Clarkson University
About
Clarkson University is a private research university with its main campus in Potsdam, New York. Clarkson has additional graduate programs and research facilities in the New York Capital District. It was established in 1896 and enrolled over 4,000 students in 2024. Students pursue bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in each of its schools and institutes: the David D. Reh School of Business, Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health and Life Sciences, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, and Institute for STEM Education. The university is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 6.5-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 91 Title IV programs, 22 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 69 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing22 · 24.2%
- No Data69 · 75.8%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
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.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Programmatic accreditations · 3
Action history · 5
- Dec 2024Grant Substantive Change: OtherAmerican Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTM) - Programs leading to a Master's Degree
- Aug 2024Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTM) - Programs leading to a Master's Degree
- Aug 2024Grant Substantive Change: OtherAmerican Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTM) - Programs leading to a Master's Degree
- Jun 2019Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Nov 2017Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTM) - Programs leading to a Master's Degree
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 537 students received $3.0M in Pell grants, alongside $20.1M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
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.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 996 borrowers who entered repayment, 9 (0.9%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* 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.
Academic programs at Clarkson
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 12
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus1
- Non-campus1
Includes 1 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Race2
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Sigma Chi1 fireOpen flamesDamage $0-$99
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Clarkson vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Clarkson selected for federal comparison reporting.
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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectClarkson University | 75% | — | 3,348 | $30,305 | R2 Research |
| 67% | 64.8% | 11,426 | $41,272 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 75% | 54.9% | 8,834 | $18,425 | R2 Research | |
| 71% | 78.7% | 1,466 | $34,660 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | |
| 60% | 55.9% | 3,693 | $32,918 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 67% | 58.9% | 2,953 | $22,453 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | |
| 84% | 63.5% | 7,040 | $36,228 | R1 Research | |
| 71% | 66.9% | 17,098 | $34,906 | R2 Research | |
| 78% | 76.9% | 2,334 | $42,513 | — | |
| 87% | 47.6% | 8,469 | $41,346 | R2 Research | |
| 84% | 45.9% | 22,589 | $38,793 | R1 Research | |
| 90% | 60.2% | 7,584 | $43,071 | R2 Research | |
| Peer group median | 75% | 60.2% | 7,312 | $35,567 |
Institutions like Clarkson
Explore the federal data for institutions in Clarkson's comparison group.
- Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsFlorida
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Grad rate67%Admit rate64.8%Enrollment11,426Net price$41,272View data - R2 ResearchIllinois
Illinois Institute of Technology
Grad rate75%Admit rate54.9%Enrollment8,834Net price$18,425View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium ProgramsMichigan
Kettering University
Grad rate71%Admit rate78.7%Enrollment1,466Net price$34,660View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsMichigan
Lawrence Technological University
Grad rate60%Admit rate55.9%Enrollment3,693Net price$32,918View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium ProgramsWisconsin
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Grad rate67%Admit rate58.9%Enrollment2,953Net price$22,453View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Grad rate84%Admit rate63.5%Enrollment7,040Net price$36,228View data - R2 ResearchNew York
Rochester Institute of Technology
Grad rate71%Admit rate66.9%Enrollment17,098Net price$34,906View data - Indiana
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Grad rate78%Admit rate76.9%Enrollment2,334Net price$42,513View data - R2 ResearchNew Jersey
Stevens Institute of Technology
Grad rate87%Admit rate47.6%Enrollment8,469Net price$41,346View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Syracuse University
Grad rate84%Admit rate45.9%Enrollment22,589Net price$38,793View data - R2 ResearchMassachusetts
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Grad rate90%Admit rate60.2%Enrollment7,584Net price$43,071View data
Clarkson Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research serves as a centralized location for the collection, management, and analysis of Clarkson’s data and information, supporting institutional planning, decision making, compliance reporting, accreditation reporting, data for grant applications, and survey administration.
Visit IR office page- Jasmine JohnsonDirector of Institutional Research
- Claire LiuInstitutional Research Data Analyst
- Wendy ShihGraduate Student Data Analyst
Common Data Set
Clarkson's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Source publications
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionOM 6.1.2 Definitions, Approval Process, and Policy for Graduate Certificates, Concentrations, and Specialty/Advising TracksThis document outlines the definitions, approval processes, and policies for graduate certificates, concentrations, and specialty/advising tracks at Clarkson University. Graduate certificates and concentrations require approval from faculty, administrative bodies, and NYSED, and are noted on transcripts, while specialty/advising tracks are advisory and require less formal approval.bookstack.clarkson.edu
- Data dictionaryInstitutional Data2026The Institutional Data page at Clarkson University provides access to a variety of dashboards and reports related to student and institutional performance. These include admission statistics, enrollment data, financial metrics, research and sponsored grants information, and historical data. Access to certain dashboards is restricted based on permissions. The page also houses detailed factbooks and reports covering admissions, enrollment, graduation rates, degrees awarded, and financial information. It aims to support institutional research and provide transparency to the Clarkson community.sites.clarkson.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookClarkson University Factbook2026The Clarkson University Factbook, published by the Office of Institutional Research, provides comprehensive data and metrics on various aspects of the university including admissions, enrollment, retention, graduation rates, degrees awarded, faculty and staff details, and financial information. The report targets stakeholders interested in the university's operational and academic metrics for the 2026 academic year. Additionally, it offers insights into student services, development and alumni relations, departmental profiles, financial aid, and sponsored research activities. The data is presented through a combination of interactive dashboards and downloadable PDF charts.sites.clarkson.edu
Notable alumni of Clarkson (4)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Kaitlin MonteEntertainment
- Rob JoyceGovernment and military
- Martin E. LindGovernment and military
- Russ NelsonScience and technology
Frequently asked questions about Clarkson University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Clarkson.
What is the graduation rate at Clarkson University?
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Who runs Institutional Research at Clarkson University?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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