Clarkson vs. Penn State Abington

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

 Clarkson Penn State Abington
Location Potsdam, NY Abington, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,719 3,090
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #694
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Clarkson Penn State Abington
Tuition (In State) $54,960 $14,684
Tuition (Out of State) $54,960 $24,586
Room & Board $16,744 $10,694
Avg Net Price $32,450 $20,460
Avg Grant Aid $41,285 $9,589
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 79%

Admission

 Clarkson Penn State Abington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,594 6,463
Admitted 5,171 6,037
Acceptance Rate 78.4% 93.4%
Enrolled % 11.5% 14.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 23/31
SAT Range 1190/1370 1070/1310
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 Abington
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Psychology (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

 Clarkson Penn State Abington
Graduation Rate 72% 44%
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 Abington
% Men 64% 59%
% Women 36% 41%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 50%
% Black 2% 13%
% Hispanic 4% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Clarkson Penn State Abington
% In-State 65% 68%
% Out-of-State 31% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clarkson University is larger than than Penn State Abington based on total student enrollment (3,719 students vs. 3,090 students)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Abington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clarkson or Penn State Abington?

  • Clarkson University is 274.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Abington for in-state tuition ($54,960.00 vs. $14,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 123.5% higher at Clarkson than Penn State Abington ($54,960.00 vs. $24,586.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Abington than Clarkson ($20,460 vs. $32,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Abington are 56.6% lower than costs at Clarkson University ($10,694 vs. $16,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Penn State Abington (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clarkson University students is 330.5% larger than aid received Penn State Abington ($41,285 vs. $9,589)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Abington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Clarkson University (1198) is 223 points higher than at Penn State Abington (975)
  • Incoming Clarkson students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Penn State Abington (22)
  • Accepted freshman Clarkson students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Penn State Abington (3.42)
  • Penn State Abington has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than Clarkson (78.4%)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Abington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Clarkson is higher than Penn State Abington (72% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $15,500 more per year than Penn State Abington graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Abington students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Abington 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 Abington 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/