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Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University reports 6,552 undergraduates in Santa Clara, CA. Its federal reporting group is labeled Santa Clara University. The school reports a Roman Catholic affiliation in its federal filings.

Check the campus and reporting scope

Santa Clara University · Santa Clara, California · Federal institution ID (UNITID): 122931.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Santa Clara University).

Shared outcomes cannot rank campuses. Reporting-group definitions.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$36,094

family income
under $30k

$51,894

$30–48k

$41,599

$48–75k

$30,672

$75–110k

$60,212

over $110k

These figures don't always rise with income — aid formulas can make a higher bracket cheaper.

Average net price

$50,0622023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Santa Clara University rose from $39,216 (2008) to $50,062 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$39,216
2009	$44,950
2010	$32,354
2011	$36,133
2012	$34,956
2013	$34,556
2014	$34,425
2015	$36,820
2016	$33,738
2017	$37,399
2018	$38,327
2019	$42,614
2020	$43,228
2021	$44,133
2022	$50,959
2023	$50,062

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$82,0262024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Santa Clara University rose from $50,384 (2009) to $82,026 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$50,384
2010	$52,080
2011	$53,122
2012	$55,278
2013	$57,213
2014	$59,020
2015	$61,097
2016	$62,964
2017	$65,334
2018	$69,155
2019	$71,335
2020	$74,297
2021	$72,321
2022	$75,576
2023	$77,768
2024	$82,026

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$20,577
2001	$22,572
2002	$23,925
2003	$25,365
2004	$27,135
2005	$28,899
2006	$30,900
2007	$33,000
2008	$34,950
2013	$42,156
2014	$43,812
2015	$45,300
2016	$47,112
2017	$49,858
2018	$51,711
2019	$53,634
2020	$52,998
2021	$55,860
2022	$57,534
2023	$59,241

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Reported tuition is $61,293 before grants and other attendance costs. At Santa Clara University, aid and other costs change the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

At 6,552 undergrads, Santa Clara University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.

87.9% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Santa Clara University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

87.9%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Santa Clara University rose from 78.9% (entered 1991) to 87.9% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	78.9%
1992 cohort	80.8%
1993 cohort	80.5%
1994 cohort	82.1%
1995 cohort	79.8%
1996 cohort	80.8%
1997 cohort	84.8%
1998 cohort	84.6%
1999 cohort	84.5%
2000 cohort	86.4%
2001 cohort	84.2%
2002 cohort	85.1%
2003 cohort	85.1%
2004 cohort	87.3%
2005 cohort	84.8%
2006 cohort	86.2%
2007 cohort	84%
2008 cohort	85.3%
2009 cohort	84.3%
2010 cohort	88.6%
2011 cohort	89.8%
2012 cohort	90.5%
2013 cohort	91.2%
2014 cohort	92%
2015 cohort	90.9%
2016 cohort	88.5%
2017 cohort	88.4%
2018 cohort	87.9%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Santa Clara University).

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$15,291	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$13,421	$13,343
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$13,625	$12,008
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$13,625	$11,625
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$13,457	$13,109
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$13,458	$11,625
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$13,458	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$13,263	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$13,257	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$13,458	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$13,625	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$14,895	$7,167
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$16,333	$8,000
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$17,500	$10,000
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$19,000	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$20,500	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$20,982	$10,069
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$21,084	$8,000
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$21,000	$10,001
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$20,389	$7,667
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$19,917	$7,020
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$19,500	$5,931
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$19,162	$6,500

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$91,198

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$99,543

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$109,183

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years. Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Santa Clara University).

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Santa Clara University admitted 9,105 of 18,970 applicants in Fall 2024. The 48% rate describes that application pool.

48%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $59,241 tuition · 2023–24 6,552 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 1350–14901600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Santa Clara University received 18,970 applications and admitted 9,105 (48%), with 1,611 enrolling.

Santa Clara University reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Santa Clara University’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 670–730 and Math was 680–760 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 1350–1490 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	670	700	730
SAT Math	680	720	760
ACT Composite	31	32	33

