More selective than 68% of Iowa colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $55,782. College Scorecard.
Higher than 28% of Iowa colleges we cover and 55% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 50% of Iowa colleges we cover and 57% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Clarke University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,087 applicants, Clarke University admitted 2,104 and 199 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 900–1160 on the SAT or 16–24 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Clarke University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Clarke University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Clarke University took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Iowa. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $23,405 | $98,301 | 5.2 years |
| $30–48k | $22,543 | $94,681 | 5.1 years |
| $48–75k | $22,645 | $95,109 | 5.1 years |
| $75–110k | $27,890 | $117,138 | 6.3 years |
| $110k+ | $24,784 | $104,093 | 5.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (44% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($55,396) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,735 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Clarke University majors, earnings & careers
Clarke University offers 31 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Arts & Design · 4
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Education · 2
Highest-earning majors at Clarke University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | $75,920 | $27,000 |
| Nursing | $74,114 | $27,000 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $73,295 | — |
| Psychology | $54,384 | $26,500 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $48,048 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $42,853 | $26,974 |
Quick list of all 31 majors
- Accounting—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$73,295
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Business Administration$75,920
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Science—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$48,048
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$42,853
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Nursing$74,114
- Philosophy—
- Psychology$54,384
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Work—
- Sociology—
- Software and Media Applications—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Dubuque
Overall prices in the Dubuque, IA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,131. Housing costs 36% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 39 inches of rain a year, 36 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Dubuque County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Dubuque County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Clarke University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Iowa by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke University | 72% | $24,479 | 56% | $55,396 | This school |
| Morningside University | 71% | $31,320 | 50% | $55,494 | |
| Buena Vista University | 78% | $18,846 | 62% | $49,156 | |
| Cornell College | 80% | $23,634 | 62% | $53,460 | |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | 68% | $16,282 | 68% | $40,650 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Clarke University would cost you $6,841 less per year than Morningside University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Clarke University, mostly from more Morningside University students living at home, which lowers its average (+$1,547).
- Clarke University gives aided families $10,046 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Iowa resident | Clarke University | Morningside University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $40,910 | $39,660 | +$1,250 |
| Books & supplies | $1,160 | $1,250 | −$90 |
| Housing & meals | $11,000 | $11,204 | −$204 |
| Personal & travel | $3,728 | $3,026 | +$702 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,016 | −$2,563 | +$1,547 |
| Sticker price | $55,782 | $52,577 | +$3,205 |
| Average grants | −$31,303 | −$21,257 | −$10,046 |
| You pay | $24,479 | $31,320 | −$6,841 |
“+” means Clarke University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Clarke University
What is the Clarke University acceptance rate?
Clarke University accepts 72% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,104 of 3,087 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 900–1160 on the SAT or 16–24 on the ACT.
How much does Clarke University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $55,782 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $24,479 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $23,405 and families earning $110k+ pay $24,784.
How much do Clarke University graduates earn?
Former Clarke University students earn a median $55,396 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Clarke University graduation rate?
56% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year.
How long does a Clarke University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Clarke University costs about $95,109 after grants ($22,645 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $55,396 ten years after starting, $18,735 more than high school graduates in Iowa ($36,661), so the cost is repaid in 5.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Clarke University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/clarke-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).