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SDSU Nursing Acceptance Rate: What San Diego State Actually Publishes
Many applicants search for SDSU's nursing acceptance rate, but there is no official figure: neither SDSU nor the state publishes one. Here is what San Diego State does publish: transfer applicant counts, average scores, the minimum score that earned an offer, and the rules for Fall 2027.
By the SEAPHE Editorial Team
Data from the California Board of Registered Nursing
SDSU calls admission to its pre-licensure BSN “highly competitive due to the high volume of applications received and the limited number of seats available.” No wonder applicants go looking for an acceptance rate. We searched for an official figure and found none. This page sticks to what SDSU and the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) actually publish, with links, so you can judge your own chances.
Is there an official SDSU nursing acceptance rate?
No. As of Oct 9, 2026:
- SDSU's School of Nursing publishes a transfer academic profile with the number of applicants, their average scores and the lowest score that received an offer. It doesn't publish how many applicants were admitted, so you can't calculate an acceptance rate from it.
- The BRN publishes admissions only in aggregate. Its annual school report doesn't break out acceptance rates for individual programs.
Any “SDSU nursing acceptance rate” you see online is someone else's estimate, not SDSU's, and we don't publish one. Here is what official data does show: statewide, California BSN programs accepted 29.9% of qualified applications in 2024–25 (11,210 of 37,452), per the BRN annual school report. And all SDSU majors are impacted, according to SDSU Admissions.
SDSU nursing transfer acceptance rate: what the profile shows
The table below is SDSU's own transfer profile for the School of Nursing. “Minimum score for offer” is the lowest total on SDSU's 80-point scale that received an admission offer that year. SDSU doesn't say whether the averages cover all applicants or only those who received offers.
SDSU School of Nursing transfer academic profile
As published by SDSU, Fall 2021 to Fall 2024
| Term | Applicants | Avg cum. GPA | Avg prereq GPA | Avg TEAS | Avg points | Min. for offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | 884 | 3.97 | 3.98 | 91.0 | 71 / 80 | 67 / 80 |
| Fall 2023 | 1,078 | 3.96 | 4.00 | 91.6 | 72 / 80 | 70 / 80 |
| Fall 2022 | 1,308 | 3.98 | 4.00 | 94.4 | 76 / 80 | 76 / 80 |
| Fall 2021 | 1,732 | 3.97 | 4.00 | 92.0 | 71 / 80 | 68 / 80 |
Source: SDSU School of Nursing, Transfer Admission, “School of Nursing Transfer Academic Profile”, checked Oct 9, 2026. SDSU doesn't publish the number of offers or enrollees, so no acceptance rate can be calculated.
Two things stand out. Applicant numbers fell every year, from 1,732 for Fall 2021 to 884 for Fall 2024. Yet scores stayed very high: average prerequisite GPAs of 3.98 to 4.00 and average TEAS scores above 90. The minimum score for an offer moved between 67 and 76 points, so a total in the high 60s has been competitive in some years but not others.
SDSU nursing prerequisites and requirements (Fall 2027 transfer)
SDSU's published transfer criteria for Fall 2027 score each eligible applicant out of 80 points:
SDSU nursing transfer points, Fall 2027
From SDSU's published BS pre-licensure transfer criteria
| Criterion | Points | Minimum or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative GPA | 30 | Below 3.20 isn't eligible |
| Prerequisite GPA (5 courses) | 30 | All 8 prerequisites required |
| ATI TEAS | 15 | Minimum 80.0; the HESI isn't accepted in its place |
| Paid certified healthcare work | 5 | 100+ hours, e.g. CNA, MA, EMT, LVN, phlebotomist |
Source: SDSU School of Nursing, BS Pre-Licensure Transfer Criteria (Fall 2027 admission), checked Oct 9, 2026. See the document for the full course list and accepted job titles.
The criteria are just as clear about what doesn't count: letters of recommendation, personal statements and volunteer service. Second-bachelor's applicants compete in the transfer pool, according to the transfer admission page. The 3.20 minimum GPA for nursing also appears on SDSU Admissions' transfer GPA page.
Fall 2027 transfer timeline
- Cal State Apply opens August 1, 2026, and applications are accepted October 1 to November 30, 2026.