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

48%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Santa Clara University's admission rate fell from 60.8% to 48%. The rate alone cannot explain the change. This describes Fall 2001 to Fall 2024.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	60.8%
Fall 2002	63.2%
Fall 2003	69.8%
Fall 2004	66.1%
Fall 2005	57.4%
Fall 2006	60.9%
Fall 2007	66.5%
Fall 2008	61.3%
Fall 2009	57.6%
Fall 2010	59.2%
Fall 2011	58%
Fall 2012	54.4%
Fall 2013	51.2%
Fall 2014	49.4%
Fall 2015	48.8%
Fall 2016	48.3%
Fall 2017	53.6%
Fall 2018	49.9%
Fall 2019	48.8%
Fall 2020	50.7%
Fall 2021	54%
Fall 2022	52.1%
Fall 2023	43.8%
Fall 2024	48%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1350–1490Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	1130	1310
Fall 2002	1090	1300
Fall 2003	1110	1310
Fall 2004	1090	1280
Fall 2005	1110	1300
Fall 2006	1120	1320
Fall 2007	1110	1320
Fall 2008	1110	1320
Fall 2009	1120	1330
Fall 2010	1120	1340
Fall 2011	1150	1350
Fall 2012	1170	1370
Fall 2013	1200	1380
Fall 2014	1210	1390
Fall 2015	1210	1400
Fall 2016	1200	1400
Fall 2017	1270	1440
Fall 2018	1270	1440
Fall 2019	1280	1440
Fall 2020	1270	1450
Fall 2021	1330	1490
Fall 2022	1290	1480
Fall 2023	1340	1500
Fall 2024	1350	1490

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

31–33Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	24	28
Fall 2002	24	28
Fall 2003	23	28
Fall 2004	23	28
Fall 2005	24	28
Fall 2006	24	28
Fall 2007	24	29
Fall 2008	24	29
Fall 2009	25	30
Fall 2010	26	30
Fall 2011	26	30
Fall 2012	27	31
Fall 2013	27	31
Fall 2014	27	32
Fall 2015	27	32
Fall 2016	28	32
Fall 2017	28	32
Fall 2018	28	32
Fall 2019	28	32
Fall 2020	28	32
Fall 2021	30	33
Fall 2022	29	33
Fall 2023	30	33
Fall 2024	31	33

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

6,552Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Santa Clara University rose from 4,363 (Fall 2002) to 6,552 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	4,363
Fall 2003	4,257
Fall 2004	4,434
Fall 2005	4,553
Fall 2006	4,585
Fall 2007	5,219
Fall 2008	5,234
Fall 2009	5,158
Fall 2010	5,072
Fall 2011	5,182
Fall 2012	5,205
Fall 2013	5,404
Fall 2014	5,447
Fall 2015	5,344
Fall 2016	5,411
Fall 2017	5,483
Fall 2018	5,504
Fall 2019	5,676
Fall 2020	5,606
Fall 2021	5,887
Fall 2022	6,103
Fall 2023	6,235
Fall 2024	6,552

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

94%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Santa Clara University has held near 94% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	92%
Fall 2003 cohort	91%
Fall 2004 cohort	94%
Fall 2005 cohort	94%
Fall 2006 cohort	92%
Fall 2007 cohort	93%
Fall 2008 cohort	92%
Fall 2009 cohort	93%
Fall 2010 cohort	94%
Fall 2011 cohort	95%
Fall 2012 cohort	95%
Fall 2013 cohort	96%
Fall 2014 cohort	95%
Fall 2015 cohort	96%
Fall 2016 cohort	94%
Fall 2017 cohort	95%
Fall 2018 cohort	94%
Fall 2019 cohort	93%
Fall 2020 cohort	94%
Fall 2021 cohort	92%
Fall 2022 cohort	94%
Fall 2023 cohort	94%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about Santa Clara University

11.3% of Santa Clara University's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Santa Clara University as a primarily residential campus of 6,552 undergraduates — and 93.9% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Santa Clara University's SAT section-percentile sums are 1350–1490 — their midpoint is above the CA four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Santa Clara University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Santa Clara University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Santa Clara University48%

California median74.4%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Santa Clara University$61,293

California median$23,000

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Santa Clara University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Santa Clara University).

Santa Clara University reporting group (shared)$109,183

California median$64,778

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Santa Clara University, California and national reference values
Metric & basis	Santa Clara University	California median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	48%	74.4%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$61,293	$23,000	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$109,183Shared group value	$64,778	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Santa Clara University, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Santa Clara University federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 15 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Computer Engineering	$163,765
Management Information Systems and Services	$153,926
Mathematics and Computer Science	$147,013
Accounting and Related Services	$130,087
Mechanical Engineering	$122,111
Economics	$121,307
Finance and Financial Management Services	$118,737
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	$114,426
Civil Engineering	$105,594
Marketing	$104,723
Political Science and Government	$93,518
Communication and Media Studies	$84,206
Psychology, General	$75,742
Human Resources Management and Services	$75,430
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	$72,889

These 15 fields listed for Santa Clara University measure earnings after completion. The $109,183 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 30 additional Santa Clara University fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules. Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Santa Clara University).

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Santa Clara University report?

Santa Clara University's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 1350–1490 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Santa Clara University's acceptance rate?

48% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 9,105 admitted from 18,970 applicants.

How much does Santa Clara University cost?

At Santa Clara University, tuition is $61,293. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Santa Clara University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $109,183. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in California

Scripps College — 38.3% admitted
San Francisco Conservatory of Music — 54.9% admitted
University of San Diego — 52.4% admitted
San Diego State University — 36.2% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.