The history of San Francisco State University contributes unique elements to its mission. The University existed solely as a teacher training institution from 1899 to 1935, first as a normal school, then as a teachers' college. Although officially a liberal arts college after 1935, and a university since 1972.
San Francisco State was ranked in the top 25 for U.S. universities on Payscale and CollegeNet’s Social Mobility Index. That means we’re among the best at making it affordable for our students to graduate and obtain good-paying jobs. Our graduates are now leaders in fields from journalism, creative writing and film to technology, science, business, government and education.
The mission of the Office of Institutional Research (IR) at San Francisco State University is to provide information, data and analysis in a timely manner to better inform decision making at all levels of the University and to satisfy external reporting requirements and needs.
On-campus housing at San Francisco State University is limited and in high demand. While living on campus is not required, it is also not guaranteed and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The Housing Office highly recommends students submit their housing as soon as possible to increase their chances of obtaining a space and to avoid being put on the wait list.
The mission of the J. Paul Leonard Library is to empower its University constituency with lifelong learning skills to identify, find, evaluate, use and communicate information in promotion of excellence in scholarship, knowledge and understanding.
Academic Technology (AT) supports Academic Affairs units, colleges, departments, instructors and students wherever teaching, learning and research happens, and serves as the central information technology (IT) unit for Academic Affairs at SF State.
Our world-class academics, vibrant campus life and unique urban setting draw students from across California, the nation and the world. Take our virtual tour and see for yourself.
The new Mashouf Wellness Center offers activities, recreation and a wellness program. It’s already a major campus social hub.
The San Francisco State Gators compete in the NCAA II, CCAA and RMAC conferences with both women’s and men’s athletic teams.
Whatever your interest, there’s a student organization dedicated to it here. We have more than 200 on-campus clubs, plus many student activities including workshops, career fairs, concerts, cultural events, spirit days, movie nights and more.
SF State is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 127 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 1494 | 1526 | 1653 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 1201 | 1401 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 6 reviews
The university is fantastic, it's so inclusive, and diverse, has a terrific staff, and has awesome teachers. The classrooms are always so welcoming and very lovely to be in. I think my favorite part about SF is the teachers by far
The school has a high acceptance rate which is nice. The campus is really nice. The school is mainly a commuter school so mostly people from the Bay visit on weekdays. Finding houses after you move off campus dorms is difficult
I'm enjoying my time here. It can be hard to get into classes, with long waitlists and some instructors not always willing to add new students. I really like the food options and the convenience stores on campus. However, the accessibility to Wi-Fi could be better.
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