Clarkson University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Clarkson University is a private nonprofit college in Potsdam, NY. Students pay about $30,305 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $89,696 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 3.4 years and adds $282,740 over a decade, ranking it #47 of 918 (top 6%) by value added.
What is Clarkson University's acceptance rate?
Clarkson University has an acceptance rate of 77.4%, which makes it moderately selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Potsdam, NY enrolling about 2,196 students, with a 74.3% graduation rate.
How much does Clarkson University cost?
Clarkson University costs about $30,305 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $147,220. Published sticker cost of attendance is $79,022 per year.
How much do Clarkson University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Clarkson University student earns $89,696 per year. That is $42,996 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Clarkson University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Clarkson University pays back its roughly $147,220 cost in about 3.4 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $282,740 net of cost, a 2.92x return on the money invested. That ranks it #47 of 918 (top 6%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Clarkson University graduation rate and student debt
74.3% of Clarkson University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $26,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 29% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Clarkson University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Clarkson University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $30,305 | $20,299 | cheaper than 16% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $89,696 | $54,768 | 95th |
| Graduation rate | 74.3% | 57.0% | 83th |
| Acceptance rate | 77.4% | 75.7% | more selective than 46% |
| 10-yr value added | $282,740 | -$28,192 | 95th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 2.92x | 0.73x | 90th |
| Payback period | 3.4 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 88% |
Frequently asked
Is Clarkson University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Clarkson University ranks #47 of 918 (top 6%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 2.92x the money invested over a decade.
Is Clarkson University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $30,305 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 16% of them.
Do Clarkson University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $89,696 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 95% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Clarkson University compared to other colleges?
Its 77.4% acceptance rate is above the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 46% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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