- Prerequisites must be completed by December 31, 2026.
- Decisions are expected in mid to late March 2027.
Dates come from SDSU's criteria document. Confirm them on the School of Nursing site before you apply.
Freshman (direct-entry) admission
SDSU also admits first-year students straight into nursing. Its BS program page lists a minimum 3.0 A–G GPA and grades of B or better in intermediate algebra, biology with lab and chemistry with lab. Applicants are ranked academically. SDSU also says students can't switch into nursing after they enroll, so if you want SDSU nursing as a first-year student, apply to the major directly. SDSU doesn't publish a freshman nursing acceptance rate either.
SDSU nursing outcomes
The BRN lists SDSU's program with 200 approved seats a year, locations in Brawley and San Diego, and CCNE accreditation. Once students are in, the licensing results are solid.
SDSU first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate by year
California statewide rate for comparison
| Academic year | SDSU | Testers | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | 95.8% | 143 | 89.2% |
| 2021–22 | 90.7% | 150 | 85.9% |
| 2022–23 | 88.4% | 181 | 85.7% |
| 2023–24 | 95.5% | 157 | 94.0% |
| 2024–25 | 91.0% | 134 | 90.2% |
| 5-year | 92.2% | 765 |
Source: California BRN NCLEX-RN pass rates, retrieved Oct 7, 2026. Five-year rate weighted by testers; SEAPHE calculation.
The BRN reports 90.0% on-time completion for SDSU in 2023–24 and lists a cost of $37,280 (Tuition + Books). The SDSU school page has every year of data.
If you're applying to SDSU nursing
- Max out what's scored. GPA, prerequisite grades and the TEAS make up 75 of the 80 transfer points. A certified healthcare job adds the last 5.
- Take the TEAS, not the HESI. SDSU doesn't accept the HESI A2 in place of the TEAS. See TEAS vs. HESI A2.
- Apply to more than one program. Compare other campuses in CSU nursing programs compared and see the best California schools by NCLEX pass rate.
Applied to a California RN program? Share how it went in a 2-minute anonymous survey, or see what other applicants reported on the admissions odds page.
Share your outcomeFrequently asked questions
What is the SDSU nursing acceptance rate?
SDSU doesn't publish one, and the California BRN doesn't publish acceptance rates for individual schools. SDSU's School of Nursing reports applicant counts (884 transfer applicants for Fall 2024) but not the number admitted, so no official rate can be calculated.
What GPA do you need for SDSU nursing?
The minimum for transfer applicants is a 3.20 cumulative GPA. Competitive scores are much higher. SDSU's transfer profile reports an average cumulative GPA of 3.97 and an average prerequisite GPA of 3.98 for Fall 2024. First-year applicants need at least a 3.0 A–G GPA.
What TEAS score do you need for SDSU nursing?
SDSU's Fall 2027 transfer criteria set a minimum TEAS score of 80.0, and the HESI A2 isn't accepted in its place. The average TEAS score in SDSU's Fall 2024 transfer profile was 91.0.
Does SDSU nursing accept second-bachelor's students?
Yes. SDSU says second-bachelor's applicants compete in the transfer pool under the same criteria.
Is SDSU nursing accelerated?
No. SDSU describes its BSN as a six-semester program and says it isn't accelerated.
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Sources
- San Diego State University School of Nursing, Transfer Admission and School of Nursing Transfer Academic Profile (checked Oct 9, 2026).
- San Diego State University School of Nursing, BS Pre-Licensure Transfer Criteria, Fall 2027 admission (checked Oct 9, 2026).
- San Diego State University School of Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (checked Oct 9, 2026).
- SDSU Admissions, Transfer GPA Requirements and Impacted Majors (checked Oct 9, 2026).
- California Board of Registered Nursing, NCLEX-RN Pass Rates, Pre-Licensure RN Programs and Attrition and on-time completion (retrieved Oct 7, 2026).
- University of California, San Francisco for the California BRN, 2024–2025 BRN Annual School Report: Data Summary, Pre-Licensure Programs, Table 3.
Last updated Oct 9, 2026. Figures change every year; check each source for the latest release.