Santa Clara University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Santa Clara University is a private nonprofit college in Santa Clara, CA. Students pay about $50,062 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $109,183 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 3.5 years and adds $405,420 over a decade, ranking it #18 of 918 (top 3%) by value added.
What is Santa Clara University's acceptance rate?
Santa Clara University has an acceptance rate of 48.0%, which makes it selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Santa Clara, CA enrolling about 6,552 students, with a 88.2% graduation rate.
How much does Santa Clara University cost?
Santa Clara University costs about $50,062 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $219,410. Published sticker cost of attendance is $82,026 per year.
How much do Santa Clara University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Santa Clara University student earns $109,183 per year. That is $62,483 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Santa Clara University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Santa Clara University pays back its roughly $219,410 cost in about 3.5 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $405,420 net of cost, a 2.85x return on the money invested. That ranks it #18 of 918 (top 3%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Santa Clara University graduation rate and student debt
88.2% of Santa Clara University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $19,162 in federal student debt. That debt is about 18% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Santa Clara University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Santa Clara University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $50,062 | $20,299 | cheaper than 1% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $109,183 | $54,768 | 99th |
| Graduation rate | 88.2% | 57.0% | 94th |
| Acceptance rate | 48.0% | 75.7% | more selective than 85% |
| 10-yr value added | $405,420 | -$28,192 | 98th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 2.85x | 0.73x | 90th |
| Payback period | 3.5 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 87% |
Frequently asked
Is Santa Clara University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Santa Clara University ranks #18 of 918 (top 3%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 2.85x the money invested over a decade.
Is Santa Clara University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $50,062 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 1% of them.
Do Santa Clara University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $109,183 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 99% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Santa Clara University compared to other colleges?
Its 48.0% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 85% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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