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Santa Clara University

private · Founded 1851 · San Jose, CA

Acceptance Rate

43.80%

Enrollment

9,340

Tuition & Fees

$59,895

Graduation Rate

88.00%

Retention Rate

94.00%

Off-Campus Needed

3,736

Browse Apartments Near SCU

SCU Report Card

Letter grades compare this school against national university benchmarks.

Academics

Selectivity, test scores, retention, and faculty access.

A-
Raw z-score: 0.52

Value

Cost, aid, grants, and post-graduation earnings.

C+
Raw z-score: -0.98

Diversity

Economic access, geographic mix, and gender balance.

A
Raw z-score: 1.02

Location

Safety, walkability, transit, and student nightlife.

-
Insufficient data

Campus

Housing capacity, student body scale, and campus setting.

B
Raw z-score: -0.11

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, employment, and earnings.

A-
Raw z-score: 0.74

Grades are benchmarked against national profile data. View methodology

Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university located in Santa Clara, in the heart of Silicon Valley. SCU is known for its top-ranked programs in engineering, business, law, and the liberal arts. The university has exceptionally strong connections to the tech industry and a high graduate employment rate. Its Mission Gardens campus is one of the most beautiful in California.

Can You Get Into SCU?

SCU admitted just 8,261 of 18,843 applicants — a 43.80% acceptance rate

Admissions Snapshot

Acceptance Rate43.80%
School
State avg

14% above state avg

Total Applicants18,843
Students Admitted8,261
Students Enrolled1,552
Yield Rate18.80%
School
State avg

34% below state avg

Test Scores (Middle 50%)

SAT Reading & Writing

660730

200800

SAT Math

680770

200800

ACT Composite

3033

136

Your odds at this school

What Will SCU Cost You?

Most students don't pay sticker price — 75.00% receive financial aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$59,241
School
National avg

7% below national avg

Fees$654

Per-credit cost: $1,627 (part-time)

Financial Aid & Grants

Students receiving any aid75.00%
Average grant amount$29,147/yr

Your estimated net price

What Can You Study at SCU?

Most Popular Undergraduate Majors

1

Finance, General.

164 graduates · 24.39% women

2

Speech Communication and Rhetoric.

128 graduates · 67.19% women

3

Mathematics and Computer Science.

102 graduates · 27.45% women

4

Psychology, General.

100 graduates · 82% women

5

Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

99 graduates · 61.62% women

6

Political Science and Government, General.

77 graduates · 76.62% women

7

Computer Engineering, General.

74 graduates · 13.51% women

8

Accounting.

68 graduates · 44.12% women

9

Economics, General.

66 graduates · 37.88% women

10

Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

55 graduates · 67.27% women

Your major at this school

Grad students need housing too

With 3,091 graduate students and only 3,797 total dorm beds, most grad students live off campus.

See Apartments Popular with Grad Students

What's It Like at SCU?

San Jose, CA — city

Student Body

Total Enrollment9,340
Undergraduates6,249
Graduate Students3,091
Full-Time8,070 (86%)
Part-Time1,270 (14%)
Women50.00%

From your state to this school

Student Demographics

White
33%
Asian
21%
Hispanic
18%
Black
3%
Two or More
7%
Not Reported
2%

Neighborhoods near SCU

Where students live around Santa Clara University — vibe, walkability, and commute at a glance.

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How Does SCU Compare?

Institutional resources and student-faculty ratios

Student-Faculty Ratio

10:1

Peer Institutions

Schools that SCU reports as peers for academic and admissions benchmarking.

122755
123961
122436
117946

Will You Succeed at SCU?

94.00% of freshmen return for sophomore year — 88.00% graduate within 6 years

Graduation Rates

First-Year Retention94.00%
School
State avg

4% above state avg

4-Year Graduation Rate83.00%
5-Year Graduation Rate87.00%
6-Year Graduation Rate88.00%
School
State avg

8% above state avg

National Average (6-year)53%
SCU
88.00%
Natl Avg
53%

6-Year Graduation by Group

Asian Students92.00%
White Students87.00%
Black Students87.00%
Hispanic Students90.00%
Women90.00%
Men87.00%

SCU Reviews

Student perspectives on academics, campus life, and housing fit

Be the first student to review this university.

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3,736 SCU Students Need Off-Campus Housing

With 9,340 students and only 3,797 dorm beds, 40% of SCU students live off campus.

6,249

Undergraduates

3,091

Graduate Students

3,736

Need Off-Campus Housing

Data Sources: U.S. Department of Education IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics. University Apartments is not affiliated with Santa Clara University.