Sonoma State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Rohnert Park, California. It enrolls 5,166 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
73/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes52
Value92
Affordability71
Selectivity13
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 93.4%, Sonoma State University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
93.4%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Sonoma State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
3.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Sonoma State University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $12,885 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,885
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
27%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$8,624
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$21,224
Room & Board (on-campus)
$16,802
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$856
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,096
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,648
Application fee: $70 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$8,310
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,795
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,741
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,897
Over $110,000
$21,195
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,50010%percentile
$5,76825%percentile
$16,705Medianpercentile
$23,50075%percentile
$29,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,500
↓ $4,205
No Pell $13,996
↓ $2,709
Dependent students $12,875
↓ $3,830
Independent students $13,725
↓ $2,980
Female students $12,511
↓ $4,194
Male students $13,750
↓ $2,955
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,000, less than completers ($16,705), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
60% of full-time students who enrolled at Sonoma State University graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
60%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Sonoma State University earn a median of $65,986 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$65,986
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$50,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$58,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$50,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$53,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$55,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,900, about 14% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
7.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 79% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Sonoma State University is home to 5,166 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 41% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
5,166
Part-Time
12%
First-Generation
41%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 42.4%2,192
White 40.0%2,064
Other 7.0%363
Asian 4.5%233
Black 2.9%152
International 0.4%22
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Sonoma State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbRohnert Park, California
Housing
Mostly residential3,258 beds on campus
Adult Learners
16%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Sonoma State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
51 distinct programs across
25 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Sonoma State University is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$12,609
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$51M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$104,531
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
227 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
109
48%
$118,142
Associate Professors
65
29%
$100,502
Assistant Professors
31
14%
$84,806
Lecturers
22
10%
$76,791
Pros & Cons of Sonoma State University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Sonoma State University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Above-average post-graduation earnings
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Modest first-year retention
Best for:
Based on the data, Sonoma State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sonoma State University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Sonoma State University.
Is Sonoma State University hard to get into?
Sonoma State University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 93.4%.
What is the acceptance rate at Sonoma State University?
Sonoma State University has an acceptance rate of 93.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Sonoma State University cost?
The average net price after aid at Sonoma State University is $12,885 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Sonoma State University worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $65,986 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,885 per year. That's roughly 5.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Sonoma State University known for?
Sonoma State University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Psychology, Liberal Arts. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Sonoma State University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Sonoma State University are $65,986, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Sonoma State University accredited?
Yes. Sonoma State University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend Sonoma State University?
Sonoma State University enrolls 5,166 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Sonoma State University?
Sonoma State University graduates 60% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Sonoma State University a public or private college?
Sonoma State University is a Public institution.
Where is Sonoma State University located?
Sonoma State University is located in Rohnert Park, California.
What programs does Sonoma State University offer?
Sonoma State University offers 51 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Psychology, Liberal Arts.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Sonoma State University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Sonoma State University is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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