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SCU Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

85% 4-Year Graduation Rate
90% 6-Year Graduation Rate
93% Retention Rate

Santa Clara University 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How many SCU first-year students return for their second year? How many graduate and how long does it take them? On this page we'll explore SCU retention rates, graduation rates, drop out rates and more.

SCU Retention Rate

93% Freshmen Retention Rate
Good Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 93% students making it past their freshmen year, SCU has freshmen retention rates above the national average.

Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.

When looking at just colleges and universities in California, the average is 73.07%.

SCU Retention  93 out of 100
0%
100%
California Retention  73 out of 100
0%
100%
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Retention Rate
SCU93%
Nationwide70.57%
California73.07%

SCU Graduation Rates

90% 6-Year Graduation Rate
6.51% Transfer Rate
3.16% Dropout Rate

Of the 1,365 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?

Four years after beginning their degree, 85% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 90% of the students had graduated and after eight years 90% of this class completed their degree.

Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical SCU graduation rate 90%.

The typical SCU student takes 4.06 years to complete their bachelor's degree.

Four Year Graduation Rate  85%
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  90%
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  90%
0%
100%

SCU Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Completion WithinUndergraduatesPercentage
Four Years1,29785%
Six Years1,36590%
Eight Years60%
Did Not Complete14810%
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
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SCU Drop Out Rate

Approximately 148 students or 10% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 148 students who did not complete their degree?

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Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled10.7%
Transferred9966.9%
Dropped Out4832.4%

SCU Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

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Race/EthnicityGraduation Rate
American Indian or Alaskan Native100%
Asian93%
Black / African-American98%
Hawaiian67%
Hispanic90%
International88%
Multi-Ethnic95%
Unknown97%
White92%

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.

Traditional Students:

First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.

Non-Traditional Students:

Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.

The majority of students at SCU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?

First-Time / Full-Time SCU Graduation Rates

84% First-Time, Full-Time
90% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

First-time / full-time students at Santa Clara University represent 84% of the students in the class of 2015, and 84.32% of SCU bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 85%, first-time students in the SCU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the SCU graduation rate was 90%, and by the eight year mark, 90% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

Four Year Graduation Rate  85 out of 100
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  90 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  90 out of 100
0%
100%

SCU First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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First-Time / Full-Time CompletionsSCUNationwide
Four Years85%37.92%
Six Years90%46.43%
Eight Years90%47.82%

First-Time / Full-Time SCU Drop Out Rates

127 first-time / full-time students or 10% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Full-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled10.79%
Transferred8869.29%
Dropped Out3829.92%

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

0% First-Time, Part-Time
100% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

First-time / part-time students at Santa Clara University represent 0.13% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 100%, first-time, part-time students in the SCU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 100%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  100 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  100 out of 100
0%
100%

First-Time / Part-Time SCU Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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First-Time / Part-Time CompletionsSCUNationwide
Four Years1%14.37%
Six Years100%21.59%
Eight Years100%23.72%

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

15% Returning, Full-Time
91% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

232 SCU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 15.26% of the students in the class of 2015.

Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.

With a six year graduation rate of 91%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 91%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  91 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  91 out of 100
0%
100%

SCU Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Full-Time CompletionsSCUNationwide
Four Years0%49.57%
Six Years91%53.83%
Eight Years91%55.07%

Non First-Time / Full-Time SCU Drop Out Rates

21 non first-time / part-time students or 9% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred1152.38%
Dropped Out1047.62%

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

0% Returning, Part-Time
67% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

3 SCU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 0.20% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 67%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 100%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  67 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  100 out of 100
0%
100%

SCU Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Part-Time CompletionsSCUNationwide
Four Years0%30.46%
Six Years67%36.03%
Eight Years100%37.80%

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