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Northeastern BC NYU Babson Tufts UMass Brandeis University RIT Lehigh Colgate George Washington Binghamton University| Boston University | Clarkson University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
BU | Clarkson | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Potsdam, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 36,624 | 3,603 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #77 | #183 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bu.edu | clarkson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BU | Clarkson | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,798 | $56,642 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,798 | $56,642 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,110 | $17,016 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,551 | $33,192 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,080 | $43,097 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 100% |
Admission |
BU | Clarkson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,495 | 7,347 | ||
| Admitted | 8,733 | 5,669 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 10.8% | 77.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36% | 10.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | |||
| ACT Range | 32/34 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1400/1520 | 1198/1390 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 4, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
BU | Clarkson | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BU | Clarkson | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 72% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $72,000 | $70,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 86% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
BU | Clarkson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 17% | ||
| % Women | 28% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 43% | 84% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 20% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
BU | Clarkson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 65% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 61% | 29% | ||
Campus |
BU | Clarkson | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Boston University is larger than than Clarkson based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 3,603 students)
BU vs. Clarkson Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BU or Clarkson?
- Boston University is 12.6% more expensive to attend than Clarkson for in-state tuition ($63,798.00 vs. $56,642.00)
- Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at BU than Clarkson University ($63,798.00 vs. $56,642.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Clarkson ($27,551 vs. $33,192)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clarkson University are 6.4% lower than costs at Boston University ($17,016 vs. $18,110)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Boston University (100% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 27.8% larger than aid received Clarkson University ($55,080 vs. $43,097)
BU vs. Clarkson Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BU or Clarkson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Clarkson or BU .
- The average SAT score at Boston University (1303) is 105 points higher than at Clarkson (1198)
- Incoming BU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Clarkson (27)
- Accepted freshman Clarkson students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at BU (3.79)
- Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (77.2%) than BU (10.8%)
BU vs. Clarkson Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BU or Clarkson? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Clarkson and BU.
- The graduation rate at BU is higher than Clarkson University (85% vs. 72%)
- Graduates from Boston University earn on average $1,200 more per year than Clarkson graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $70,800)
- Clarkson University and BU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Clarkson University and BU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
- More Clarkson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/