Clark University vs Clemson University

Clark University and Clemson University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Clark, a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 48%. Clemson, a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina, is more accessible, with an acceptance rate of 54%. While both universities offer a wide range of academic programs, Clark is known for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, while Clemson excels in engineering, agriculture, and life sciences. The student bodies at the two universities also differ, with Clark having a more diverse student population and Clemson having a larger undergraduate population. With distinct graduation rates, Clark's at 84% and Clemson's at 82%, both universities provide students with the opportunity to succeed and achieve their academic goals. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the differences between these two esteemed institutions and determine which one aligns best with your academic
Clark University logo

Clark University

Clemson University logo

Clemson University

Overview

Location Worcester, Massachusetts Clemson, South Carolina
Campus setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 87.0% 94.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 48.0% 49.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $100
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $80
SAT range 1218 - 1403 1220 - 1420
ACT range 27 - 30 27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 17.0% 40.0%
Students submitting ACT score 5.0% 30.0%
Total number of applicants 8,151 47,007
Total number of admissions given out 3,915 23,138
Admitted students who chose to enroll 505 4,593
Yield rate 12.9% 19.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $62,302
In state: $34,164

Out of state: $57,156
Average net price $31,565 $23,732
Tuition $49,950
In state: $14,118

Out of state: $37,110
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,000

Meal plan: $4,150
Room/dormitory: $7,808

Meal plan: $4,426
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

95.0%
Average amount $27,608
81.0%
Average amount $9,699
Students receiving federal student loan 60.0%
Average amount $5,282
41.0%
Average amount $5,281
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $16,271
9.0%
Average amount $21,664

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,302
Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
21,653
Men 48.8% Women 51.2%
Graduate students 1,048
Men 49.3% Women 50.7%
5,688
Men 46.8% Women 53.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 48.4%
International students 23.0% 4.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,633 7,800
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Mississippi New York Connecticut Maine New Jersey South Carolina North Carolina Georgia New Jersey New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Social Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 79.0% 85.5%
Dropout rate 6.8% 2.3%
Transferred out 14.1% 11.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,601
  • Year 2: $64,328
  • Year 3: $76,941
Geography and Cartography (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,259
  • Year 2: $52,733
  • Year 3: $68,708
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,937
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $58,038
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,649
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $50,210
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,148
  • Year 2: $44,418
  • Year 3: $49,665
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,833
  • Year 2: $37,208
  • Year 3: $49,591
Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,656
  • Year 2: $39,639
  • Year 3: $47,508
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,412
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: $46,715
Communication and Media Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $31,423
  • Year 3: $46,559
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: $46,250
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,776
  • Year 2: $90,762
  • Year 3: $98,373
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,762
  • Year 2: $69,079
  • Year 3: $82,921
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,898
  • Year 2: $74,262
  • Year 3: $80,104
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,368
  • Year 2: $74,721
  • Year 3: $78,362
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,182
  • Year 2: $68,592
  • Year 3: $76,236
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,048
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $76,070
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,632
  • Year 2: $67,995
  • Year 3: $74,017
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,398
  • Year 2: $66,673
  • Year 3: $73,905
Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,136
  • Year 2: $66,206
  • Year 3: $73,720
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,228
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $73,643

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