Sonoma State University

www.sonoma.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,742

2021 Average Net Price

$7,055

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.46%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

93.7%

10,598 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

7,371

82.9% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

59.9%

1,118 Graduates

About

Sonoma State University is a higher education institution located in Sonoma County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Sonoma State University were General Business Administration & Management (403 degrees awarded), General Psychology (202 degrees), and Sociology (148 degrees).

In 2021, 2,245 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Sonoma State University. 65.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 34.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,050 degrees), 1.46 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (718 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Sonoma State University is $5,742, which is $−17,442 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Sonoma State University is $5,742, which is $−17,442 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $7,055.

In 2021, 59% of undergraduate students attending Sonoma State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 26% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,742

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Sonoma State University was $5,742. The cost of tuition at Sonoma State University is $−17,442 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Sonoma State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$7,055

2021 Value

59.1%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Sonoma State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $7,055. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Sonoma State University grew by 59.1%.

This chart compares the average net price of Sonoma State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,431

Room and Board

$986

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Sonoma State University was of $15,431 in 2021. The cost of room and board decreased by 1.71% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $986. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 49.9% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Sonoma State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

59%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

26%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

59% of undergraduate students at Sonoma State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 1.67% with respect to 2020, when 60% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Sonoma State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.46%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Sonoma State University was 1.46%, which represents 25 out of the 1711 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Sonoma State University received 10,598 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 20.6% annual growth. Out of those 10,598 applicants, 9,934 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 93.7% acceptance rate.

There were 7,371 students enrolled at Sonoma State University in 2021. 90% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Sonoma State University has an overall enrollment yield of 8.27%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

93.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

9,934

Accepted Out of 10,598

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Sonoma State University was 93.7% (9,934 admissions from 10,598 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 89.1%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 20.6%, while admissions declined by −16.5%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Sonoma State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

90%

Submission Percentage (2020)

826

Scores Submitted (2020)

90% of enrolled first-time students at Sonoma State University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Sonoma State University had a total enrollment of 7,371 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Sonoma State University is 6,108 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,263. This means that 82.9% of students enrolled at Sonoma State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Sonoma State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 43.1% White, 36.2% Hispanic or Latino, 5.48% Two or More Races, 5.13% Asian, 2.6% Black or African American, 0.407% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.339% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Sonoma State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (25.9%), followed by White Female (24.6%) and White Male (16.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (42.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (18.1%) and White Male (14.6%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

82.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Sonoma State University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 7,371 students. The full-time enrollment at Sonoma State University is 6,108 and the part-time enrollment is 1,263. This means that 82.9% of students enrolled at Sonoma State University are enrolled full-time compared with 68.3% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Sonoma State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

83%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Sonoma State University was 83%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Sonoma State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Sonoma State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
3,176 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
2,668 enrolled students
Two or More Races
404 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Sonoma State University is 43.1% White, 36.2% Hispanic or Latino, 5.48% Two or More Races, 5.13% Asian, 2.6% Black or African American, 0.407% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.339% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 52% White, 16.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.8% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 281 students (3.81%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 701 more women than men received degrees from Sonoma State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Sonoma State University is white (1,050 degrees awarded). There were 1.46 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (718 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Sonoma State University is General Business Administration & Management (403 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (202 degrees) and Sociology (148 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Sonoma State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Cultural & Gender Studies (41 degrees awarded), English (87 degrees), and History (49 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sonoma State University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (482,448 people), Other managers (307,385 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (294,745 people), Postsecondary teachers (216,667 people), and Secondary school teachers (159,908 people).

The most specialized majors at Sonoma State University in 2021 are Cultural & Gender Studies (41 degrees awarded), English (87 degrees), History (49 degrees), Social Sciences (298 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (43 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sonoma State University are Surgeons, Media and communication workers, all other, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Diagnostic medical sonographers, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Sonoma State University are Cultural & Gender Studies (41 degrees awarded), English (87 degrees), History (49 degrees), Social Sciences (298 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (43 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sonoma State University are Elementary & secondary schools (664,140 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (458,284 people), Legal services (385,051 people), Computer Systems Design (231,797 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (219,877 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Sonoma State University.

Most Common (2020)

General Business Administration & Management
432 degrees awarded
General Psychology
213 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
148 degrees awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Sonoma State University was General Business Administration & Management with 432 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Sonoma State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

772

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

1,473

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 772 degrees were awarded to men at Sonoma State University, which is 0.524 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,473).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Sonoma State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 254 degrees were awarded to men at Sonoma State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.2 times more than the 211 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 211 degrees were awarded to men at Sonoma State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.831 times less than the 254 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

33%

100% Completion Time

62%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 33% of students graduating from Sonoma State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 62% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 64% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

White Female

Highest Graduation Rate (66.9%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Sonoma State University is Female and White (66.9% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 9.21% of graduates (103 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,050 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
718 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
133 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Sonoma State University is white (1,050 degrees awarded). There were 1.46 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (718 degrees).

5.57% of degree recipients (125 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
655 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
499 degrees awarded
White Male
395 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Sonoma State University is white female (655 degrees awarded). There were 1.31 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino female (499 degrees).

Operations

Sonoma State University has an endowment valued at nearly $45.9M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 6.48M (14.1%) compared to the 13.1% average return (6.61M on 50.4M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2021, Sonoma State University had a total salary expenditure of 250M. Sonoma State University employs 118 Professors, 52 Assistant professors and 49 Associate professors. Most academics at Sonoma State University are Male Professor (70), Female Professor (48), and Female Assistant professor (34).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Sonoma State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 164 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 132 employees, and Service with 76 employees.

Endowment

$45.9M

2021 Endowment

10.2%

growth from 2020

Sonoma State University has an endowment valued at about $45.9M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Sonoma State University grew 10.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $4.5M lower than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Sonoma State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$8.75M - Federal
$1.39M - State
$148k - Local

As of 2021, Sonoma State University received $8.75M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.39M from state grants and contracts, and $148k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$75.1M

2021 Salaries

16.8%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Sonoma State University paid a median of $75.1M in salaries, which represents 30.1% of their overall expenditure ($250M) and a 16.8% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 35.1M (41.3% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$23.2M

Instructional Salaries

244

Number of Employees

In 2021, Sonoma State University paid a total of $23.2M to 244 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11M (31.3%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

118 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

164 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Sonoma State University were Professor with 118 employees, Assistant professor with 52 employees, and Associate professor with 49 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Sonoma State University were Business and Financial Operations with 164 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 132 employees, and Service with 76 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Sonoma State University was Male Professor with 70 employees, Female Professor with 48 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 34 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Sonoma State University.