More selective than 39% of New York colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $79,022. College Scorecard.
Higher than 77% of New York colleges we cover and 85% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 92% of New York colleges we cover and 96% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Clarkson University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 7,347 applicants, Clarkson University admitted 5,669 and 608 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1200–1390 on the SAT or 25–32 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Clarkson 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
State aid: New York residents may qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): up to $5,665 a year toward tuition at eligible New York colleges, for dependent students with New York net taxable family income up to $125,000. Not included in the prices above. New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
What Clarkson University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Clarkson 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 New York. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $21,335 | $88,540 | 1.6 years |
| $30–48k | $19,934 | $82,726 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $23,321 | $96,782 | 1.8 years |
| $75–110k | $30,990 | $128,609 | 2.3 years |
| $110k+ | $35,757 | $148,392 | 2.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (64% 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 ($89,696) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $55,063 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.
Clarkson University majors, earnings & careers
Clarkson University offers 36 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 8
- Science & Math · 8
- Business & Finance · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Technology & Computing · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at Clarkson University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $107,790 | $27,000 |
| Computer Science | $103,132 | $25,990 |
| Electrical Engineering | $97,750 | $26,926 |
| Chemical Engineering | $93,614 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $93,152 | $24,757 |
| Accounting | $93,132 | $26,006 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $91,066 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $90,286 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 36 majors
- Accounting$93,132
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$91,066
- Applied Mathematics—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$77,791
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$93,152
- Chemical Engineering$93,614
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$82,387
- Communications—
- Computer Engineering$107,790
- Computer Science$103,132
- Data Analytics—
- Data Science—
- Economics—
- Electrical Engineering$97,750
- Engineering-Related Fields$88,793
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental Engineering$77,891
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Graphic Communications—
- History—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Literature—
- Management Information Systems—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$90,286
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Pharmacology and Toxicology—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$73,359
- Public Health—
- Social Sciences—
- Software and Media Applications—
— 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 →Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Civil Engineering → Civil engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Potsdam
2 bedrooms $1,041.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 46 inches of rain a year, 77 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, St. Lawrence County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
St. Lawrence County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Clarkson University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in New York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarkson University | 77% | $30,305 | 75% | $89,696 | This school |
| Nazareth University | 75% | $29,357 | 73% | $56,458 | |
| Le Moyne College | 83% | $22,277 | 73% | $62,731 | |
| St Bonaventure University | 82% | $27,074 | 67% | $57,214 | |
| Manhattan University | 79% | $27,256 | 64% | $86,316 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Clarkson University would cost you $948 more per year than Nazareth University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Clarkson University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$16,948).
- Clarkson University gives aided families $19,820 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New York resident | Clarkson University | Nazareth University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $59,398 | $42,450 | +$16,948 |
| Books & supplies | $1,560 | $1,000 | +$560 |
| Housing & meals | $17,016 | $15,620 | +$1,396 |
| Personal & travel | $2,496 | $2,000 | +$496 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,448 | −$2,816 | +$1,368 |
| Sticker price | $79,022 | $58,254 | +$20,768 |
| Average grants | −$48,717 | −$28,897 | −$19,820 |
| You pay | $30,305 | $29,357 | +$948 |
“+” means Clarkson 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 Clarkson University
What is the Clarkson University acceptance rate?
Clarkson University accepts 77% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 5,669 of 7,347 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1200–1390 on the SAT or 25–32 on the ACT.
How much does Clarkson University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $79,022 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $30,305 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $21,335 and families earning $110k+ pay $35,757.
How much do Clarkson University graduates earn?
Former Clarkson University students earn a median $89,696 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Clarkson University graduation rate?
75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year.
How long does a Clarkson University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Clarkson University costs about $96,782 after grants ($23,321 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $89,696 ten years after starting, $55,063 more than high school graduates in New York ($34,633), so the cost is repaid in 1.8 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: “Clarkson University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/clarkson-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).