How this school serves students from different economic backgrounds, including Pell students, first-generation pathways, and long-term mobility outcomes.
Sonoma State University admits 93.4% of applicants, making it a broadly accessible option within California's public university system. Among enrolled undergraduates, 35.9% receive Pell Grants and 41.5% are first-generation college students — a profile that reflects the university's role serving families for whom higher education is a new pathway. Transfer students make up 48.8% of enrollment, a meaningful share that signals Sonoma State's openness to students arriving from community colleges and other institutions. Azimuth ranks Sonoma State University #590 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 57.6%, with Pell-eligible students completing at 59.1% — a figure that reflects how well the university supports lower-income students through to degree completion. Freshman retention stands at 79.2%, suggesting that students who enroll generally find the environment supportive enough to continue. Azimuth ranks Sonoma State University #204 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low-income graduates earn median earnings of $50,800 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing this cohort in the 72.7 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. As Azimuth's analysis of access versus outcomes explores, the mobility picture reflects both who the institution serves and what those students earn — and at Sonoma State, a substantial Pell-eligible population reaching those earnings levels represents a meaningful contribution to upward economic mobility in the North Bay region.
Sonoma State University admits 93.4% of applicants, making it a broadly accessible option within California's public university system. Among enrolled undergraduates, 35.9% receive Pell Grants and 41.5% are first-generation college students — a profile that reflects the university's role serving families for whom higher education is a new pathway. Transfer students make up 48.8% of enrollment, a meaningful share that signals Sonoma State's openness to students arriving from community colleges and other institutions. Azimuth ranks Sonoma State University #590 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 57.6%, with Pell-eligible students completing at 59.1% — a figure that reflects how well the university supports lower-income students through to degree completion. Freshman retention stands at 79.2%, suggesting that students who enroll generally find the environment supportive enough to continue. Azimuth ranks Sonoma State University #204 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low-income graduates earn median earnings of $50,800 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing this cohort in the 72.7 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. As Azimuth's analysis of access versus outcomes explores, the mobility picture reflects both who the institution serves and what those students earn — and at Sonoma State, a substantial Pell-eligible population reaching those earnings levels represents a meaningful contribution to upward economic mobility in the North Bay region.
Sonoma State University admits 93.4% of applicants, making it a broadly accessible option within California's public university system. Among enrolled undergraduates, 35.9% receive Pell Grants and 41.5% are first-generation college students — a profile that reflects the university's role serving families for whom higher education is a new pathway. Transfer students make up 48.8% of enrollment, a meaningful share that signals Sonoma State's openness to students arriving from community colleges and other institutions. Azimuth ranks Sonoma State University #590 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 57.6%, with Pell-eligible students completing at 59.1% — a figure that reflects how well the university supports lower-income students through to degree completion. Freshman retention stands at 79.2%, suggesting that students who enroll generally find the environment supportive enough to continue. Azimuth ranks Sonoma State University #204 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low-income graduates earn median earnings of $50,800 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing this cohort in the 72.7 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. As Azimuth's analysis of access versus outcomes explores, the mobility picture reflects both who the institution serves and what those students earn — and at Sonoma State, a substantial Pell-eligible population reaching those earnings levels represents a meaningful contribution to upward economic mobility in the North Bay region.
