# Clark Atlanta University (CAU)

Private nonprofit college in Atlanta, GA. IPEDS ID 138947.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/clark-atlanta-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/clark-atlanta-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 64% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $37,702 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 49%; beats 73% of GA colleges and 40% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $42,712; beats 36% of GA colleges and 19% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $19,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $37,356 |
| 30-48k | $39,270 |
| 48-75k | $39,009 |
| 75-110k | $39,514 |
| 110k+ | $38,680 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.32 years on average (34% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $42,712 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in GA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $37,356 | $161,378 | 17.5 years |
| 30-48k | $39,270 | $169,646 | 18.4 years |
| 48-75k | $39,009 | $168,519 | 18.3 years |
| 75-110k | $39,514 | $170,700 | 18.6 years |
| 110k+ | $38,680 | $167,098 | 18.2 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $43,676
- Tuition and fees: $28,310
- Housing and meals: $12,018; books: $1,900

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: not reported; SAT math: not reported; ACT: not reported (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 27,672 applicants, 17,884 admitted, 1,069 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 64%, ACT not reported (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 65%, ACT not reported (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (29 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Work | $27,016 | $54,657 | $27,500 |
| Business Administration | $30,518 | $53,911 | $28,604 |
| Criminal Justice | $27,715 | $47,012 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $24,763 | $45,413 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $22,328 | $45,368 | $27,000 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | $25,194 | $44,498 | $31,000 |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | $21,413 | $34,335 | $28,500 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $20,974 | $24,420 | $27,427 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Writing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Demography | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | $28,554 | not reported | $27,000 |
| Sociology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Accounting | not reported | not reported | $27,000 |
| Business Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage $101,220 (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA), $99,600 (GA), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Criminal Justice → Police officer: median wage $60,910 (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA), $58,120 (GA), $76,210 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).