Santa Clara University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Santa Clara University is a private institution located in Claremont, California with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Santa Clara University admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 34%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1480 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $38,802 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Santa Clara University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for Santa Clara University?

Admitted students at Santa Clara University typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

What does Santa Clara University weight in admissions?

Santa Clara University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

SAT and ACT scores Santa Clara University typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 700–770, with an EBRW midpoint near 730. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 32–34. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does Santa Clara University actually cost?

Published tuition is $63,434 for in-state students and $63,434 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $20,998 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $38,802 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 11% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Santa Clara University

Will my child graduate from Santa Clara University?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Other colleges in California parents ask about

• Stanford University
  4% acceptance
• University of California-Berkeley
  12% acceptance
• University of California-Los Angeles
  9% acceptance
• University of Southern California
  10% acceptance
• University of California-Davis
  42% acceptance
• University of California-Irvine
  26% acceptance
• University of California-San Diego
  25% acceptance
• University of California-Santa Barbara
  63% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Santa Clara University