R2 ResearchPrivate nonprofit

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·New England·clarku.edu
6-yr Graduation
77%
+2.0pp vs R2 Research
Total enrollment
3,925
peer median 4,231
Avg net price
$27,711
-$7.4k vs R2 Research
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Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
11,452
11,452 candidates competed
Admitted
4,528
39.5% acceptance rate
Enrolled
486
10.7% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
77%+2.0pp vs R2 Research
4-year graduation
70%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
77%
Full-time retention
86%

Pell equity

8.0pp gap
Pell recipients
75%
Non-Pell
83%

Non-Pell students graduate at a 8.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 92 Title IV programs, 21 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 71 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
92
Passing
21
22.8% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

92programs
  • Passing21 · 22.8%
  • No Data71 · 77.2%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
1
Safe
19
No data
71

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

21
Social Sciences Other
Master's Degree · Social Sciences
+3.6%
$62,304 vs $60,112
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+11.6%
$38,844 vs $34,808
Geography and Cartography
Master's Degree · Social Sciences
+27.3%
$76,513 vs $60,112
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
+29.3%
$60,005 vs $46,391
Social Sciences Other
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
+31.3%
$45,710 vs $34,808
Community Organization and Advocacy
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
+32.4%
$61,101 vs $46,158
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+32.5%
$46,113 vs $34,808
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Master's Degree · Natural Resources And Conservation
+40.6%
$75,449 vs $53,672

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

1
Social Sciences Other
Master's Degree · Social Sciences
+3.6%
+$2,192

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

15
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
64%
$25,000 debt · $38,844 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
59%
$27,000 debt · $46,113 earn
Social Sciences Other
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
56%
$25,750 debt · $45,710 earn
Geography and Cartography
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
53%
$26,000 debt · $49,230 earn
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Bachelor Degree · Natural Resources And Conservation
50%
$26,000 debt · $52,075 earn
History
Bachelor Degree · History
49%
$26,223 debt · $53,926 earn
Biology General
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
45%
$26,000 debt · $58,429 earn
Romance Languages Literatures and Linguistics
Bachelor Degree · Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
45%
$27,000 debt · $60,649 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

New England Commission of Higher Education

Accredited since 1929Next review Jun 2026

Programmatic accreditations · 1

Action history · 2

  1. Jul 2019Renewal of Accreditation
    American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Clinical Psychology (CLPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
  2. Mar 2016Renewal of Accreditation
    New England Commission of Higher Education

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$16,629
$30–48k$15,377
$48–75k$20,719
$75–110k$25,104
$110k+$38,832

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$27,711
-$7,404vs R2 Research median $35,115
Federal loans
57.8%
In-state tuition
$55,160
Out-of-state
$55,160

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 609 students received $3.6M in Pell grants, alongside $14.2M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
609
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$3.6M
$3,633,484 total
Direct Loans
$14.2M
2,343 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

0k
20
0k
21
1k
22
1k
23
1k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$3.9M
866 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$4.4M
1,183 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$1.3M
88 loan awards
Parent PLUS$4.3M
190 loan awards
Grad PLUS$244K
16 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 527 borrowers who entered repayment, 7 (1.3%) defaulted within three years below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.3%
-1.0pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
527
Defaulted
7
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
1.9%
2017
1.8%
2018
1.7%
2019
1.3%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Clark

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs67
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

1,230 total completions
01Computer Sciences
40032.5%
02Business
24720.1%
03Social Sciences
13010.6%
04Psychology
1098.9%
05Public Admin
735.9%
06Biological Sciences
655.3%
07Multi/Interdisciplinary
625.0%
08Visual/Performing Arts
554.5%
09Comm. Technologies
453.7%
10Education
443.6%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
3,925
12-mo unduplicated
4,611
Undergraduate
2,466
Graduate
2,145

Gender split

Men
48%2,203
Women
52%2,408

Race / ethnicity composition

White
62.7%
Hispanic
11.7%
Asian
6.9%
Black
5.9%
Non-resident
5.2%
Two or more
4.4%
Unknown
3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.0%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
362
174 M · 188 W
Women athletes
51.9%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$3.2M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$21K
$27K
Head-coach salaries
$37K
$42K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 11

Lacrosse
41 M · 21 W
$365K
Soccer
30 M · 27 W
$300K
Baseball
42 M ·
$263K
Swimming and Diving (combined)
17 M · 22 W
$181K
Rowing
· 36 W
$146K
Basketball
17 M · 15 W
$468K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
2.65
10 offenses · 3,770 students

