Admissions data checked October 9, 2026 by Florida Test Prep.
Santa Clara University reports a middle 50% SAT of 1330 to 1470 (enrolled, fall 2025 CDS 2025-26, C9). We use 1400 as a first planning target, then adjust it to the student's diagnostic and timeline. It is not an admission requirement or a guarantee.
| Middle 50% SAT | 1330 to 1470 (enrolled, fall 2025 CDS 2025-26, C9) |
| Middle 50% ACT | 29 to 33 |
| Acceptance rate | 47.9% (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26, 20,032 applicants) |
| Testing for 2026-27 | Test optional for 2026-27 |
| Type | Private university |
Source: Santa Clara official admissions data. A middle 50% describes the central half of the reported group, not a cutoff.
Santa Clara does not require a score but will consider one if submitted.
| School | Middle 50% SAT | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | 1520 to 1570 | 3.8% |
| University of Southern California | 1470 to 1540 | 11.2% |
| Santa Clara University | 1330 to 1470 | 47.9% |
Cohorts differ by school (admitted vs enrolled, and year). See every school with its cohort and source on SAT Scores for California Colleges.
California has no state scholarship with an SAT cutoff: the Cal Grant, the state's main financial aid program, is awarded on GPA and financial need only, with no role for test scores in eligibility or amount, and the UC and CSU systems that most Cal Grant recipients attend do not use SAT/ACT scores for aid either, so score-tied money in California comes only from a handful of private universities' own competitive merit programs.
Pepperdine Regents Scholars Program: Competitive, holistic award based on unweighted recalculated GPA plus the submitted test score; no separate application, awarded at the time of admission.
Azusa Pacific University Trustees' and Presidents'/Provost's/Deans' Scholarships: Trustees' Scholarship (full tuition, 4 awarded annually) requires a 3.9 weighted HS GPA; the President's/Provost's/Deans'/Directors' tiers blend GPA and test score with no published breakpoints.
The full rules, deadlines and class years are on our California SAT prep page.
| College | State | Middle 50% SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Binghamton University | New York | 1320 to 1480 |
| Colorado School of Mines | Colorado | 1340 to 1460 |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Indiana | 1310 to 1490 |
| Hillsdale College | Michigan | 1340 to 1470 |
A score that is competitive at Santa Clara lands in the same part of the range at these schools. Cohorts differ by school, so read each page's notes before comparing.
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Which of these numbers is your teen's target? Pick the California colleges on their list and get a target score and the gap from today's score in under a minute.
Find my teen's target scoreThere is no published minimum; the middle half of the reported group scored 1330 to 1470. A score at or above 1470 puts a student in the top quarter of that group. A score near 1330 is within the range, and grades, coursework and the rest of the application still decide the outcome.
Yes. Santa Clara lists its policy as: Test optional for 2026-27. A score inside or above the range can still strengthen an application, and some scholarships and programs use scores separately.
47.9% (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26, 20,032 applicants). Rates vary by program and residency, so read the overall figure as context, not a personal prediction.
No. A middle 50% is a description of last year's group, not a cutoff in either direction. It tells you where a score is competitive, which is the useful part for planning test dates.
Want to know what your teen needs for Santa Clara? Their target, their gap and the weeks to close it are what we map in the free Strategy Session.
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