William Penn University vs Clarke University

William Penn University and Clarke University, both private institutions with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. William Penn, located in Oskaloosa, Iowa, is a Quaker-affiliated university known for its liberal arts education and strong nursing program. Clarke, situated in Dubuque, Iowa, is a Catholic university with a focus on the humanities, social sciences, and healthcare professions. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence and student success, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comparison table below to discover which university better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Clarke University logo

Clarke University

William Penn University logo

William Penn University

Overview

Location Dubuque, Iowa Oskaloosa, Iowa
Campus setting City: Small Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 65.0% 61.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Catholic Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.8% 57.7%
Application fees
SAT range 900 - 1120 830 - 1030
ACT range 19 - 23 16 - 21
Students submitting SAT score 8.0% 18.0%
Students submitting ACT score 21.0% 40.0%
Total number of applicants 2,006 1,387
Total number of admissions given out 1,781 800
Admitted students who chose to enroll 183 335
Yield rate 10.3% 41.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $52,241 $40,600
Average net price $25,414 $21,112
Tuition $35,740 $27,200
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,900

Meal plan: $5,500
Room/dormitory: $3,206

Meal plan: $4,050
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $23,968
100.0%
Average amount $18,221
Students receiving federal student loan 81.0%
Average amount $8,599
96.0%
Average amount $5,411
Students taking out private loans 27.0%
Average amount $12,203
96.0%
Average amount $2,104

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 717
Men 54.5% Women 45.5%
1,304
Men 52.3% Women 47.7%
Graduate students 171
Men 22.2% Women 77.8%
68
Men 61.8% Women 38.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 4.6% 5.3%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 536 856
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.5% 32.1%
Dropout rate 6.2% 67.2%
Transferred out 39.3% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,062
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $91,122
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,009
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $68,295
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,068
  • Year 2: $47,846
  • Year 3: $59,658
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,088
  • Year 2: $57,210
  • Year 3: $56,352
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,604
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: $44,807
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,623
  • Year 2: $39,009
  • Year 3: $42,849
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,717
  • Year 2: $29,141
  • Year 3: $36,572
Education, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $35,347
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,866
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,560
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $61,842
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,860
  • Year 2: $40,089
  • Year 3: $45,725
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,675
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,031
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,693
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,205
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,478
  • Year 3: N/A

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
Clarke University Clarke University vs Augustana College Augustana College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Bradley University Bradley University
Clarke University Clarke University vs DePaul University DePaul University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Elmhurst University Elmhurst University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois Wesleyan University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Illinois College Illinois College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Knox College Knox College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago
Clarke University Clarke University vs Millikin University Millikin University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Monmouth College Monmouth College
Clarke University Clarke University vs North Central College North Central College
Clarke University Clarke University vs North Park University North Park University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Olivet Nazarene University Olivet Nazarene University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Principia College Principia College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Quincy University Quincy University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Briar Cliff University Briar Cliff University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Buena Vista University Buena Vista University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Central College Central College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Grinnell College Grinnell College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Iowa State University Iowa State University
Clarke University Clarke University vs University of Iowa University of Iowa
Clarke University Clarke University vs University of Northern Iowa University of Northern Iowa
Clarke University Clarke University vs Northwestern College Northwestern College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Bethany College Bethany College
Clarke University Clarke University vs North Central University North Central University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Avila University Avila University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Lenoir-Rhyne University Lenoir-Rhyne University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Lake Erie College Lake Erie College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Walsh University Walsh University
Clarke University Clarke University vs La Roche University La Roche University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Mount Aloysius College Mount Aloysius College
Clarke University Clarke University vs Lakeland University Lakeland University
Clarke University Clarke University vs Wisconsin Lutheran College Wisconsin Lutheran College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Naropa University Naropa University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Buena Vista University Buena Vista University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Central College Central College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Clarke University Clarke University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Coe College Coe College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Cornell College Cornell College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Drake University Drake University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Graceland University-Lamoni Graceland University-Lamoni
William Penn University William Penn University vs Grand View University Grand View University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Grinnell College Grinnell College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Iowa State University Iowa State University
William Penn University William Penn University vs University of Iowa University of Iowa
William Penn University William Penn University vs Loras College Loras College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Morningside University Morningside University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Mount Mercy University Mount Mercy University
William Penn University William Penn University vs University of Northern Iowa University of Northern Iowa
William Penn University William Penn University vs Northwestern College Northwestern College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Saint Ambrose University Saint Ambrose University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Simpson College Simpson College
William Penn University William Penn University vs Waldorf University Waldorf University
William Penn University William Penn University vs Wartburg College Wartburg College
William Penn University William Penn University vs University of Rio Grande University of Rio Grande