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George Washington Loyola Marymount USD Georgetown Oxy UCSC Pepperdine UC Davis USF Fordham SMU Chapman| Santa Clara University | American University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
SCU | AU | ||
| Location | Santa Clara, CA | Washington, DC | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 9,340 | 13,019 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #54 | #84 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | scu.edu | american.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SCU | AU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,587 | $55,724 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,587 | $55,724 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,984 | $17,012 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $49,651 | $40,189 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $28,375 | $31,402 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 62% |
Admission |
SCU | AU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,843 | 17,786 | ||
| Admitted | 8,261 | 8,427 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.8% | 47.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.8% | 22% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.67 | 3.7 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 30/33 | 29/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1340/1500 | 1300/1450 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
SCU | AU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
SCU | AU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 77% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $81,900 | $64,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 80% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $250 |
Diversity |
SCU | AU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 49% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 3% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 4% |
Students |
SCU | AU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 50% | 2% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 94% | ||
Campus |
SCU | AU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- American University is larger than than SCU based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 9,340 students)
SCU vs. AU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SCU or AU?
- Santa Clara University is 5.1% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($58,587.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.1% higher at SCU than American University ($58,587.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at American University than SCU ($40,189 vs. $49,651)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 11.6% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($17,012 vs. $18,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than American University (73% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 10.7% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($31,402 vs. $28,375)
SCU vs. AU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SCU or AU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between AU or SCU .
- The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 61 points higher than at AU (1252)
- Incoming SCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at AU (28)
- Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at SCU (3.67)
- AU has a higher acceptance rate (47.4%) than SCU (43.8%)
SCU vs. AU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SCU or AU? 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 AU and SCU.
- The graduation rate at SCU is higher than American University (85% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $17,100 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $64,800)
- Santa Clara University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,250)
- SCU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
- More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 80%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/