Davidson vs. Clemson

Deciding between Davidson College and Clemson University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Davidson College
Clemson University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Davidson Davidson, NC
  • Clemson Clemson, SC
  • Setting
  • Davidson Large Suburban
  • Clemson Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • Davidson 1,869
  • Clemson 29,077
  • Type
  • Davidson Private 4 Year
  • Clemson Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Davidson #32
  • Clemson #132
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Davidson Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Clemson -
  • Status
  • Davidson Non-profit
  • Clemson Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Davidson
  • Clemson

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Clemson $15,554
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Clemson $40,866
  • Room & Board
  • Davidson $17,100
  • Clemson $13,284
  • Average Net Price
  • Davidson $27,720
  • Clemson $25,003
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Davidson $51,755
  • Clemson $11,389
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Davidson 65%
  • Clemson 75%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Davidson 8,114
  • Clemson 61,517
  • Admitted
  • Davidson 1,085
  • Clemson 23,586
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Davidson 13.4%
  • Clemson 38.3%
  • Enrolled
  • Davidson 47.9%
  • Clemson 20.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Davidson 1470
  • Clemson 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Davidson 32
  • Clemson 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Davidson 3.81
  • Clemson 3.75
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Davidson A-
  • Clemson A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Davidson Exceptional
  • Clemson Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Davidson Very High
  • Clemson High
  • ACT Range
  • Davidson 31/34
  • Clemson 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • Davidson 1400/1530
  • Clemson 1240/1410
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Davidson Test optional
  • Clemson Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Davidson Jan 7, 2027
  • Clemson May 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Davidson 8:1
  • Clemson 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Davidson
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (11%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
  • Clemson
    • Business (20%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
    • Biology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Davidson 92%
  • Clemson 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Davidson $63,500
  • Clemson $57,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Davidson 89%
  • Clemson 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Davidson $17,000
  • Clemson $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Davidson $175
  • Clemson $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Davidson 47%
  • Clemson 46%
  • % Women
  • Davidson 53%
  • Clemson 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Davidson Medium
  • Clemson Very Low
  • HBCU
  • Davidson No
  • Clemson No
  • % White
  • Davidson 68%
  • Clemson 83%
  • % Asian
  • Davidson 5%
  • Clemson 2%
  • % Black
  • Davidson 7%
  • Clemson 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Davidson 8%
  • Clemson 3%
  • % Native American
  • Davidson 1%
  • Clemson 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Davidson 0%
  • Clemson 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Davidson 4%
  • Clemson 3%
  • % International
  • Davidson 6%
  • Clemson 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Davidson 1%
  • Clemson 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Davidson 19%
  • Clemson 56%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Davidson 68%
  • Clemson 43%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Davidson Yes
  • Clemson Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Davidson No
  • Clemson No
  • Meal Plan
  • Davidson Yes
  • Clemson Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Davidson No
  • Clemson No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Davidson No
  • Clemson No

Comparable Facts

Compare Davidson College in Davidson, NC with Clemson University in Clemson, SC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Clemson University is larger than Davidson based on total student enrollment (29,077 students vs. 1,869 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Davidson College is located in Davidson, NC (Large Suburban setting); Clemson University is in Clemson, SC (Distant Town setting).
  • Davidson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Clemson University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Davidson College 8:1; Clemson University 16:1.

Davidson vs. Clemson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson or Clemson? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Clemson University than Davidson ($25,003 vs. $27,720).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clemson University are 22.3% lower than at Davidson College ($13,284 vs. $17,100).
  • Davidson College is 314.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Clemson (about $48,856 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $15,554.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 57.6% higher at Davidson than at Clemson University (about $23,544 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $40,866.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Clemson University than at Davidson College (75% vs. 65%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 354.4% larger than aid received by Clemson University students ($51,755 vs. $11,389).

Davidson vs. Clemson Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Davidson or Clemson? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Clemson and Davidson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Davidson College (1470) is 140 points higher than at Clemson (1330).
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at Clemson).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 1400/1530; Clemson University 1240/1410.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 31/34; Clemson University 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Davidson - Test optional; Clemson - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Davidson Jan 7, 2027; Clemson May 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Davidson students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Clemson (3.75).
  • Clemson has a higher acceptance rate (38.3%) than Davidson (13.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 47.9% at Davidson vs. 20.7% at Clemson.

Davidson vs. Clemson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Davidson and Clemson? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Davidson College's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than Clemson University's (80%).
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn a median of about $6,400 more per year than Clemson graduates about ten years after starting college ($63,500 vs. $57,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Davidson College graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than Clemson graduates ($17,000 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, Davidson graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Clemson graduates ($175 vs. $222).
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Clemson students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.