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Overall Score: 72.88

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA http://www.scu.edu/
Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit school where students are encouraged not only to mature academically but also spiritually and personally. The medium-sized student body enjoys intimate classroom settings with professors who are accessible in and out of class. The course loads can be intense and students can be competitive, but students say campus interactions are still friendly. Santa Clara freshmen are placed in residence learning communities where groups of students live, study and take classes together in an effort to create tight-knit communities formed around certain themes (like innovation or sustainability). Communication, engineering and finance are among the most popular degree programs, and you can take classes on everything from ancient civilizations to the science of happiness. The campus, full of stunning Spanish-influenced architecture, is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, so there are plenty of options to explore off campus. The San Francisco Bay area offers outdoor activities like surfing, biking and hiking, plus cool bookstores and coffee shops. The beach or the cities of San Francisco and San Jose aren't too far away, either.

Costs

Est. full price 2022-2023
$75,000
% of students who get any grants
72%
Est. price for students who receive aid
$51,000
Average price for low-income students
$26,430

Admissions

Acceptance rate
49%
Median SAT/ACT score
1360/30
SAT/ACT required?
No
Undergraduate enrollment
5,680

Financial Aid

% of students with need who get grants
70%
% of need met
85%
% of students who get merit grants
33%
Average merit grant
$16,360

Student Success

Graduation rate
91%
Average time to a degree
4.1 years
Median student debt
$19,500
Early career earnings
$93,290
% earning more than a high school grad
87%

Notes: Students who get merit grants are full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and were awarded grants. Graduation rate measures degree completion within six years for both transfer students and first-time students. Early career earnings are the median earnings for both graduates and non-completers, 10 years after they first enrolled.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Peterson’s, Money/Witlytic calculations.

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