Williams vs. Clarkson

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

 Williams Clarkson
Location Williamstown, MA Potsdam, NY
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 2,222 3,719
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #13 #220
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website williams.edu clarkson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Williams Clarkson
Tuition (In State) $61,450 $54,960
Tuition (Out of State) $61,450 $54,960
Room & Board $15,530 $16,744
Avg Net Price $20,965 $32,450
Avg Grant Aid $57,121 $41,285
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 100%

Admission

 Williams Clarkson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,321 6,594
Admitted 1,302 5,171
Acceptance Rate 8.5% 78.4%
Enrolled % 44.3% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 25/30
SAT Range 1480/1570 1190/1370
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 10, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Williams Clarkson
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Williams Clarkson
Graduation Rate 95% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,600 $70,800
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,582 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $150 $279

Diversity

 Williams Clarkson
% Men 47% 64%
% Women 53% 36%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 84%
% Black 8% 2%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 8% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Williams Clarkson
% In-State 14% 65%
% Out-of-State 76% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clarkson University is larger than than Williams based on total student enrollment (3,719 students vs. 2,222 students)

Williams vs. Clarkson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Williams or Clarkson?

  • Williams College is 11.8% more expensive to attend than Clarkson for in-state tuition ($61,450.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.8% higher at Williams than Clarkson University ($61,450.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Williams College than Clarkson ($20,965 vs. $32,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Williams College are 7.8% lower than costs at Clarkson University ($15,530 vs. $16,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Williams College (100% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Williams College students is 38.4% larger than aid received Clarkson University ($57,121 vs. $41,285)

Williams vs. Clarkson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Williams College (1442) is 244 points higher than at Clarkson (1198)
  • Incoming Williams students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Clarkson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Williams students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Clarkson (3.8)
  • Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Williams (8.5%)

Williams vs. Clarkson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Williams 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 Williams.

  • The graduation rate at Williams is higher than Clarkson University (95% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Williams College earn on average $2,800 more per year than Clarkson graduates after ten years. ($73,600 vs. $70,800)
  • Williams College students graduate with a $12,418 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($14,582 vs. $27,000)
  • Williams graduates are paying $129 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($150 vs. $279)
  • More Clarkson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Williams students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 83%)

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