Clarkson University

Potsdam, NY · Private

Official website

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Admission rate

Clarkson University admitted 77.4% of applicants university-wide (5,153 of 6,661).

CohortAdmit rateAdmittedApplicants
University-wide77.4%5,1536,661
In-state76.1%2,3853,134
Out-of-state82.1%2,1452,613
International applicants68.2%623914
Men79.4%2,8373,572
Women75.1%2,3003,063

Also offers Early Action — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.

Of 5,153 admitted students, 489 enrolled (9.5% yield).

Clarkson University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.

Test scores and GPA of admitted students

SAT (mid-50%)
1200–1390
ACT (mid-50%)
25–32
GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
3.003.74

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

Clarkson University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.

Cost and financial aid

Published cost of attendance: $79,210/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$59,398
Fees, housing, food, books & other$19,812
Sticker cost of attendance$79,210/yr

Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)

Under $30k$21,335
$30k–48k$19,934
$48k–75k$23,321
$75k–110k$30,990
Over $110k$35,757

U.S. Dept. of Education · College Scorecard — average net price by family income (Title IV, from IPEDS) · 2023

US applicants

Need- and merit-based aid available.

  • Clarkson University ScholarshipUp to $30,000 per year (Merit)
  • Presidential ScholarshipUp to $25,000 per year (Presidential)
  • Merit Scholarship$5,000 - $15,000 per year (Automatic)
  • Leadership AwardUp to $10,000 per year (Merit)
  • Honors Program ScholarshipUp to $5,000 per year (Merit)
  • Clarkson GrantVaries (Need Based)
  • Trustee ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

International applicants

No need-based aid reported for internationals.

  • Clarkson University ScholarshipUp to $30,000 per year (Merit)
  • International Excellence Scholarship$30,000 per year (International Aid)
  • International Achievement Scholarship$25,000 per year (International Aid)
  • Presidential ScholarshipUp to $25,000 per year (Presidential)
  • International Recognition Scholarship$20,000 per year (International Aid)
  • #YouAreWelcomeHere ScholarshipUp to $15,000 per year (International Aid)
  • Merit Scholarship$5,000 - $15,000 per year (Automatic)
  • Leadership AwardUp to $10,000 per year (Merit)
  • Honors Program ScholarshipUp to $5,000 per year (Merit)
  • Clarkson GrantVaries (Need Based)
  • International GrantVaries (Need Based)
  • Trustee ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

Clarkson University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023

Application requirements

US applicants

  • Transcript
  • Personal Statement or Essay
  • Letters of Recommendation

International applicants

  • Transcript
  • Personal Statement or Essay
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)

Clarkson University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025

Essay prompts

The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts).

Draft these in the free Essay Coach

Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$89,696
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
74.9%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
85.4%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$26,000
At graduation

Clarkson University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.

Published rankings

  • U.S. News National: #143
  • WSJ: #186
  • Forbes: #278
  • Niche: #333
  • QS: #951

Deadlines

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Engineering (50%), Business & marketing (9%), Biological & life sciences (8%).

Student–faculty ratio: 13:1 · 48% of class sections have under 20 students.

Clarkson University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.

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