Private colleges in California · By CalChannel Editorial Team · Updated September 29, 2026
Santa Clara University admitted 47.9% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025, or 9,592 of 20,032, according to its Common Data Set. SCU is a private Jesuit university in the heart of Silicon Valley and the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. Its 2026-27 cost of attendance is $92,556 living on campus, including $64,956 in tuition.
Santa Clara University is known for business, engineering and strong career outcomes, helped by its location in Silicon Valley. It’s private, Jesuit and Catholic, and it’s not part of the University of California system despite occasional searches for “UC Santa Clara.”
Here are the official numbers: who gets in, what it costs in 2026-27, how big it is and what SCU is known for.
| Fact | Santa Clara University |
|---|---|
| Type | Private Jesuit Catholic university (not part of the UC system) |
| Location | Santa Clara, Silicon Valley |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Acceptance rate | 47.9% (Fall 2025: 9,592 admitted of 20,032 applicants) |
| Acceptance rate, California residents | 48.2% (Fall 2025: 4,923 of 10,205) |
| Average high school GPA | 3.72 (Fall 2025 enrolled first-years) |
| SAT/ACT | Test-optional; middle 50% SAT 1330-1470, ACT 29-33 for those who submitted |
| Students | 9,823 total, 6,695 undergraduates (Fall 2025) |
| Tuition (2026-27) | $64,956 |
| Cost of attendance (2026-27) | $92,556 on campus; $85,413 commuting |
| Retention / graduation rate | 93% / 87% in six years (2019 cohort) |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 11:1 |
| Calendar | Quarter system |
| Athletics | Broncos, NCAA Division I, West Coast Conference |
Sources: Santa Clara University Common Data Set 2025-26; SCU Financial Aid, Cost of Attendance 2026-27. Full list at the end of the article.
In This Article
What Is Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit Catholic university founded in 1851 on the site of Mission Santa Clara de Asís, which still stands at the center of campus. It’s the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California.
Undergraduates study in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Leavey School of Business or the School of Engineering. SCU runs on the quarter system, and its core curriculum reflects its Jesuit tradition, with courses in ethics, religion and social justice. Students of all faiths are welcome.
What Is the Santa Clara University Acceptance Rate?
Santa Clara admitted 47.9% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025: 20,032 students applied, 9,592 were admitted and 1,641 enrolled, according to its Common Data Set 2025-26.
| SCU, Fall 2025 | Applied | Admitted | Acceptance rate | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-year, California residents | 10,205 | 4,923 | 48.2% | 956 |
| First-year, out-of-state | 7,213 | 3,921 | 54.4% | 541 |
| First-year, international | 2,604 | 745 | 28.6% | 142 |
| All first-year applicants | 20,032 | 9,592 | 47.9% | 1,641 |
| Transfer applicants | 1,206 | 780 | 64.7% | 247 |
Source: Santa Clara University Common Data Set 2025-26, items C1, C2 and D2.
How to Get Into Santa Clara
SCU uses a holistic review of grades, course rigor, essays, recommendations and activities. Enrolled first-years for Fall 2025 averaged a 3.72 high school GPA.
- Application: the Common Application with Santa Clara’s supplemental questions
- Testing: test-optional; 29% of enrolled first-years submitted SAT scores and 9% submitted ACT scores
- Scores, if you send them: the middle 50% of Fall 2025 submitters scored 1330-1470 on the SAT and 29-33 on the ACT
- Early rounds: binding Early Decision I and II, plus nonbinding Early Action with a November 1 deadline and decisions by December 31
- Waitlist: for Fall 2025, 268 students accepted a waitlist spot and 263 were admitted from it
What Does Santa Clara University Cost?
SCU’s 2026-27 cost of attendance for undergraduates is $92,556 living on campus, $99,030 living off campus and $85,413 for commuters. Tuition is $64,956, plus a $780 student engagement and well-being fee.
| SCU cost of attendance, 2026-27 | On campus | Off campus | Commuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $64,956 | $64,956 | $64,956 |
| Student engagement and well-being fee | $780 | $780 | $780 |
| Housing and food | $20,094 | $24,561 | $12,537 |
| Books and supplies | $1,305 | $1,305 | $1,305 |
| Transportation | $1,386 | $1,656 | $1,206 |
| Personal and miscellaneous | $3,969 | $5,706 | $4,563 |
| Loan fees | $66 | $66 | $66 |
| Total | $92,556 | $99,030 | $85,413 |
Source: Santa Clara University Financial Aid, Cost of Attendance, 2026-2027 Undergraduate.
How does SCU compare in cost to a UC for California residents? Its sticker price is roughly double a UC’s on-campus budget, so aid matters. SCU offers need-based grants and merit scholarships, and California residents can use a Cal Grant. File the FAFSA and CSS Profile and compare net price offers before deciding.
“Living off campus near Santa Clara costs more than living on campus, because Silicon Valley rents are among the highest in the country. Compare on-campus and off-campus budgets carefully before deciding where to live after the first year.”
CalChannel Editorial Team
How Many Students Attend Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara had 9,823 students in Fall 2025, including 6,695 undergraduates, according to its Common Data Set. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1.
Students stay and finish at high rates. About 93% of first-year students returned for their second year, 81% of the 2019 entering class graduated in four years and 87% graduated within six years.
What Is Santa Clara University Known For?
SCU is known for business through the Leavey School, engineering, computer science, finance and entrepreneurship, and for strong placement at Bay Area tech companies. Does its Silicon Valley location help students land tech jobs? It gives students close access to internships, recruiters and alumni networks at companies throughout the region, though outcomes still depend on major and experience.
The Santa Clara Broncos compete in NCAA Division I in the West Coast Conference, with strong soccer and basketball programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Santa Clara University acceptance rate?
Santa Clara admitted 47.9% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025, or 9,592 of 20,032, according to its Common Data Set.
Is “UC Santa Clara” a real UC campus?
No. Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university and is not part of the University of California system. There is no UC campus in Santa Clara.
How much does Santa Clara University cost?
SCU’s 2026-27 cost of attendance is $92,556 on campus, including $64,956 in tuition, before financial aid.
Is Santa Clara University a good school?
Yes. SCU has a 93% first-year retention rate and an 87% six-year graduation rate, and it’s consistently ranked among the top universities in the West.
Does Santa Clara require the SAT or ACT?
No. SCU is test-optional. About 29% of Fall 2025 enrolled first-years submitted SAT scores and 9% submitted ACT scores.
The Bottom Line on Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Silicon Valley that admitted 47.9% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025. It has strong retention and graduation rates, an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and close ties to the tech industry.
Its 2026-27 cost of attendance is $92,556 on campus before aid. Compare SCU with the University of San Francisco, Loyola Marymount, University of the Pacific and other private colleges in California.
Sources
CalChannel Editorial Team California college guides
The CalChannel editorial team researches and writes guides to California colleges, admissions and financial aid. We build our college profiles and aid guides from colleges’ own published data, federal IPEDS data and the California Student Aid Commission. Read our editorial policy.
