San Jose State vs. SCU

Should I go to San Jose State University or Santa Clara University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if San Jose State or SCU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
San Jose State University vs. Santa Clara University comparison
San Jose State University Santa Clara University College 3 College 4
San Jose State University Santa Clara University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

San Jose State SCU
Location San Jose, CA Santa Clara, CA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 35,751 9,178
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #558 #62
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sjsu.edu scu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Jose State SCU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $56,880
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $56,880
Room & Board $18,568 $17,112
Avg Net Price $14,219 $50,551
Avg Grant Aid $9,210 $25,295
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 72%

Admission

San Jose State SCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,002 16,650
Admitted 26,083 8,677
Acceptance Rate 76.7% 52.1%
Enrolled % 15.5% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.35 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 29/33
SAT Range 1010/1240 1290/1480
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Jan 7, 2025

Academics

San Jose State SCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

San Jose State SCU
Graduation Rate 46% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,900 $81,900
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $155 $222

Diversity

San Jose State SCU
% Men 48% 50%
% Women 52% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 49%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 26% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

San Jose State SCU
% In-State 96% 50%
% Out-of-State 1% 40%

Campus

San Jose State SCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Jose State University is larger than than SCU based on total student enrollment (35,751 students vs. 9,178 students)

San Jose State vs. SCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Jose State or SCU?

  • Santa Clara University is 890.6% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($56,880.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 222.8% higher at SCU than San Jose State University ($56,880.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than SCU ($14,219 vs. $50,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Clara University are 8.5% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($17,112 vs. $18,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than San Jose State University (72% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Clara University students is 174.6% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($25,295 vs. $9,210)

San Jose State vs. SCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Jose State or SCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SCU or San Jose State .

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 258 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming SCU students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman SCU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than SCU (52.1%)

San Jose State vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Jose State or SCU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SCU and San Jose State.

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than San Jose State University (85% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $22,000 more per year than San Jose State graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $59,900)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $21,500)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($155 vs. $222)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 73%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/