The California State University (CSU) system has recorded its strongest enrollment growth in 10 years. Nearly 10,000 more students joined CSU this fall compared to last year, giving a major boost to 19 out of its 22 campuses. But despite this overall success, a few campuses — especially in the Bay Area — continue to struggle with steep enrollment drops and funding cuts.
CSU Achieves a Major Enrollment Boost
After years of enrollment declines, CSU finally saw a positive turnaround this fall. Systemwide enrollment grew by more than 2% — increasing from 406,692 to 416,531 students. This marks a jump of 9,839 students, the largest increase in a decade.
Growing Confidence in CSU Education
CSU leaders say the rise in enrollment shows renewed trust in the value of a CSU degree. Deputy Vice Chancellor Dilcie Perez said the system is proud to see more students choosing CSU for a strong education and better career opportunities.
Which Campuses Grew — and Which Fell Behind
Most CSU campuses saw enrollment increases ranging from 1% to as high as 12%. Campuses such as Bakersfield, Monterey Bay, and San Jose State experienced some of the strongest gains.
However, three campuses continue to lose students:
- San Francisco State University (–7.4%)
- Sonoma State University (–13.6%)
- Cal State Los Angeles (–4.5%)
Funding Cuts Hit Under-Enrolled Campuses
CSU sets enrollment targets for every campus. Those that fall short by at least 10% lose part of their funding. This year, seven campuses were affected — including San Francisco State, Sonoma State, and Cal State East Bay.
San Francisco State alone lost $6.5 million in funding after missing its target.
San Francisco State Faces Long-Term Decline
San Francisco State University (SFSU) saw enrollment drop to 20,713 students — the lowest in years. A shocking 31.5% of its student body has disappeared since 2015, when the campus had more than 30,000 students.
Why SFSU Enrollment Keeps Falling
The biggest issues include:
- San Francisco’s extremely high cost of living
- Lower enrollment at City College of San Francisco — a major feeder school
- Fewer students willing to move to the city since the pandemic
The decline has forced the university to lay off staff, cut programs, and drop some sports teams. A financial emergency was declared last December.
Steps SFSU Is Taking to Recover
The university is now trying several strategies to rebuild enrollment:
- Sending acceptance letters earlier than usual
- Offering evening and weekend campus tours
- Targeted tours for transfer students and admitted students
- Recruiting more military veterans
- Inviting former students who dropped out to return
- A new automatic-admission partnership with City College of San Francisco
Leaders hope these efforts will provide a smoother path to SFSU and rebuild student numbers over time.
Sonoma State Also Struggling
Sonoma State has been hit even harder, losing 13.6% of its students this year alone. With only 5,000 students remaining, enrollment has nearly been cut in half since 2015.
Campus officials blame the “demographic cliff,” referring to the shrinking number of college-age students, especially in Northern California. Like SFSU, Sonoma State is offering guaranteed admissions to qualified applicants in hopes of boosting numbers.
San Jose State Leads the Bay Area With Strong Growth
While San Francisco State and Sonoma State struggle, San Jose State University (SJSU) is thriving. Enrollment grew 6.5% this fall, reaching 35,298 students.
Why San Jose State Is Growing
Located in Silicon Valley, the university offers programs that are highly attractive to tech-focused students. Some of the popular new offerings include:
- A minor in Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
- A new Computer Science and Linguistics degree
- A new School of Information, Data and Society
- Upcoming master’s programs in fields like quantum computing
- A large group of faculty specializing in AI, machine learning, and technology
According to Provost Vincent Del Casino, the campus is not only well-located but also “very student friendly,” which helps attract a large and diverse group of students.
Conclusion
While the CSU system is finally experiencing strong statewide enrollment growth, not all campuses share the success. San Francisco State and Sonoma State are still facing steep declines and major financial challenges. Meanwhile, tech-driven campuses like San Jose State are seeing big gains thanks to high-demand programs and strong regional appeal.
CSU leaders hope that new initiatives — including automatic admissions, targeted marketing, and expanded recruitment — will help stabilize struggling campuses and support future growth across California.
