Head-to-Head Comparison
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences vs Santa Clara University
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Boston, MA
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
- Massachusetts Pharmacy Wins
- 14
- Tied
- 11
- Santa Clara Wins
- 19
Direct Answer
For overall financial value, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences offers a significantly safer investment tier. While Santa Clara University achieves a higher graduation rate (88% vs 63%), its annual cost of attendance sits at $50,062 compared to Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences's $39,545. Students who choose Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences benefit from a cost structure that keeps debt manageable while maintaining competitive graduate earnings of $125,557 at ten years.
44 data points compared · Sources: College Scorecard, Opportunity Insights, Times Higher Education, IPEDS
When to Pick Each School
Massachusetts Pharmacy
- Higher earnings: Median earnings of $125,557 ten years after enrollment, 15% more than Santa Clara University
- Lower cost: Average net price of $39,545, roughly $10,517 a year less
Santa Clara
- Higher grad rate: 88% of students finish, the higher completion rate of the pair
- Less debt: Median debt of $19,162, the lower of the two
- More selective: Admits 48% of applicants, which makes for a more competitive peer group
The Actual Decision
What are you really choosing between?
Massachusetts Pharmacy graduates concentrate in Health Professions (93% of degrees); Santa Clara in Business & Marketing (27%). If you already know the field you want, the choice is mostly made for you.
Based on each school's share of degrees by field (College Scorecard). It shows where graduates actually concentrate, not the only path a school offers.
Which School Fits You?
Pick Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences over Santa Clara University. Median earnings of $125,557 ten years after enrollment vs $109,183.
Pick Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences over Santa Clara University. Net price $39,545 vs $50,062.
Pick Santa Clara University over Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. 88% completion rate vs 63%.
Key Metrics at a Glance
Graduation Rate
Earnings (10yr)
Avg Net Price
Median Debt
The Analysis
Verdict
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Santa Clara University are close on paper, but Santa Clara University wins the head-to-head, leading on 3 of the core measures (selectivity, cost, earnings, completion, mobility, and debt). The right pick still depends on how you weight them.
Getting in
Santa Clara University is the harder admit. It takes 48% of applicants, while Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences takes 85%. Its entering class also posts the higher average SAT, 1,269 to 1,426.
So what: If test scores and a high-scoring peer group matter to you, Santa Clara University sets the higher bar. The less selective school is easier to get into, which can work in your favor rather than against it.
What it costs
On price, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences comes out ahead. Its average net price after aid is $39,545, about $10,517 a year below Santa Clara University's $50,062. Graduates of Santa Clara University also borrow less: median debt of $19,162, against $25,000.
So what: Over four years, the gap adds up to about $42,068 before any change in aid. Choosing Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences leaves that money available for graduate school, savings, or simply less borrowing.
What graduates earn
Ten years after enrollment, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences graduates report median earnings of $125,557, compared with $109,183 at Santa Clara University. That is a 15% advantage. Set against borrowing, Santa Clara University has the lower debt-to-earnings ratio, 0.18x to 0.2x.
So what: An earnings gap of 15% this early in a career tends to widen, since raises build on the higher base. Of the measures on this page, this one carries the most financial weight.
Finishing the degree
Santa Clara University graduates a larger share of its students, 88% versus 63%. More of its students stay on track to a degree.
So what: A completion gap of 25% is a risk measure. Students at the school with the lower rate face higher odds of leaving with debt and no degree, the most expensive outcome in higher education.
Recommendation
Bottom line: pick Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to keep costs and debt down.
Data certainty: High. Both schools report 5 of 6 core signals used here; where one school is missing a figure, that row is left out of the comparison rather than estimated.
Counterintuitive Insights
Their academic identities diverge. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences concentrates enrollment in Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology, while Santa Clara University leans toward Business & Marketing, Engineering, Social Sciences. That split shapes which recruiters come to campus and what your classmates study.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
- Students minimizing debt: median debt is $25,000, against $19,162 at Santa Clara University.
- Engineering-focused students: Santa Clara University has the stronger engineering programs.
- Business and consulting-track students: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has less business program depth, and Santa Clara University offers the stronger options.
- Cost-conscious students: net price of $50,062 runs well above Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences's $39,545.
- Students who want a smaller campus: Santa Clara University's enrollment of 6,552 far exceeds Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences's 3,451.
Full Data Breakdown
Overview 5 metrics
Admissions 4 metrics
Cost & Financial Aid 9 metrics
Academics 5 metrics
Student Body 6 metrics
Outcomes 6 metrics
Social Mobility (Chetty) 4 metrics
Social Capital 3 metrics
Online Education (IPEDS) 2 metrics
The Overviews
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit
A full data profile for Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences — outcomes, cost, and admissions — is on its profile page.
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofit
Santa Clara University has a graduation rate of 88%, indicating strong student success and support. This high rate suggests that students are not only enrolling but also completing their degrees in a timely manner, which is crucial for their future careers.
The earnings data for graduates is impressive. Ten years after graduation, alumni earn a median salary of $109,183. This figure highlights the potential return on investment for students considering their financial futures. However, with a net price of $50,062 and median debt at $19,162, students should weigh the cost of attendance against their anticipated earnings.
Students who thrive at Santa Clara typically pursue majors in Business & Marketing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Communications, or Psychology. The campus environment supports those who are motivated and engaged in their studies. With a moderate acceptance rate of 48%, the university attracts a diverse group of students ready to take advantage of the academic opportunities available.
Rankings They Appear On
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Santa Clara University appear together in 2 rankings. On the Highest-Paying Colleges for Healthcare Administration, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences ranks #4 — Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences outranks Santa Clara University by 1 positions.
Top Degree Programs
Massachusetts Pharmacy's top program is Nursing (BSN) (93% of enrollment), while Santa Clara leads with Business Administration (27%).
Massachusetts Pharmacy
Career Pathways
Program strengths at these schools feed into careers like Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant (for Massachusetts Pharmacy) and Financial Analyst, Management Consultant, Accountant (for Santa Clara).
The two schools feed different job markets. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is strongest in Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology, Physical Sciences, while Santa Clara University concentrates in Business & Marketing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Communications. Those concentrations determine which recruiters show up on campus and where alumni cluster by industry. Match the school's program strengths to the field you plan to enter.
Massachusetts Pharmacy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it harder to get into Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences or Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara University is harder to get into, admitting 48% of applicants compared with 85% at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Which is more affordable, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences or Santa Clara University?
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is more affordable, with an average net price of $39,545 after aid versus $50,062 at Santa Clara University.
Do Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences or Santa Clara University graduates earn more?
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences graduates earn more: median earnings of $125,557 ten years after enrollment, versus $109,183 at Santa Clara University.
Which has a better graduation rate, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences or Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara University has the higher graduation rate, 88% versus 63%.
Should you choose Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences or Santa Clara University?
It depends on what you weigh most. Choose Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences if affordability and lower debt come first; choose Santa Clara University if you want the more selective, higher-stats peer group. The two schools win on different measures, so the better fit is the one whose strengths match your priorities.
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