Santa Clara, California Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Santa Clara, California: median public in-state tuition $31,366 (+469.0% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $109,183 (+100.8% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 90.8% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $19,162 (+44.4% vs U.S.) 12,336 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 12,336 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $31,366 (+469.0% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $109,183 (+100.8% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 90.8% (+2.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $27,571 (+176.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $19,162 (+44.4% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $11,537
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 87.9%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 93.9%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Santa Clara serve students across California with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 12,336 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $31,366. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Santa Clara, California and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Santa Clara vs California & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, California | $31,366 | $27,571 | $19,162 | 87.9% | 12,336 |
| California (state median) | $1,350 | $8,343 | $11,537 | 59.0% | 2,134,322 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Santa Clara, California vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, California | $109,183 | 90.8% | 93.9% | 2.0% | — | 90.2% | 0.18 |
| California (state median) | $65,668 | 90.0% | 83.8% | 3.7% | — | 74.1% | 0.28 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in California (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, California | $31,366 | $27,571 | $19,162 | 87.9% | 12,336 | $109,183 | 90.8% |
| Los Angeles | $16,900 | $21,711 | $18,375 | 71.7% | 120,534 | $74,165 | 87.7% |
| San Diego | $13,284 | $23,205 | $13,000 | 69.2% | 95,661 | $66,228 | 89.4% |
| Sacramento | $1,288 | $20,520 | $10,674 | 50.8% | 94,048 | $64,876 | 91.3% |
| Long Beach | $4,453 | $14,158 | $11,812 | 68.9% | 60,761 | $64,403 | 91.1% |
| Fullerton | $5,420 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 70.2% | 56,299 | $56,324 | 89.2% |
| Fresno | $7,350 | $20,190 | $10,976 | 53.5% | 54,532 | $60,070 | 91.2% |
| Riverside | $15,606 | $21,765 | $11,098 | 60.8% | 53,903 | $61,824 | 90.9% |
| Pasadena | $31,530 | $25,065 | $13,194 | 37.4% | 49,021 | $62,222 | 84.6% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Santa Clara, California by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 87.9%, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 90.8%, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Most selective college in Santa Clara, California (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 48.0%, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $103,804, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $163,765, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $91,198, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $99,543, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $109,183, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $249,348, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Most affordable college in Santa Clara, California (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $50,062, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Top college in Santa Clara, California by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 93.9%, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
In-state tuition: Santa Clara, California vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Santa Clara, California median in-state tuition is $31,366, +469.0% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Santa Clara, California vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Santa Clara, California is $19,162 (+44.4% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $11,537.
Median earnings (10 years out): Santa Clara, California vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Santa Clara, California center around $109,183 (+100.8% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Santa Clara, California vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 90.8% at the median Santa Clara, California campus (+2.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Santa Clara, California median public in-state tuition is $31,366, about +469.0% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is +855.1%.
Median graduate debt is $19,162 (+44.4% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Santa Clara, California are $109,183, about +100.8% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 90.8% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+2.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 93.9% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 2.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 90.2% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Santa Clara University (90.8%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Santa Clara, California is 87.9% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Santa Clara?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Santa Clara, California with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Santa Clara?
Median in-state tuition in Santa Clara is $31,366 and median net price is $27,571. For California overall, medians are $1,350 and $8,343; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Santa Clara?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Santa Clara is $109,183 vs $65,668 for California and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Santa Clara colleges?
Median completer debt in Santa Clara is $19,162 vs $11,537 for California and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Santa Clara?
Top campuses on this page include Santa Clara University (graduation) and Santa Clara University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Santa Clara?
Among 2 campuses in Santa Clara, California, 1 campus with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Mission College; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- California college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON