Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Santa Clara University Featured Rankings
About Santa Clara University
According to Wikipedia, Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California. 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 is one of the finest groupings of Mission Revival architecture and other Spanish Colonial Revival styles. The university is classified as a "Doctoral/Professional" university.
Santa Clara University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18,843 | 48% | 94% | 87% | 1420 | 32 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Santa Clara University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $63,513 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $22,696 |
| 30K - 48K | $13,570 |
| 48K - 75K | $25,352 |
| 75K - 110K | $40,238 |
| 110K+ | $63,129 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Santa Clara University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Santa Clara University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $117,193 a year, and 94% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Santa Clara University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 10,129 | 6,468 | 3,661 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara University is located at 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053.
How Safe is Santa Clara University?
Relative to its enrollment, Santa Clara University has a violent crime rate of 0.05% and a property crime rate of 0.08%. Santa Clara has a violent crime rate of 0.19% and a property crime rate of 2.52%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Santa Clara University Known For?
Santa Clara University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Religious Studies
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Business
- Mathematics
- Law
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Engineering
- Sociology
- History
- Education
- Biology
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Literature
- Medical
- Anthropology
Santa Clara University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Santa Clara University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Santa Clara University ranks #73 in the U.S. and #319 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #91 in the U.S. and #339 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #95 in the U.S. and #345 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #98 in the U.S. and #199 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #102 in the U.S. and #261 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #107 in the U.S. and #391 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #115 in the U.S. and #325 worldwide for influence in Law.
Santa Clara University ranks #125 in the U.S. and #401 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #137 in the U.S. and #537 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #145 in the U.S. and #672 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #166 in the U.S. and #599 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #175 in the U.S. and #514 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #177 in the U.S. and #681 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #195 in the U.S. and #710 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #205 in the U.S. and #853 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #207 in the U.S. and #995 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #223 in the U.S. and #793 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #312 in the U.S. and #938 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #332 in the U.S. and #1208 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesSanta Clara University ranks #519 in the U.S. and #1595 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesWho Are Santa Clara University's Most Influential Alumni?
Santa Clara University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Psychology, Business, and Law. Here are some of Santa Clara University's most famous alumni:
- Brendan Eich
- An American computer programmer and technology executive.
- Robert Freitas
- An American nanotechnologist.
- Pat Gelsinger
- An American businessperson, CEO of Intel.
- Reza Aslan
- An Iranian-American author, commentator.
- Steve Nash
- A Canadian basketball player and coach.
- Jerry Brown
- An American politician .
- Khaled Hosseini
- A Novelist.
- James V. Schall
- An American academic.
- Carol E. Reiley
- An American roboticist.
- Brian Swimme
- An American cosmologist.
- Dan Kaminsky
- An American security researcher.
- John Yen
- An American computer scientist.
Who Are Santa Clara University's Most Influential Faculty?
Santa Clara University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Psychology, Business, and Law. Here are some of Santa Clara University's most famous faculty:
