For software jobs, is University of Washington or San Jose State better for recruiting and internships?

For software recruiting, University of Washington usually carries more weight overall, but San Jose State can be extremely effective for students who want to stay in Silicon Valley and take advantage of year-round local access to companies. SJSU benefits from being right in San Jose, where many students build internships through proximity, part-time work during the school year, and local employer relationships.

UW makes the most sense for a student who wants a broader recruiting platform. If you are aiming for internships at large, brand-name tech companies, want stronger name recognition outside California, and like the idea of structured campus recruiting pipelines, UW is hard to beat.

SJSU fits the student who is ready to hustle locally and use Silicon Valley as a daily advantage. Being close to so many companies can make networking, off-campus internships, and during-the-semester opportunities much easier. For someone who wants to intern while in school, attend local meetups, and build contacts in the Bay Area, SJSU can translate into very practical access even if the school itself is not viewed as being on the same tier as UW nationally.

For software jobs, school name helps, but after your first internship, your experience tends to matter more than the logo on your diploma. Strong projects, interview prep, and actual internship experience will outweigh prestige pretty quickly. The difference is that UW may make the first door open faster, while SJSU may make it easier to keep knocking on many nearby doors.

If cost is similar, I would lean UW for the stronger recruiting ceiling. If SJSU is much cheaper, you want Silicon Valley specifically, and you are confident you will actively network and pursue internships from day one, SJSU is a very credible path to software jobs.