San Francisco State University
Academics

Back to Profile

How strong are the academics at San Francisco State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

27%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Honors Programs

San Francisco State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on San Francisco State's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at San Francisco State University:

83%
First-year retention rate
27%
4-year grad rate
54%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are San Francisco State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Computer Science
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
87.2
266.96
446.72
626.48
806.24
986

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 16
  • African-American/Black Studies 15
  • Comparative Group Studies 13
  • Asian-American Studies 10
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 9
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 1
  • Ethnic Studies 1
  • American Indian/Native American Studies 1
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 1
  • Women's Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 365
  • Biochemistry 39
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 986
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 25
  • Labor Studies 4
  • Labor and Industrial Relations 0
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 224
  • Radio and Television 127
  • Journalism 32
  • Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other 0
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 306
Education
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 237
  • Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 69
  • Civil Engineering, General 53
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 31
  • Computer Engineering, General 30
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 111
  • Creative Writing 16
  • Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing 0
  • Rhetoric and Composition 0
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Apparel and Textiles, General 59
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 4
Foreign Languages
  • Japanese Language and Literature 16
  • Chinese Language and Literature 9
  • Spanish Language and Literature 9
  • Comparative Literature 4
  • German Language and Literature 2
  • French Language and Literature 2
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Italian Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 196
  • Public Health, General 83
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 74
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 74
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 74
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 26
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 0
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 0
History
  • History, General 61
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 196
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 42
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 9
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 24
  • Statistics, General 9
  • Applied Mathematics, General 9
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Nutrition Sciences 80
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1
  • Natural Sciences 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 31
  • Environmental Science 17
Parks
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 171
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 16
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 31
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other 3
  • Jewish/Judaic Studies 0
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 20
  • Chemistry, General 18
  • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other 4
  • Physical Sciences, General 0
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 0
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 470
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 24
Social Sciences
  • Sociology, General 155
  • Political Science and Government, General 94
  • International Relations and Affairs 48
  • Economics, General 42
  • Anthropology, General 22
  • Geography 9
  • Urban Studies/Affairs 9
  • Social Sciences, General 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 189
  • Design and Visual Communications, General 91
  • Art/Art Studies, General 66
  • Interior Design 45
  • Industrial and Product Design 39
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 38
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 23
  • Music, General 18
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 12
  • Music Performance, General 9
  • Dance, General 8
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 0

Mistakes were made

(But not by you!)

These are the top 10 mistakes people make when searching for colleges

Top Ten Mistakes

CollegeIQ relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

© 2025 Whittier Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service