Clarkson University
Potsdam, New York · Private · 2,196 undergraduates · clarkson.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
83%
of 4,948 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1190 to 1360
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$89,840Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Clarkson University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
83% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$89,840
a year in 2027-28, from a $89,840 sticker price
What to do with your 1270
Send your score
About 47% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1150, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Undergraduate Admission Requirements | Clarkson University · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Dec1Early Decision · December 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
83%
of applicants were admitted: 4,082 of 4,948 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 76% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
44 students were offered a spot; 3 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 48% of them sent SAT scores and 7% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1190 to 1360
Reading and Writing 590 to 680
Math 590 to 690
ACT composite 26 to 31
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160017%
- 1200 to 139957%
- 1000 to 119923%
- 800 to 9992.8%
- 600 to 7990.4%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.73
- 4.014%
- 3.75 to 3.9944%
- 3.50 to 3.7429%
- 3.25 to 3.497.2%
- 3.00 to 3.243%
- 2.50 to 2.992%
- Below 2.500.6%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$89,840
a year
- Tuition$64,060
- Fees$1,420
- Food and housing$20,140
- Books and supplies$1,620
- Transportation and other$2,600
Clarkson University published $86,388 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$18,064
- $30,001 to $48,000$19,353
- $48,001 to $75,000$24,424
- $75,001 to $110,000$30,286
- Over $110,000$37,156
Financial aid
83%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$42,092
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
27%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $39,055 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 2/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
39 of 39
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $6,410Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | DA 110 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | DA 110 |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | HUM1 |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | ARTS 100 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BY 100, Biology Elective with Lab |
| Biology | 5 | 10 | BY 140/142, Biology I & BY 160/162, Biology II |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 3 | MA 131, Calculus I* |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 3 | MA 131, Calculus I |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 6 | MA 131, Calculus I & MA 132, Calculus II |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 3 | MA 131, Calculus I |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CM 131, General Chemistry I |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CM 131, General Chemistry I & CM 132, General Chemistry II |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | LANG 110 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POL 250 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CS 141, Intro to Computer Science |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | CS 1, Computer Science Elective |
| Drawing | 4 | 3 | DA 110 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | COMM 210, Theory of Rhetoric for Business, Science & Engineering |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | LIT 101, Literature & Writing |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | SC 110 |
| European History | 4 | 3 | HIST 100 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | LANG 150 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | LANG 151 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | SS 230 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | LANG 152 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | LANG 111 |
| Latin | 4 | 3 | LIT 103 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | EC 151 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | EC 150 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 3 | ARTS 101 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | SC 141, Introduction to Physics I |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | SC 142, Introduction to Physics II |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PH 132, Physics II |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PH 131, Physics I |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 3 | MA180 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PY 151 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | LANG 153 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 3 | LIT 105 |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | STAT 282 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POL 220 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | HIST 220 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HIST 101 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
72%
Come back for a second year
85%
Typical earnings
$92,494
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Clarkson University$95,962
- All colleges$97,556
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 14 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Clarkson University. The Clarkson University logo is a trademark of the college.