- Acceptance rate: 48% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 670–730 reading and writing, 680–760 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 31–33 composite
- Average net price: $49,651 a year (2022–23)
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Online GPA calculator
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Santa Clara University reported: an acceptance rate of 48% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 31–33.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Santa Clara University reviews each application.
Santa Clara University GPA requirements
Santa Clara University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Santa Clara University hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Santa Clara University acceptance rate
Santa Clara University admitted 9,105 of 18,970 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 48%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Santa Clara University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Santa Clara, California, with 6,577 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Santa Clara University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 670 | 700 | 730 |
| SAT Math | 680 | 720 | 760 |
| ACT Composite | 31 | 32 | 33 |
| ACT Math | 29 | 31 | 33 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1426 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Santa Clara University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Santa Clara University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $49,651 a year at Santa Clara University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 3.0 GPA good enough for Santa Clara University?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Santa Clara University admitted 48% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
What SAT and ACT scores do Santa Clara University students have?
The middle 50% of Santa Clara University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 670–730 in reading and writing and 680–760 in math; ACT composite 31–33, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Is Santa Clara University test optional?
Yes. Santa Clara University considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 24% sent SAT scores and 10% sent ACT scores.
How hard is it to get into Santa Clara University?
Selective: fewer than half of applicants got in. Santa Clara University admitted 48% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How important is GPA for getting into Santa Clara University?
A lot: Santa Clara University requires high school GPA, high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank and test scores if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
How many applicants get into Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara University's acceptance rate was 48% for fall 2024: it admitted 9,105 of 18,970 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
What GPA do you need to get into Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
Does Santa Clara University look at legacy status?
No. Santa Clara University doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Can you get college credit for AP scores at Santa Clara University?
Yes. Santa Clara University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What do students pay at Santa Clara University after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $49,651 a year at Santa Clara University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check Santa Clara University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Santa Clara UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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