SJSU is the #1 CSU for Overall Economic Impact in the Bay Area with $2 Billion in Statewide Impact Per 2025 CSU Economic Impact Report

San José State’s presence and activity spurs billions of dollars in annual, private sector industry activity and job creation statewide and is the leading California State University fueling economic vibrancy, jobs and wage growth in the Bay Area.

Today, the California State University (CSU) system released its 2025 Economic Impact Report highlighting the significant role the CSU and San José State University plays in driving regional economic vitality, strengthening California’s key industries, ensuring alumni earn strong salaries, and preparing a skilled workforce essential to California’s economy.

“San José State and the CSU continue to be among the state’s most powerful engines of economic mobility, opportunity and innovation, with influence that extends across industries, communities and generations, especially here in Silicon Valley,” said SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson “This report shines a light on SJSU’s impact at the epicenter of the future and the powerful role the CSU system plays to keep California’s economy strong and thriving in every corner of the state.”

The report, Moving California Forward: The Economic Power of the CSU, highlights the lasting return on investment for the people of California at every level:

• Economic Return: For every dollar in state funding to the CSU, $7.69 was generated in statewide industry activity, increasing to $35.53 when including the impact of alumni earnings and spending across California. San José State’s activity in the Bay Area yields $6.96 in economy-wide private sector business spending from every $1 in public funding.
• Statewide Impact: The CSU supported a total of 210,800 jobs across California with an overall statewide impact of $31.6 billion. San José State University’s activity spurred the creation of 10,600 jobs across California, which translates to $930.7 million in earned wages statewide. 

This makes San José State University a top 10 CSU campus for private sector job creation induced by campus-related activity and alumni impact in California. San José State alumni also earn high median incomes both regionally and statewide relative to those without a college degree, making it the #4 CSU campus for the total additional income its alumni earn as a result of their degrees. 

• Regional Reach: Five California State University campuses in the Bay Area helped generate a substantial economic impact, totalling 31,000 jobs and $4.8 billion in economy-wide business output across all sectors in the Bay Area. San José State’s integral role in the region’s economic vitality led to the creation of 9,900 jobs in the region – nearly 32% of the CSU’s local impact – and $1.8 billion in private sector business spending generated across all sectors of the economy from SJSU’s activity. From regular campus operations to events, research, community activity, San José State is the driver of job creation across all five CSU campuses in the Bay Area and the #2 leading CSU in all of northern California.

Out of CSU campuses with enrollment above 30,000 students, San José State leads its respective region, the Bay Area, with the highest shares of private sector job creation, largest contributions to the region’s labor incomes and greatest amount of campus activity-related private sector business output across all sectors of the local economy. When accounting for region-by-region impact of these large CSU campuses, San José State is the #1 regional CSU for overall economic impact.

• Workforce Power: Nearly half of all bachelor’s degrees in California are awarded by the CSU in disciplines directly tied to California’s evolving workforce needs. Forty-six percent of all degrees awarded in health and medicine and 49% of degrees in media, culture and design in California come from the CSU. This includes graduates from San José State University’s Valley Foundation School of Nursing and the College of Humanities and the Arts contributing to these two growing sectors, respectively. In 2025, San José State added its ninth college, the College of Information, Data and Society to house a variety of programs in evolving fields defining Silicon Valley.

San José State University students are trained for in-demand jobs both in Silicon Valley and across the state, supporting local economies wherever they go after graduation. 

• Research Impact: CSU research initiatives tackle some of California’s most urgent challenges from wildfire science to artificial intelligence, while delivering globally cited science. In 2024 alone, SJSU had $83.4 million in research expenditures – 12% of the total annual CSU research expenditures. In 2025, San José State University was recognized as an R2 national research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Explore the California State University Economic Impact Report and San José State’s impact.

About San José State University

San José State University, ranked the No. 5 public university in the nation by Wall Street Journal/College Pulse, is the oldest university in the California State University system. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, as a hub of innovation and partnerships, SJSU offers its 40,000 students unmatched access to internships and careers with global companies and a culturally rich community. With a commitment to academic excellence and personalized student support, SJSU empowers students to thrive professionally and personally. Thanks to top-tier R2 research opportunities and faculty mentoring, Spartans graduate with confidence, low debt, and the skills to lead. When purpose meets preparation at SJSU, lives change — for Spartan students and the world around them.

About the California State University

The California State University is the nation’s largest four-year public university system, providing transformational opportunities for upward mobility to more than 450,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. More than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds and more than one-quarter of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Because the CSU’s 22* universities provide a high-quality education at an incredible value, they are rated among the best in the nation for promoting social mobility in national college rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. The CSU powers California and the nation, sending nearly 125,000 career-ready graduates into the workforce each year. In fact, one in every 20 Americans holding a college degree earned it at the CSU. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU newsroom.

* The California State University will fully complete by fall 2026 a transition of the standalone California State University Maritime Academy campus to become Cal Poly Solano Campus and Cal Poly Maritime Academy through an integration with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. All remaining 22 CSUs are separate and distinct institutions, part of one statewide system.