Home > Colleges > San Jose State University San Jose State University More About <em >U S News em > Rankings Summary San Jose State University is a public institution that was founded in 1857. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 25,862, its setting is urban , and the campus size is 154 acres . It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar . San Jose State University 's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (West ), 38. Its in-state tuition and fees are $9,496 (2014-15); out-of-state tuition and fees are $13,172 (2014-15). Students who attend San Jose State University , or SJSU , are situated in the scenic California Bay Area and booming Silicon Valley . The campus is located in downtown San Jose , and there are a variety of on-campus housing options , including student apartments and suites. Freshmen are not guaranteed university housing , though there is usually enough room for all who apply. There are more than 350 student organizations to check out at SJSU , as well as a Greek system that prides itself on its diversity. Students can also get involved by joining or cheering on the schools Spartans athletics squads, which compete in the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference . The San Jose State football team competed in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision . For graduate students , the school offers programs through the Lucas Graduate School of Business , among other schools . The university also operates unique research centers that study the lives and works of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck and legendary composer Beethoven . About three fourths of SJSU alumni stay in the Bay Area after graduation . Some of the schools most notable graduates include musician Stevie Nicks and author Amy Tan . More than a dozen Olympic medalists have also graduated from SJSU , including runner Lee Evans and boxer Chuck Adkins . School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school ): San Jose State University is the public university serving Silicon Valley . Many of the engineers , scientists and business professionals who drive this vital engine of the global economy developed their talents at SJSU . Other distinctions including developing the first college-based cyber security center in Silicon Valley , emerging as an NCAA Division I powerhouse after winning the 2012 Military Bowl , and constructing a series of new and renovated structures including a Student Union , Student Health Center and Spartan Complex for kinesiology , club and intercollegiate sports . With 134 bachelor 's and master 's degrees in 110 degree fields , the university is also home to strong programs in education , art , music , journalism, healthcare and social work , nurturing the broader community. San Jose State students , faculty and staff embrace the notion that education is the gateway to opportunity . The cultivation of intellectual curiosity is a high priority on campus, as the skills and mindsets that students develop now will prepare them for industries and careers that do not exist yet. San Jose State welcomes and supports a diverse student body and is proud of its distinction as a national leader in graduating minority students . SJSU encourages and offers resources to thousands of students who are the first in their families to go to college. Our strength through diversity is reflected in SJSU 's more than 350 student organizations , where students share their interests with like-minded peers in areas ranging from ballroom dancing to urban planning . Student life is further enriched by access to unique educational resources . More than 13 million people have visited the award-winning Dr . Martin Luther King, Jr Library , a joint project of the city of San Jose and the university. Beyond our campus, students have easy access to abundant recreational activities , given San Jose State 's convenient geographic location between San Francisco and the beautiful Monterey coast . Find out more at http ://www.sjsu.edu. General Information