Clarkson vs. Penn State

Should I go to Clarkson University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Clarkson or Penn State 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.
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Clarkson University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Clarkson University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Clarkson University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 Clarkson Penn State
Location Potsdam, NY University Park, PA
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 3,719 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Clarkson Penn State
Tuition (In State) $54,960 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $54,960 $35,946
Room & Board $16,744 $12,744
Avg Net Price $32,450 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $41,285 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

 Clarkson Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,594 85,784
Admitted 5,171 47,360
Acceptance Rate 78.4% 55.2%
Enrolled % 11.5% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 26/31
SAT Range 1190/1370 1210/1390
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 15, 2025

Academics

 Clarkson Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Clarkson Penn State
Graduation Rate 72% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Clarkson Penn State
% Men 64% 53%
% Women 36% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 84% 69%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Clarkson Penn State
% In-State 65% 51%
% Out-of-State 31% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Clarkson based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 3,719 students)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clarkson or Penn State?

  • Clarkson University is 199.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($54,960.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.9% higher at Clarkson than Penn State Main Campus ($54,960.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Clarkson ($26,747 vs. $32,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 31.4% lower than costs at Clarkson University ($12,744 vs. $16,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clarkson University students is 310.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($41,285 vs. $10,066)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 4 points higher than at Clarkson (1198)
  • Incoming Clarkson students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clarkson or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Clarkson.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Clarkson University (87% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $15,500 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Clarkson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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