SCU vs. BYU

Should I go to Santa Clara University or Brigham Young University Provo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SCU or BYU 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.
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Santa Clara University vs. Brigham Young University Provo comparison
Santa Clara University Brigham Young University Provo College 3 College 4
Santa Clara University Brigham Young University Provo
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Overview

 SCU BYU
Location Santa Clara, CA Provo, UT
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 9,178 34,464
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #62 #125
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scu.edu byu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SCU BYU
Tuition (In State) $56,880 $6,304
Tuition (Out of State) $56,880 $6,304
Room & Board $17,112 $8,560
Avg Net Price $50,551 $13,521
Avg Grant Aid $25,295 $6,325
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 46%

Admission

 SCU BYU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,650 10,559
Admitted 8,677 7,040
Acceptance Rate 52.1% 66.7%
Enrolled % 18.9% 79%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33 27/32
SAT Range 1290/1480 1280/1468
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, 2025 Dec 16, 2024

Academics

 SCU BYU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 SCU BYU
Graduation Rate 85% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,900 $69,100
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $11,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $113

Diversity

 SCU BYU
% Men 50% 49%
% Women 50% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 83%
% Black 3% 0%
% Hispanic 17% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 SCU BYU
% In-State 50% 36%
% Out-of-State 40% 62%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Brigham Young University Provo is larger than than SCU based on total student enrollment (34,464 students vs. 9,178 students)

SCU vs. BYU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCU or BYU?

  • Santa Clara University is 802.3% more expensive to attend than BYU for in-state tuition ($56,880.00 vs. $6,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 802.3% higher at SCU than Brigham Young University Provo ($56,880.00 vs. $6,304.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brigham Young University Provo than SCU ($13,521 vs. $50,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brigham Young University Provo are 99.9% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($8,560 vs. $17,112)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than Brigham Young University Provo (72% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Clara University students is 299.9% larger than aid received Brigham Young University Provo ($25,295 vs. $6,325)

SCU vs. BYU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 23 points higher than at BYU (1290)
  • Incoming SCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at BYU (29)
  • Accepted freshman BYU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • BYU has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than SCU (52.1%)

SCU vs. BYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCU or BYU? 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 BYU and SCU.

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than Brigham Young University Provo (85% vs. 78%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $12,800 more per year than BYU graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $69,100)
  • Brigham Young University Provo students graduate with a $10,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($11,000 vs. $21,500)
  • BYU graduates are paying $109 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($113 vs. $222)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BYU 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/