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Clarkson University

Potsdam, New York · Private nonprofit · 4-year · Town

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At a glance

Average net price
$30,305What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
77%
Graduation rate
74%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
2,196
In-state tuition
$59,398Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$59,398
SAT midpoint
1,280
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$89,696Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against private nonprofit 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$30,305

Better than 19% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1092 compared).

Completion

74%

Better than 82% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1063 compared).

Earnings

$89,696

Better than 95% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1087 compared).

Debt at graduation

$26,000

Better than 28% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1020 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$79,022

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$30,305

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?
Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Clarkson University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time74%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return85%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$26,000
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$89,696

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Clarkson University by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Computer Engineering$80,94227
Computer Science$79,74430
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$77,94036
Chemical Engineering$75,88752
Engineering-Related Fields$74,40744
Mechanical Engineering$73,168155
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$71,78348
Civil Engineering$70,13670
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering$67,30821
Business Administration, Management and Operations$65,88728
Accounting and Related Services$60,59421
Communication and Media Studies$41,74510
Biology, General$39,80742
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations$37,75324
Psychology, GeneralNot reported22
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchNot reported14
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyNot reported13
Data AnalyticsNot reported10
PhysicsNot reported8
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherNot reported8
ChemistryNot reported8
MathematicsNot reported6
Applied MathematicsNot reported5
EconomicsNot reported5
Graphic CommunicationsNot reported4
Public HealthNot reported3
Political Science and GovernmentNot reported3
Social Sciences, GeneralNot reported2
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesNot reported1
LiteratureNot reported1
Data ScienceNot reported1
Pharmacology and ToxicologyNot reportedNot reported
Computer Software and Media ApplicationsNot reportedNot reported
Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationNot reportedNot reported
HistoryNot reportedNot reported
Management Information Systems and ServicesNot reportedNot reported

All 36 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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