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Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA 6,235 Undergrads 91.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$77,768
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$50,959
After Aid
Median Earnings
$109,183
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$50,959
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$109,183
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate91.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients11.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS90.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
43.8%
SAT Avg
1,417
SAT Reading
25th: 66068575th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 68072575th: 770
ACT Composite
25th: 303275th: 33
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$881k
+$484k
+$396k
Median Cost$51k/yr
+$697k
+$301k
+$213k
Full Cost$78k/yr
+$601k
+$204k
+$116k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$51k/yr
35
116%
Full Cost$78k/yr
43
42%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return169%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-15%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (5yr)
$123,065
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$359k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,331
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$118,457
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$111,831
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$17,832
Earnings (5yr)
$74,671
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$24,833
Earnings (5yr)
$191,635
Lifetime Value Added
+$837k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$128,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$373k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$139,616
Lifetime Value Added
+$454k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,650
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$14,490
Earnings (5yr)
$127,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$361k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,170
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$19,995
Earnings (2yr)
$80,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,712
Earnings (5yr)
$100,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,342
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$118,350
Lifetime Value Added
+$297k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,814
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$73,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,958
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,015
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Master's Degrees
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
MastCIP: 1405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$88,639
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$59,170
Earnings (5yr)
$194,180
Lifetime Value Added
+$1145k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,953
Lifetime Value Added
+$371k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Computer Engineering
MastCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$196,357
Lifetime Value Added
+$1164k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$169,141
Lifetime Value Added
+$933k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$127,993
Lifetime Value Added
+$651k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$144,633
Lifetime Value Added
+$726k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$32,690
Earnings (5yr)
$79,261
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Graduate Certificates
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,253
Lifetime Value Added
+$344k
Doctoral Degrees
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$139,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$398k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$180,127
Earnings (5yr)
$135,208
Lifetime Value Added
+$368k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.