Clarkson vs. John Jay

Should I go to Clarkson University or CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Clarkson or John Jay is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

RIT St Lawrence University Lehman RPI Syracuse City College of New York UB Binghamton University St John's Queens College Brooklyn College Union College
Clarkson University vs. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice comparison
Clarkson University CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice College 3 College 4
Clarkson University CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Clarkson John Jay
Location Potsdam, NY New York, NY
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 3,603 13,510
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #183 #556
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Clarkson John Jay
Tuition (In State) $56,642 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $56,642 $14,880
Room & Board $17,016 $21,788
Avg Net Price $33,192 $4,141
Avg Grant Aid $43,097 $9,284
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

Clarkson John Jay
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,347 17,921
Admitted 5,669 10,255
Acceptance Rate 77.2% 57.2%
Enrolled % 10.7% 19.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.24
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31
SAT Range 1198/1390 1000/1250
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 15, 2026

Academics

Clarkson John Jay
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (54%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Legal Professions (5%)
  • Human Services (3%)

Outcomes

Clarkson John Jay
Graduation Rate 72% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,800 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $10,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $103

Diversity

Clarkson John Jay
% Men 17% 4%
% Women 13% 9%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 18%
% Black 2% 17%
% Hispanic 4% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Clarkson John Jay
% In-State 65% 90%
% Out-of-State 29% 0%

Campus

Clarkson John Jay
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is larger than than Clarkson based on total student enrollment (13,510 students vs. 3,603 students)

Clarkson vs. John Jay Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clarkson or John Jay?

  • Clarkson University is 717.3% more expensive to attend than John Jay for in-state tuition ($56,642.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 280.7% higher at Clarkson than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($56,642.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than Clarkson ($4,141 vs. $33,192)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clarkson University are 28% lower than costs at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($17,016 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clarkson University students is 364.2% larger than aid received CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($43,097 vs. $9,284)

Clarkson vs. John Jay Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Clarkson or John Jay? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between John Jay or Clarkson .

  • The average SAT score at Clarkson University (1198) is 223 points higher than at John Jay (975)
  • Accepted freshman Clarkson students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at John Jay (3.24)
  • Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (77.2%) than John Jay (57.2%)

Clarkson vs. John Jay Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clarkson or John Jay? 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 John Jay and Clarkson.

  • The graduation rate at Clarkson is higher than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (72% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $22,900 more per year than John Jay graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $47,900)
  • CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice students graduate with a $17,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($10,000 vs. $27,000)
  • John Jay graduates are paying $176 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($103 vs. $279)
  • More Clarkson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former John Jay students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/