I haven’t checked in on the Santa Clara University Masters in Finance & Analytics program in a number of years and there are some nice updates that I think warrant an update on the program. This one has been around for a little bit now and the location makes this a university for anyone wanting to work West Coast.
Career Information
There is a section on the website discussing recent career successes. I’d like to see this a little bigger with more information, but it is helpful and highlights continued success from when I last posted about placements.
- 86% Employed (6 Months after graduation)
Sample of hiring firms
- Gusto
- Validus
- Druva
- Oracle
- Marvell
Students are required to complete a practicum or capstone project during their time in the program to help provide real work experience. The list of firms that have partnered with the university, both past and present, are impressive. Things like this, in conjunction with career services, are very helpful in supporting career moves.
In 2024 the following firms took part in the practicum project:
- Armanino
- Cisco
- EY
- Franklin Tempelton Investments
- Pluto7
Class Profile
- Average GPA – 3.18
- Average Work Experience – 40 months
- Male / Female – 64% / 36%
- Average GMAT / GRE (for MS programs) – 650 / 390
This is a fairly limited class profile, but the duration of work experience shows that this is a flexible program that is predominately for working professionals. The night time classes and online option definitely helps anyone who wants to continue their education while not quitting their full time job.
Admissions
Nothing has changed application wise since I last posted about the program. This is one of the shrinking number of schools that still require a GMAT/GRE. If you look at their application requirements the test is not required so I would imagine that the focus really is on work experience and previous academic success. You can also ask for a waiver so do not let apprehension about the test stop you.
Applications for the Fall 2025 term are due the following dates with September 22nd being the program start date:
- Priority Deadline – April 1st
- Final Application Deadline – June 1st
Tuition is $1,462 per credit hour ($52,632 total). There are a number of scholarship options and other ways to reduce your cost of attendance and I always encourage anyone interested to ask and explore ways to bring the tuition price down.
Miscellaneous
There are a number of online information sessions coming up in January that anyone interested in the program should attend. You can monitor the list of upcoming events here.
The university also has a number of video student testimonials where they discuss the program, how it impacted them and other bits of advice. Love seeing this as hearing from past and present students is always a great piece of information when trying to decide if a program is right for you.
Here are the three videos:
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If you are looking for a flexible masters program near Silicon Valley then this should definitely be on your list. I’ll keep checking back and make sure to update everyone if anything changes.
Here is a link to the Santa Clara University Masters in Finance & Analytics
