SCU vs. Vanderbilt

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

SCU Vanderbilt
Location Santa Clara, CA Nashville, TN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 9,340 13,456
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #54 #14
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scu.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCU Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $58,587 $61,618
Tuition (Out of State) $58,587 $61,618
Room & Board $18,984 $21,054
Avg Net Price $49,651 $26,689
Avg Grant Aid $28,375 $57,723
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 66%

Admission

SCU Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,843 45,313
Admitted 8,261 2,844
Acceptance Rate 43.8% 6.3%
Enrolled % 18.8% 57%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/33 34/35
SAT Range 1340/1500 1510/1560
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 1, 2026

Academics

SCU Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

SCU Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 85% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,900 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $144

Diversity

SCU Vanderbilt
% Men 15% 19%
% Women 18% 28%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 55%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 17% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

SCU Vanderbilt
% In-State 50% 13%
% Out-of-State 40% 75%

Campus

SCU Vanderbilt
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

  • Vanderbilt University is larger than than SCU based on total student enrollment (13,456 students vs. 9,340 students)

SCU vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCU or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 5.2% more expensive to attend than SCU for in-state tuition ($61,618.00 vs. $58,587.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Vanderbilt than Santa Clara University ($61,618.00 vs. $58,587.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vanderbilt University than SCU ($26,689 vs. $49,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Clara University are 10.9% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($18,984 vs. $21,054)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than Vanderbilt University (73% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 103.4% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($57,723 vs. $28,375)

SCU vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 185 points higher than at SCU (1313)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at SCU (30)
  • Accepted freshman Vanderbilt students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • SCU has a higher acceptance rate (43.8%) than Vanderbilt (6.3%)

SCU vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Santa Clara University (92% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $1,200 more per year than SCU graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $81,900)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($14,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($144 vs. $222)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Vanderbilt students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 83%)

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