DU vs. Clarkson

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

DU Clarkson
Location Denver, CO Potsdam, NY
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 13,387 3,603
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #86 #183
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website du.edu clarkson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DU Clarkson
Tuition (In State) $58,032 $56,642
Tuition (Out of State) $58,032 $56,642
Room & Board $17,049 $17,016
Avg Net Price $43,324 $33,192
Avg Grant Aid $32,023 $43,097
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

DU Clarkson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,214 7,347
Admitted 13,679 5,669
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 77.2%
Enrolled % 10.7% 10.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/32 26/31
SAT Range 1240/1410 1198/1390
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

DU Clarkson
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (42%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

DU Clarkson
Graduation Rate 78% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $63,400 $70,800
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,699 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $279

Diversity

DU Clarkson
% Men 17% 17%
% Women 35% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 84%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 9% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

DU Clarkson
% In-State 28% 65%
% Out-of-State 69% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Denver is larger than than Clarkson based on total student enrollment (13,387 students vs. 3,603 students)

DU vs. Clarkson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DU or Clarkson?

  • University of Denver is 2.5% more expensive to attend than Clarkson for in-state tuition ($58,032.00 vs. $56,642.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at DU than Clarkson University ($58,032.00 vs. $56,642.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Clarkson University than DU ($33,192 vs. $43,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clarkson University are 0.2% lower than costs at University of Denver ($17,016 vs. $17,049)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than University of Denver (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clarkson University students is 34.6% larger than aid received University of Denver ($43,097 vs. $32,023)

DU vs. Clarkson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Denver (1249) is 51 points higher than at Clarkson (1198)
  • Incoming DU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Clarkson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Clarkson students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at DU (3.72)
  • Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (77.2%) than DU (71.2%)

DU vs. Clarkson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, DU or Clarkson? 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 Clarkson and DU.

  • The graduation rate at DU is higher than Clarkson University (78% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $7,400 more per year than DU graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $63,400)
  • University of Denver students graduate with a $3,301 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($23,699 vs. $27,000)
  • DU graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($245 vs. $279)
  • More Clarkson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 72%)

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