Davidson vs. Clemson

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

Davidson Clemson
Location Davidson, NC Clemson, SC
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,927 28,466
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #37 #133
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website davidson.edu clemson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Davidson Clemson
Tuition (In State) $56,550 $14,118
Tuition (Out of State) $56,550 $38,062
Room & Board $15,750 $12,350
Avg Net Price $26,704 $24,577
Avg Grant Aid $46,496 $10,430
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 79%

Admission

Davidson Clemson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,479 52,819
Admitted 1,098 22,704
Acceptance Rate 16.9% 43%
Enrolled % 49.4% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/33 28/32
SAT Range 1350/1500 1220/1410
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 7, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

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

Diversity

Davidson Clemson
% Men 47% 48%
% Women 53% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 83%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Davidson Clemson
% In-State 17% 52%
% Out-of-State 71% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clemson University is larger than than Davidson based on total student enrollment (28,466 students vs. 1,927 students)

Davidson vs. Clemson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson or Clemson?

  • Davidson College is 300.6% more expensive to attend than Clemson for in-state tuition ($56,550.00 vs. $14,118.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.6% higher at Davidson than Clemson University ($56,550.00 vs. $38,062.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Clemson University than Davidson ($24,577 vs. $26,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clemson University are 27.5% lower than costs at Davidson College ($12,350 vs. $15,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clemson University than Davidson College (79% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 345.8% larger than aid received Clemson University ($46,496 vs. $10,430)

Davidson vs. Clemson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Davidson College (1355) is 80 points higher than at Clemson (1275)
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Clemson (29)
  • 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 (43%) than Davidson (16.9%)

Davidson vs. Clemson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than Clemson University (92% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn on average $6,400 more per year than Clemson graduates after ten years. ($63,500 vs. $57,100)
  • Davidson College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Clemson graduates. ($17,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Davidson graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans 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/