Santa Clara University
About
Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California, United States. Established in 1851, Santa Clara University is the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. The university's campus surrounds the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís which traces its founding to 1777. The campus mirrors the Mission's architectural style and contains Mission Revival architecture and other Spanish Colonial Revival styles. The university is classified as a "Doctoral/Professional" university.
Admissions funnel
How selective is this institution, and how many admitted students choose to enroll?
Outcomes & equity
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 5.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
What families actually pay
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Academic programs
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Faculty
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Santa Clara vs IPEDS peer group
The peer institutions Santa Clara selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectSanta Clara University | 88% | 48.0% | 9,728 | $50,959 | Doctoral/Professional |
Adelphi University | 67% | 65.9% | 7,603 | $28,348 | Doctoral/Professional |
Aurora University | 60% | 80.9% | 5,923 | $18,992 | Doctoral/Professional |
Barry University | 37% | 77.2% | 6,825 | $22,978 | Doctoral/Professional |
Belmont University | 70% | 95.3% | 8,803 | $32,096 | Doctoral/Professional |
Elon University | 84% | 66.3% | 7,239 | $41,048 | Doctoral/Professional |
Gonzaga University | 86% | 81.7% | 7,470 | $36,371 | Doctoral/Professional |
Hofstra University | 69% | 68.1% | 10,685 | $35,129 | Doctoral/Professional |
Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global | — | — | 14,331 | $16,767 | Doctoral/Professional |
Liberty University | 67% | 99.0% | 104,327 | $29,552 | Doctoral/Professional |
Maryville University of Saint Louis | 66% | 95.1% | 9,261 | $26,047 | Doctoral/Professional |
National Louis University | 30% | 95.1% | 8,915 | $16,157 | Doctoral/Professional |
Northcentral University | — | — | 9,489 | — | Doctoral/Professional |
Northeastern University Professional Programs | — | — | 7,411 | — | Doctoral/Professional |
Pace University | 60% | 75.9% | 13,634 | $31,046 | Doctoral/Professional |
Pepperdine University | 83% | 62.9% | 8,976 | $45,409 | Doctoral/Professional |
Quinnipiac University | 76% | 72.2% | 9,424 | $39,207 | Doctoral/Professional |
Regent University | 58% | 38.1% | 10,657 | $18,749 | Doctoral/Professional |
Sacred Heart University | 73% | 65.4% | 11,022 | $45,459 | Doctoral/Professional |
Saint Leo University | 44% | 78.4% | 9,692 | $18,467 | Doctoral/Professional |
Seattle University | 76% | 76.9% | 7,189 | $34,802 | Doctoral/Professional |
Southeastern University | 44% | 53.0% | 11,510 | $30,209 | Doctoral/Professional |
St. John's University-New York | 66% | 83.4% | 19,389 | $26,985 | Doctoral/Professional |
Suffolk University | 61% | 82.3% | 6,356 | $30,031 | Doctoral/Professional |
Touro University | 76% | 60.8% | 11,937 | $26,556 | Doctoral/Professional |
University of La Verne | 63% | 71.2% | 5,021 | $26,925 | Doctoral/Professional |
University of San Francisco | 70% | 61.7% | 8,913 | $39,495 | Doctoral/Professional |
University of St Thomas | 77% | 85.4% | 9,410 | $30,525 | Doctoral/Professional |
University of the Cumberlands | 50% | 98.8% | 22,120 | $11,286 | Doctoral/Professional |
University of the Incarnate Word | 50% | 98.1% | 7,047 | $20,498 | Doctoral/Professional |
University of the Pacific | 68% | 71.3% | 6,944 | $25,926 | Doctoral/Professional |
Wilmington University | 22% | — | 13,746 | $15,355 | Doctoral/Professional |
Xavier University | 68% | 86.4% | 5,501 | $32,342 | Doctoral/Professional |
Yeshiva University | 85% | 55.6% | 6,965 | $47,560 | Doctoral/Professional |
| Peer group median | 67% | 76.4% | 9,119 | $29,792 |
Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research delivers objective, systematic research and analysis to support Santa Clara University's strategic planning, policy-making, and decision-making.
Visit IR office page- Conor RoycroftDirector
- Stacy ConnollyAssistant Director for Data Visualization and Communications
- John ReganData Mart Manager & Reporting Specialist
- Jia SeowData Steward and Survey Coordinator
Common Data Set (26)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Documents & reports (3)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data dictionaryFacts & Figures - Santa Clara University2026The data dictionary page for Santa Clara University's Facts & Figures includes information on admissions, awards conferred, enrollment, faculty, grade distribution, retention and completion rates, staff, and tuition & cost of attendance. Last updates for various datasets range from 2023 to 2026, with a note on delays in updates due to a transition to the Workday system. It covers enrollment statistics, student and faculty diversity data, academic statistics, and financial information related to tuition and attendance costs.scu.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planImpact 2030: Santa Clara University's Strategic Plan2024Impact 2030 is Santa Clara University's strategic plan focusing on global outreach, ethical and innovative education, and inclusivity for all talented students. It aims to prepare students for global societal shifts by leveraging Jesuit educational values and addressing today's technological and ethical challenges. The plan builds on recent successes, including increased diversity and high student retention, setting a roadmap for continued excellence and leadership in education.scu.edu
IR job openings (3)
Institutional Research and analytics roles currently posted at this institution.
Notable alumni (25)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Brendan EichComputer Science
- Khaled HosseiniLiterature
- Leon PanettaPolitics
- Janet NapolitanoPolitics
- Jerry BrownPolitics
- Steve NashAthletics
- Zoe LofgrenPolitics
- Frank MurkowskiPolitics
- Gavin NewsomPolitics
- Jayshree UllalBusiness
- Chris MalachowskyBusiness
- Pat GelsingerBusiness
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