Why are Retention and Graduation Rates Important?
Make an informed decision about your education by understanding how SCU's retention and graduation rates impact you. First year retention rates let you know how many students come back for their sophomore year. Graduation rates tell you how long it takes to complete a degree at SCU. Remember, every extra semester it takes to graduate will increase the cost of your degree.

On This Page You'll Find:
- What These Rates Have To Do With You
- First to Second Year Retention Rate at SCU
- Graduation Rates at Santa Clara University
SCU Has One of the Best Freshman Retention Rates in the Country
With 94.0% of students staying on for a second year, Santa Clara University is one of the best in the country when it comes to freshman retention.
Nationwide, the average first year to second year retention rate is 72.0%. When looking at just colleges and universities in California, the average is 79.0%.
SCU Freshmen Retention Rate Rankings
Any Questions?
- When you attend a school that is high quality and a good fit for you, it is more likely you'll return for another year. Read more about why retention is so important.
- How many students make it past freshman year? You might be surprised at the answer.
Overall, N/A of SCU Undergrads Finish Within Six Years
At SCU, there were 0 bachelors degree candidates in the class of 2014. By 2016, six years after beginning their degree, N/A of these students had graduated. After an additional two years, N/A of this class eventually completed their degree.
We consider the "on-time" graduation rate for a bachelor's degree to be four years, but colleges typically report their graduation rates after six or even eight years.
This implies that N/A did not graduate within eight years. Of these 1 students, 0 were still working towards their degree, 0 had transferred to a different institution, and SCU lost contact with the remaining 0 whom we assume dropped out.
Some Students Take More Time to Graduate
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years (on-time). Some schools cater mostly to traditional students while others cater to “non-traditional” students who may be attending part time and thus are likely to take longer to graduate.
Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.
First-Time / Full-time Students at SCU Represent N/A of the Class of 2014 and N/A of all Their Bachelor's Degree Graduations.
None of the students in SCU's class of 2014 were classified as as a "first-time" student attending classes "full-time".
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 33.3% after four years, N/A after six years, and N/A after eight years.
First-Time / Part-time Students at SCU Represent N/A of the Class of 2014 and N/A of all Their Bachelor's Degree Graduations.
None of the students in SCU's class of 2014 were classified as as a "first-time" student attending classes "part-time".
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: N/A after six years and N/A after eight years.
Returning / Full-time Students at SCU Represent N/A of the Class of 2014 and N/A of all Their Bachelor's Degree Graduations.
None of the students in SCU's class of 2014 were classified as as a "returning" student attending classes "full-time".
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for returning undergraduates attending classes full-time is: N/A after six years and N/A after eight years.
Returning / Part-time Students at SCU Represent N/A of the Class of 2014 and N/A of all Their Bachelor's Degree Graduations.
None of the students in SCU's class of 2014 were classified as as a "returning" student attending classes "part-time".
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for returning undergraduates attending classes part-time is: N/A after six years and N/A after eight years.