Clarkson University
Clarkson University is a private nonprofit university in Potsdam, NY, with about 3,323 students on campus.
The short version on Clarkson University
Clarkson University’s graduates are among the best paid in the country
Former students earn a median $89,696 ten years after starting, more than at 98% of U.S. colleges. Outcomes ↓
Students are a big part of Potsdam
More than half of Potsdam’s 8,019 residents are enrolled in college (57%). Median rent runs 45% below the state. Living in Potsdam ↓
Men outnumber women about two to one
69% of undergraduates are men and 31% are women. The students ↓
Lower-income families pay more here than at most colleges
Families earning under $30,000 still pay about $21,335 a year after grants. The average family on aid pays $30,305, more than at 85% of 4-year colleges. What it costs ↓
Few families pay the sticker price
The full cost of a year is $79,022, but the average family on federal aid pays $30,305 after grants, about 62% less. What it costs ↓
This summary is written from the data on this page. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Do students finish, and does it pay off?
Debt vs. the paycheck
The typical loan payment as a share of a typical graduate’s monthly pay six years after starting
$276 a month against about $6,414 a month in pay.
Paying back loans
Federal student loans, this college
of borrowers paid down at least some of their loan within three years, more than at 98% of U.S. colleges.
Almost none defaulted within three years (payments on federal loans were paused from 2020 to 2023, so recent default rates are near zero everywhere).
Earnings by family background
Median earnings 10 years after starting, by family income at enrollment
How hard is it to get into Clarkson University?
of applicants admitted
About 15 of every 20 applicants get in.
Test scores of admitted students
The middle 50%: a quarter scored below the range and a quarter above it. Average SAT: 1304.
The sticker price, and what families really pay
Sticker price: $79,022 a year
Before any grants
After grants, the average family on aid pays $30,305.
Your family’s price
Average net price after grants, by family income
About $93,284 over 4 years · 70% off the sticker price
What students study, and what it pays
Share of degrees by field
Bachelor’s programs with the most graduates
And their graduates’ median earnings four years later (one year where that’s all that’s reported).
The students
2,196 degree-seeking undergraduates.
By race and ethnicity
Women and men
Living in Potsdam
57% of Potsdam’s 8,019 residents are enrolled in college. What the town is like, from TownRatings’ Potsdam pages.
Other colleges within 30 miles
Straight-line distances from Clarkson University; colleges with 100 or more students on campus.
Ask around
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (institution and field-of-study files) and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023); town figures from the Census American Community Survey and NOAA climate normals. Graduation rates count first-time, full-time students; earnings and debt are for students who received federal aid. Distances are straight-line. Colleges are described, not graded (how TownRatings describes colleges). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.