3-year trend

7.052 yrs ago4.481 yr ago2.65Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
49
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
5
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
1
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Rape
3
Burglary
3
Fondling
2
Robbery
1
Aggravated assault
1

By location

10total
  • On campus9
  • Public property1

Includes 5 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
1
Dating violence
1
Stalking
2 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Ethnicity1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs010
Liquor078

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
8.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
228

Clark vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Clark selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectClark University
77%3,925$27,711R2 Research
90%60.2%7,584$43,273R2 Research
70%91.6%6,573$37,109R2 Research
49%64.2%4,252$35,115R2 Research
4,210R2 Research
75%77.4%3,348$31,955R2 Research
Peer group median75%70.8%4,231$35,115

Institutions like Clark

Explore the federal data for institutions in Clark's comparison group.

Clark Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Strategic Analytics, Assessment & Institutional Research
Email
strategic-analytics [at] clarku.edu
Phone
508-793-7711
Address
Shaich Family Alumni and Student Engagement Center (ASEC) Rooms 421-427, 939 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610

To foster a culture where colleagues possess a strong understanding of Clark’s data and actively use institutional data to assess performance and to inform decision-making, policy development and improvements. To provide thought leadership and guidance in drawing upon data to inform policy and changes, lead proactive analyses in support of strategic decision-making among University leadership, and synthesize institutional knowledge through identification of trends and connections across analyses.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Elissa Lu
    Director Strategic Analytics & Institutional Research

Common Data Set

Clark's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
39.6%
Selective
Yield
10.7%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
3,931
2,266 UG · 1,665 grad
6-yr graduation rate
77%
First-year retention
86%
Student–faculty ratio
8.5 to 1
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
11,452
Admitted
4,528
Enrolled
486

11,452 applied → 4,528 admitted (39.6%) → 486 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
39.6%

Selective — 39.6% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men34.1%
women43.8%
another gender57.7%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1300
Median
1370
75th
1450

Middle 50% SAT 1300–1450 (median 1370).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
30
Median
31
75th
33

Middle 50% ACT 30–33 (median 31).

High-school class rank

C10
Top 10%42%
Top 25%75%
Top 50%95%
Bottom 50%5%
Bottom 25%2%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

Waitlist outcome

C2
Offered
730
Accepted spot
309
Admitted
57

730 offered a waitlist spot, 309 accepted it, 57 admitted (18.4% of those who stayed on).

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important2
Rigor of secondary school recordAcademic GPA
Important3
Application EssayRecommendation(s)Character/personal qualities
Considered10
Class rankStandardized test scoresInterviewExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityFirst generationAlumni/ae relationVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest
Not Considered3
Geographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitment

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Institutional scholarships89.1%
Federal8.1%
State all states2.0%
External scholarships0.8%

0% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
53%
Avg debt
$37,343

53% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $37,343 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
77%
Retention
86%

6-year graduation rate 77%; first-year retention 86%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students77%
Pell recipients75%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 2 pts below the overall rate (75% vs 77%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students69
10-19 students190
20-29 students95
30-39 students46
40-49 students9
50-99 students9
100+ students0

62% of classes have under 20 students; 2% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
8.5 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
80%
Women faculty
46%

Key faculty indicators.

Degrees by discipline

J
Psychology18%
Social sciences16%
Visual and performing arts10%
Biological/life sciences8%
Interdisciplinary studies8%
Communication technologies7%
Business/marketing7%
English5%

STEM-dominant: ~14% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic60.7%
Hispanic/Latino13.5%
Asian, non-Hispanic7.1%
Nonresidents6.2%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic5.6%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic4.4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown2.4%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.0%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
141
Share
6%

6% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
2,26658%
Graduate
1,66542%

2,266 undergraduates and 1,665 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
448
Admitted
95
Enrolled
33

448 transfer applicants → 95 admitted (21.1%) → 33 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about Clark University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Clark.

What is the graduation rate at Clark University?

Clark University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 77% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Clark University?

Clark University reports a total enrollment of 3,925 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Clark University?

The average net price at Clark University is $27,711 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Clark University?

Clark University's yield rate is 10.7%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Clark University located?

Clark University is located in Worcester, Massachusetts 01610-1477.

Who runs Institutional Research at Clark University?

Clark University's IR work is done by the Strategic Analytics, Assessment & Institutional Research.

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