Clemson vs. Vanderbilt

Should I go to Clemson University or Vanderbilt University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Clemson or Vanderbilt 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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Clemson University vs. Vanderbilt University comparison
Clemson University Vanderbilt University College 3 College 4
Clemson University Vanderbilt University
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Overview

Clemson Vanderbilt
Location Clemson, SC Nashville, TN
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 28,466 13,710
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #133 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clemson.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Clemson Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $14,118 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $38,062 $58,130
Room & Board $12,350 $19,862
Avg Net Price $24,577 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $10,430 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 65%

Admission

Clemson Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 52,819 46,377
Admitted 22,704 3,093
Acceptance Rate 43% 6.7%
Enrolled % 20.2% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 28/32 34/35
SAT Range 1220/1410 1490/1570
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 May 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Clemson Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Clemson Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 80% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,100 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $144

Diversity

Clemson Vanderbilt
% Men 48% 44%
% Women 52% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 55%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Clemson Vanderbilt
% In-State 52% 9%
% Out-of-State 46% 79%

Campus

Clemson Vanderbilt
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Clemson University is larger than than Vanderbilt based on total student enrollment (28,466 students vs. 13,710 students)

Clemson vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clemson or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 311.7% more expensive to attend than Clemson for in-state tuition ($58,130.00 vs. $14,118.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.7% higher at Vanderbilt than Clemson University ($58,130.00 vs. $38,062.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Clemson University than Vanderbilt ($24,577 vs. $25,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clemson University are 60.8% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($12,350 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clemson University than Vanderbilt University (79% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 417.1% larger than aid received Clemson University ($53,932 vs. $10,430)

Clemson vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 223 points higher than at Clemson (1275)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Clemson (29)
  • Accepted freshman Vanderbilt students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Clemson (3.75)
  • Clemson has a higher acceptance rate (43%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

Clemson vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clemson or Vanderbilt? 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 Vanderbilt and Clemson.

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Clemson University (92% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $26,000 more per year than Clemson graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $57,100)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Clemson graduates. ($14,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Clemson graduates. ($144 vs. $222)
  • More Vanderbilt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Clemson students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 78%)

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