Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California · Private, a midsize city · 6,552 undergraduates
Affiliated with Roman Catholic.
Is it hard to get into Santa Clara?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
- RecommendationsRequired
- EssayRequired
How much does Santa Clara cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $22,696 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,570 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $25,352 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $40,238 |
| Over $110,000 | $63,129 |
- Room and board on campus
- $19,446 a year; $22,752 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,089 a year
- The school's own grants
- 72% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $25,939
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Santa Clara students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
What do Santa Clara graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Do Santa Clara students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Who goes to Santa Clara?
- Background
- White 37%, Hispanic 20%, Black 3%, Asian 21%, Two or more 9%, International 7%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 3,797 beds
What do Santa Clara graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 77 | Hidden | Hidden | $15,000 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 22 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 55 | $84,402 | $107,040 | Hidden |
| Civil Engineering | 52 | Hidden | $110,396 | $21,500 |
| Computer Engineering | 181 | $93,450 | $181,034 | $24,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 30 | Hidden | $162,477 | Hidden |
| Engineering Physics | 5 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Engineering, General | 16 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mechanical Engineering | 75 | $84,296 | $127,964 | $16,304 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 137 | $88,383 | $143,129 | $16,249 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 32 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 337 | $88,868 | $125,893 | $16,500 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 82 | $65,753 | $95,261 | $19,082 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 42 | $75,970 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Marketing | 173 | $72,607 | $111,959 | $19,500 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health | 98 | Hidden | $98,929 | $13,000 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 30 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Biology, General | 112 | $46,955 | $100,198 | $19,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 78 | $44,061 | $81,676 | $24,500 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 65 | $52,670 | Hidden | $20,500 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 11 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 36 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Physics | 11 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 11 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| English Language and Literature, General | 46 | Hidden | $71,897 | Hidden |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 26 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 35 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 7 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 46 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 18 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 24 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Music | 19 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classical and Ancient Studies | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 7 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 197 | $78,758 | $147,934 | $18,000 |
| Natural Sciences | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare Santa Clara with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Santa Clara University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences