San Fran State University Hit by Citywide DOOM LOOP—22% Enrollment Loss in Five Years
Businesses and families are leaving San Fran. Enrollment in San Fran government schools is in a death spiral. Tourism is down, as is the value of property in the city. Some buildings have been sold at 50% of previous value. Now San Fran State University is also feeling the DOOM LOOP.
“In late August, SJSU announced it would be welcoming a record number of enrolled students for its Fall 2025 semester, with just under 40,000 students — an 8% increase from Fall 2024.
In contrast, SFSU is totaling out to just under 20,700 students, according to the university’s latest weekly enrollment report for Fall 2025. The data reveals that the university is in an enrollment landslide.
Headcount data is used to pinpoint the number of enrolled students. The data from both the California State University database and the SFSU enrollment report revealed that from 2020 to 2025, there was a 22.2% decline.”
In five years SFSU lost a fifth of its enrollment. Everything in San Fran is circling the toilet.
A one-sided enrollment battle: SJSU booms while SFSU shrinks
SFSU has seen a decline in enrollment since 2021, while SJSU has hit historic highs for the Fall 2025 semester.
Daniel Archuleta, Golden Gate Express, 9/28/25 https://goldengatexpress.org/113580/campus/a-one-sided-enrollment-battle-sjsu-booms-while-sfsu-shrinks/
San Francisco State University and San Jose State University are separated by just 50 miles, but one appears to be light-years ahead of the other in terms of its current enrollment.
In late August, SJSU announced it would be welcoming a record number of enrolled students for its Fall 2025 semester, with just under 40,000 students — an 8% increase from Fall 2024.
In contrast, SFSU is totaling out to just under 20,700 students, according to the university’s latest weekly enrollment report for Fall 2025. The data reveals that the university is in an enrollment landslide.
Headcount data is used to pinpoint the number of enrolled students. The data from both the California State University database and the SFSU enrollment report revealed that from 2020 to 2025, there was a 22.2% decline.
Katie Lynch, senior associate vice president of enrollment management at SFSU, is not particularly concerned, as she views SJSU as an outlier.
“We are in one of the six to seven institutions within the CSU who continue to see a decline — most of those schools are in the northern region of the state,” Lynch said. “The only exception to a school that is not seeing that ongoing kind of decline over the past several years is really San Jose.”
Lynch sees several factors that could play into the decision making of where students want to attend. Demographic shifts within Northern California, cost of living as a student in San Francisco and career outcomes after graduation are some examples.
She doesn’t see much of a competition between the two universities, noting that the entire landscape is highly competitive and students ultimately have that choice to make.
Andrew Wright, senior associate vice president for enrollment management at SJSU, said he believes a significant amount of work has gone into the university’s high enrollment number.
“We’ve changed a lot about how we recruit,” Wright said. “The best way to describe it is we are no longer in a space where we are meeting students face to face and shaking hands.”
Wright noted how much SJSU has leaned heavily into the electronic space by having counselors on demand and holding webinars. Additionally, the university is holding on-campus walkthroughs with undeclared students and engaging with the local community in ways it hasn’t done previously.
Wright also correlated the relationship between San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and the university to the university’s growth. Mahan had become a fixture at many SJSU events, such as football games and its annual Spartan Day in the spring.
“It’s not often that you would see the mayor hand in hand with the president of the university,” Wright said. “It’s a regular thing that the mayor is part of the work that we do.”
Another factor in SJSU’s growth is the companies within the Silicon Valley that partner with the university, such as Nvidia, Adobe and Zoom.
“It’s a constant relationship building that is happening on a regular basis,” Wright said. “We are a direct feeder and pipeline for Silicon Valley, and I think that’s what’s unique about San Jose State.”
One element that has been added to SFSU over the past few months is the rebranding, which includes changes to logos and signage. It also included a new emphasis on how to market the university to undeclared students.
“The new brand platform was created to highlight what makes SF State distinctive and compelling to students,” said Kent Bravo, SFSU media relations specialist. “The goal is to reflect the authentic experiences of our students and show prospective students how SF State can help them achieve their goals.”
However, with the ongoing decline in SFSU’s student enrollment, it appears that the rebranding effort might not be working as quickly as expected. Nevertheless, SFSU remains committed to these revisions and hopes for long-term change.
“Brand and marketing efforts are long-term strategies that build awareness and influence over multiple cycles,” Bravo said. “Over time, we expect the campaign to support enrollment by strengthening the university’s visibility and reputation.”
Luis Barrios Cruz, a first-year architecture student, chose to study at SFSU over SJSU because he wanted to try something new, looking at schools farther away from his hometown of Gilroy. After a couple of weeks, Barrios Cruz said he didn’t feel any regret about his decision to attend SFSU after comparing the two schools with some friends who attend SJSU.
“The difference [is] the size of buildings and the size of classes, [San Jose State] has long lectures as well,” Barrios Cruz said. “Here, it’s more short lectures spread throughout the week. So I feel like that is better for me.”
Madina Anjum, a cell and molecular biology student at SFSU shared a similar mindset. Even though she also applied for SJSU, her decision ultimately came down to location.
“I’m pretty happy with my decision,” said Anjum, who was born and raised in San Francisco. “I know a lot of people sometimes say, ‘Oh, I wish I went to San Jose State,’ but I think it’s about the people, and as long as you have an open mind, you’re gonna find the people you like and enjoy spending time with wherever you are, so I don’t have any regrets.”
Lynch understands that the university is facing low enrollment that needs a boost, but it’s not an easy or quick process. One effort on the table that SFSU is looking into is new ways to partner with companies located within San Francisco for possible internship opportunities once students graduate.
“Ultimately, we will continue to own the proud history that we have at San Francisco State,” Lynch said. “It’s really important, but we will also look at ways to leverage that history to help identify and create additional opportunities to meet what prospective students are really looking for right now.”
