Biomedical/Medical Engineering at Santa Clara University

Santa Clara's biomedical engineering program launches graduates into strong early earnings—$73,710 after one year puts them in the 90th percentile nationally—but California's competitive landscape tells a more nuanced story. Within the state, this program lands at the 60th percentile, trailing powerhouses like Cal Poly SLO ($81k) and USC ($80k) by a meaningful margin. Still, the 34% earnings growth to nearly $100k by year four demonstrates solid career trajectory, and the $21,390 median debt is reasonable given the strong income potential.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift with future cohorts, but the pattern aligns with what you'd expect from a well-regarded private university with a 44% admission rate and strong STEM emphasis. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 is manageable—graduates earn enough in their first year to theoretically pay off loans in about four months of gross income.

For families weighing this against UC Berkeley (similar first-year outcomes at likely lower in-state cost) or Cal Poly SLO (higher earnings), Santa Clara offers a viable path into biomedical engineering, though not necessarily the most economically advantageous one in California. If your child has been admitted here and elsewhere in-state, compare total cost of attendance carefully—the performance gap with top state schools matters less if net price is comparable.