business Administration is the largest program with 1,710 graduates, followed by Psychology, General (582 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (309 graduates), Computer Science (288 graduates), and Public Health (249 graduates).

Business accounts for 24% of degree output, with Engineering at 12% and Arts at 7% — a distribution that reflects the university's applied-professional orientation. Across 62 programs serving roughly 7,352 students annually, 0 meet Azimuth's [ranking threshold](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

Psychology, General combines large cohort scale with strong earnings, making it the program that contributes the most aggregate economic value to San Jose State University graduates. The university's business-related concentrations — including accounting and finance tracks, per the latest program pages — feed directly into the Bay Area's deep financial-services and corporate employer base.

Engineering programs benefit from proximity to major technology employers, where direct-to-workforce hiring pipelines are well established. The distinction between high-mobility and grad-school-dependent pathways matters here.

Engineering, business, and computer-science-adjacent programs are high-mobility fields where four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes in a competitive regional economy. Programs in social sciences and health sciences are more likely to serve as foundations for graduate or professional study, meaning four-year earnings undercount the long-term trajectory for graduates who continue their education.

The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how San Jose State University's strongest program families align with national and regional labor-market demand. ```