ROTC at San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · public
Yes — San Diego State University hosts Army and Air Force ROTC on campus, and students join Navy ROTC at University of San Diego through cross-town agreements.
ROTC programs hosted on campus
San Diego State University hosts 2 ROTC programs on its own campus. Open a program to see its full profile, scholarships, and partner schools.
Army ROTCHostedVerifiedArmy ROTC in California runs out of San Diego State University as the Aztec Battalion.
Scholarships: AROTC Minuteman (Reserve/Guard), AROTC Green-to-Gold, AROTC 3-Year Advanced +1 more
Also serves 11 cross-town schools.
View full Army
Air Force/Space Force ROTCHostedVerifiedAztecs is the AFROTC detachment at San Diego State University in California.
Scholarships: AFROTC HSSP Type 2 ($18k cap), AFROTC In-College Scholarship Program, AFROTC HSSP Type 4 ($36k cap) +1 more
Also serves 16 cross-town schools.
View full Air ForceCross-town & partner options
San Diego State University students can also join these branches. They travel to the partner school for training.
Navy/Marine ROTCCross-town · 7.0 miCross-enroll students take Naval Science courses at University of San Diego.
ROTC outcomes
Students at San Diego State University in ROTC, from any branch and any unit. Averages per academic year, AY2011–AY2021.
- About 35 officers commissioned per year, all services
- About 78 students start ROTC here each year
Officers commissioned, by group
- Women21%
- Men79%
- White45%
- Asian26%
- Hispanic20%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Students starting ROTC, by group
- Women24%
- Men76%
- White39%
- Hispanic24%
- Asian24%
- Other or unknown10%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Source: GAO, GAO-23-105857 (campus data, AY2011–AY2021). GAO counted cadets and commissions by the school the student attended. Numbers for recent years can differ.
Admissions
| Admission rate | 36% |
|---|---|
| SAT range (25th–75th) | 1,100–1,330 |
| ACT range (25th–75th) | 23–30 |
| Test policy | Considered if submitted |
These are the most recent College Scorecard figures. The school decides admission. An ROTC scholarship board judges your academics on its own, in a separate process.
Cost & financial aid (with ROTC)
| In-state tuition | $8,728 |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state tuition | $21,328 |
| Average net price | $15,364 |
| 6-year graduation rate | 76% |
Tuition and net price: College Scorecard. You can usually combine an ROTC scholarship with other aid from San Diego State University. Ask the unit and the financial aid office to confirm how the aid combines.
Academic programs
San Diego State University has 35,377 undergraduates. ROTC cadets can study almost any major. Some scholarships and commissioning options prefer certain fields.
Yellow Ribbon & veteran support
Yellow Ribbon is a GI Bill benefit for veterans and eligible dependents, not an ROTC scholarship. The school pays part of the tuition above the GI Bill cap, and VA matches it.
Yellow Ribbon: VA lists no Yellow Ribbon agreement for San Diego State University.
Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool, checked Oct 14, 2026. Confirm amounts with the school's veterans office before you enroll.
ROTC at San Diego State University: FAQ
Does San Diego State University have ROTC?
Yes — San Diego State University hosts Army and Air Force ROTC on campus, and students join Navy ROTC at University of San Diego through cross-town agreements.
Which ROTC branches can San Diego State University students join?
Army ROTC (on campus, Aztec Battalion), Navy ROTC (cross-town at University of San Diego, 7 mi) and Air Force ROTC (on campus, Detachment 075 San Diego State University).
Is ROTC at San Diego State University on campus or cross-town?
Army and Air Force ROTC are on campus: the unit is based at San Diego State University. Navy ROTC is cross-town: cadets enroll at San Diego State University and train with the unit at University of San Diego.
Can I use an ROTC scholarship at San Diego State University?
Yes. The on-campus Army and Air Force ROTC units list 8 scholarship types, including AROTC Minuteman (Reserve/Guard) and AROTC Green-to-Gold.
School links and location
These links belong to San Diego State University. To ask about an ROTC program, open that program above and use the unit's own contact details. ROTCScholar is not the school and not the unit.
- Official site
sdsu.edu
- Admissions
admissions.sdsu.edu
- Apply
www2.calstate.edu
- Financial aid
sacd.sdsu.edu
- Net price calculator
Estimate your cost before ROTC money is applied
Location: San Diego, CA 92182-0001
IPEDS UNITID: 122409
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ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We are not an ROTC unit, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military. Check details with the unit before you act on them.