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Academics

Santa Clara University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Santa Clara University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

11:1
Student to faculty ratio
23
Average class size
81%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Santa Clara has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
116
10-19
418
20-29
434
30-39
231
40-49
42
50-99
12

Honors Programs

Santa Clara University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Santa Clara's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Santa Clara University:

94%
First-year retention rate
81%
4-year grad rate
88%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $71,888. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$71,888
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Santa Clara University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Finance, General
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Psychology, General
Mathematics and Computer Science
Computer Engineering, General
61.4
83.72
106.04
128.36
150.68
173

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Women's Studies 5
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 4
  • Ethnic Studies 4
  • Women's Studies 2
  • Ethnic Studies 2
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 2
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 47
  • Neuroscience 23
  • Biochemistry 10
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 4
  • Neuroscience 3
Business
  • Finance, General 173
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 73
  • Accounting 53
  • Organizational Behavior Studies 43
  • Business/Managerial Economics 19
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 1
  • Accounting and Business/Management 0
  • Business/Commerce, General 0
  • Management Information Systems, General 0
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 104
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 16
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Information Technology 77
  • Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design 15
Engineering
  • Computer Engineering, General 80
  • Mechanical Engineering 39
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 21
  • Civil Engineering, General 20
  • Computer Hardware Engineering 18
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 13
  • Engineering, General 6
  • Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 3
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 17
  • English Language and Literature, General 2
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Child Development 17
  • Child Development 8
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 7
  • French Language and Literature 6
  • French Language and Literature 4
  • Italian Language and Literature 3
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 2
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 2
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 2
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 2
  • Spanish Language and Literature 1
  • Latin Language and Literature 0
  • Italian Language and Literature 0
  • German Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Public Health, General 32
  • Public Health, General 7
History
  • History, General 6
  • History, General 2
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 3
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 6
  • Mathematics, General 3
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Mathematics and Computer Science 90
  • Mathematics and Computer Science 4
  • Natural Sciences 0
  • Ancient Studies/Civilization 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 22
  • Environmental Science 9
  • Environmental Studies 1
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 15
  • Religion/Religious Studies 3
  • Philosophy 3
  • Religion/Religious Studies 2
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 5
  • Physics, General 3
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 98
  • Psychology, General 14
Social Sciences
  • Economics, General 71
  • Political Science and Government, General 52
  • Sociology, General 14
  • Political Science and Government, General 10
  • Sociology, General 8
  • Economics, General 6
  • Anthropology, General 6
  • Anthropology, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 7
  • Music, General 6
  • Music, General 5
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 5
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 3
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 3
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 1
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 0
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