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Loyola Marymount USD Oxy UCSC Pepperdine UC Davis USF SMU Chapman San Jose State Cal Poly UNC Chapel Hill| Santa Clara University | Wake Forest University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
SCU | Wake Forest | ||
| Location | Santa Clara, CA | Winston Salem, NC | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 9,340 | 9,121 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #54 | #44 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | scu.edu | wfu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SCU | Wake Forest | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,587 | $63,608 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,587 | $63,608 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,984 | $17,848 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $49,651 | $27,790 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $28,375 | $55,090 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 34% |
Admission |
SCU | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,843 | 17,479 | ||
| Admitted | 8,261 | 3,768 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.8% | 21.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.8% | 36.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.67 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 30/33 | 32/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1340/1500 | 1390/1510 | ||
| 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 | Wake Forest | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
SCU | Wake Forest | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 88% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $81,900 | $77,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $23,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $237 |
Diversity |
SCU | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 16% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 24% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 49% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 0% |
Students |
SCU | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 50% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 76% | ||
Campus |
SCU | Wake Forest | ||
| 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
- Santa Clara University is larger than than Wake Forest based on total student enrollment (9,340 students vs. 9,121 students)
SCU vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SCU or Wake Forest?
- Wake Forest University is 8.6% more expensive to attend than SCU for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $58,587.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.6% higher at Wake Forest than Santa Clara University ($63,608.00 vs. $58,587.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than SCU ($27,790 vs. $49,651)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wake Forest University are 6.4% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($17,848 vs. $18,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than Wake Forest University (73% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 94.1% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($55,090 vs. $28,375)
SCU vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SCU or Wake Forest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wake Forest or SCU .
- SCU has a higher acceptance rate (43.8%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)
SCU vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SCU or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and SCU.
- The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Santa Clara University (88% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $4,700 more per year than Wake Forest graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $77,200)
- Santa Clara University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Wake Forest graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,000)
- SCU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Wake Forest graduates. ($222 vs. $237)
- More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 84%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/