Clarkson University
A small private technological university in the Adirondack foothills, known for engineering, hockey and project teams.
- Acceptance rate
- 77%
- Fall 2024 entering class (IPEDS College Navigator)
- Students
- 3,158
- 2,163 undergraduates
- International
- 6%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 14:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $61,694
- 2026-27
About Clarkson
Clarkson University was founded in 1896 in Potsdam, New York, as the Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial School of Technology, funded by the sisters of a local quarry owner. Today it is a private research university with about 3,200 students, roughly 2,100 to 2,200 of them undergraduates. It is classified R2 (doctoral universities, high research activity) and sits on a 640-acre campus in the St. Lawrence River valley, close to the Adirondacks and within reach of Montreal and Ottawa.
Teaching is organised around the Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the David D. Reh School of Business, the Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health Sciences, the Institute for a Sustainable Environment and the Institute for STEM Education. More than 80 programs lead to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. Hands-on work is central: about a dozen SPEED teams build race cars, robots and even concrete canoes for national competitions, and the Clarkson School runs an early-college program for high school students.
In fall 2024, 6,661 students applied and 77 percent were admitted, and the university is test-optional. Clarkson is small and heavily engineering-focused, so it suits students who want an applied, project-based education in a rural setting with a strong alumni network in engineering and technology. It also has NCAA Division I ice hockey in an otherwise Division III program.
Why students choose Clarkson
The Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers departments from civil and environmental to electrical and computer, mechanical and aerospace, and chemical and biomolecular engineering.
About a dozen SPEED teams let students, including non-engineers in business and communications roles, build race cars, robots and concrete canoes for national competitions.
Clarkson is test-optional and applicants can choose the Common Application or Clarkson's own application, with Early Decision by December 1.
All accepted international undergraduates are considered automatically for partial scholarships of $5,000 to $40,000 a year, and the university says it offers financial aid to about 90 percent of its students.
Admissions
Fall 2024 entering class (IPEDS College Navigator)
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Clarkson does not post a Common Data Set on its public website that we could find, so admissions figures are from IPEDS via College Navigator: 6,661 applicants and 77 percent admitted in fall 2024. US News lists an 82 percent acceptance rate in its 2027 edition (data year not stated).
Deadlines
- Early Decision Binding Next deadline · In 56 daysDecember 1, 2026
Binding. Also the scholarship deadline for Early Decision applicants.
- Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
Application and scholarship submissions by this date for full merit-scholarship consideration; the deposit deadline is May 1.
Clarkson's pages list Early Decision December 1 and Regular Decision January 15 without a year; they are shown here for the 2027 entry cycle. FAFSA priority date is February 1.
How to apply
Apply with the Common Application or Clarkson's own first-year application. Required: official high school transcript, a letter of recommendation from a school counselor, principal or headmaster, a second recommendation from a core subject teacher, and a 250-650 word personal statement. SAT or ACT is optional (codes 2084 and 2698). International students also show proof of financial support (Certificate of Finance) for the I-20.
What admissions looks for
- Solid secondary school GPA, class rank and course record, which are all required considerations.
- Recommendations from a counselor and a core-subject teacher, plus a personal statement.
- Optional extras such as a resume, portfolio, project links or a YouTube channel to make the application stand out.
- Evidence of preparation for a technical or health-related program of study.
Tips for applying to Clarkson
- 1 Use the optional extras: Clarkson explicitly invites a resume, portfolio, links to projects or a video channel.
- 2 Apply by January 15 (December 1 for Early Decision) to be considered for merit scholarships.
- 3 International applicants must show they can pay the full cost of attendance before scholarships or loans, and receive no need-based aid, so plan funding early.
- 4 Ask about the SPEED teams and Honors Program while visiting, since they are the main hands-on paths beyond classes.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for Clarkson University
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Clarkson says it offers financial aid to about 90 percent of its students and gives merit scholarships to admitted students. Need-based aid is not available to international undergraduates, but all accepted international applicants are considered for partial scholarships of $5,000 to $40,000 a year; these do not increase after the first year. The 2026-27 published total cost of attendance is $86,556 including books, personal costs, transportation and loan fees.
- $5,000 to $40,000 per year, no separate application
- International scholarships
- 100% (average $46,528)
- Full-time first-time undergraduates receiving grants or scholarships, 2023-24
- $32,406 for aided full-time beginning students
- Average net price, 2023-24 (IPEDS)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
One of the Coulter School's engineering departments, alongside the SPEED student project teams that compete nationally.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
A Coulter School department, next to the Institute for a Sustainable Environment and its air, water and habitat work.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Alumni include Arm CEO Rene Haas (1984), and Rob Joyce, a former White House cybersecurity coordinator, who both earned electrical engineering degrees at Clarkson.
Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies
Clinical programs in the Lewis School of Health Sciences, which prepares professionals for rural and distance-challenged healthcare.
Business programs (Reh School)
Business programs sit in the David D. Reh School of Business; Clarkson's rankings page lists them among U.S. News's Best Undergraduate Business Programs.
The Clarkson School
Described by Clarkson as the second oldest early-college program in the country for students who are ready for college before finishing high school.
Research
- Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP) and Center for Air Aquatic Resources Engineering and Sciences (CAARES).
- Center for Identification Technology Research (CITeR) and the Center for Rehabilitation Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST).
- Clarkson Center for Complex Systems Science and the Shipley Center for Innovation.
Schools & faculties
- Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- David D. Reh School of Business
- Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health Sciences
- Institute for a Sustainable Environment
- Institute for STEM Education
- The Clarkson School (early-college program)
- Clarkson Ignite (innovation hub)
- Honors Program
US News reports a median salary of $76,970 six years after graduation and a 59 percent four-year graduation rate.
Student life
Clarkson is a four-year residential campus in the village of Potsdam, Clubs and organizations number more than 200 by the student life page, and there is a strong outdoors culture through the Outing Club, a Rod and Gun Club and Adirondack access. Students also join SPEED teams, Greek organizations and club sports such as rugby and football. Many first-years live in first-year housing, with suite-style housing, apartments and theme houses available later.
- More than 200 student-led clubs and activities, including a dozen SPEED project teams.
- Golden Knights teams play mostly in NCAA Division III (Liberty League); men's and women's ice hockey compete in Division I in ECAC Hockey.
- The women's hockey team won the 2014 NCAA national championship, the university's first national title (Wikipedia).
- Easy outdoor access: Adirondack Park, Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain, and Titus Mountain for skiing.
Housing. Clarkson describes itself as a four-year residential campus, with first-year housing, suites, apartments and campus theme houses.
Location
Clarkson's main campus is in Potsdam, a small village in the St. Lawrence River valley of northern New York, between rivers, mountains and small towns. It is the classic college-town setup, with the Adirondacks in the backyard, Lake Placid a short drive away, and the Canadian cities of Ottawa and Montreal reachable for a weekend, and Clarkson describes Montreal as about two hours away. Boston and New York City are longer trips. There is also a Capital Region campus in Latham, New York, for graduate programs.
Notable alumni
- RH Rene HaasCEO of Arm Holdings since 2022; bachelor's in electrical engineering (1984)
- RJ Rob JoyceFormer White House cybersecurity coordinator (2017-18); B.S. in electrical and computer engineering (1989)
- PT Paul TonkoU.S. Representative for New York; B.S. in mechanical and industrial engineering (1971)
- EC Erik ColeFormer NHL winger, U.S. Olympian and Stanley Cup champion; played hockey at Clarkson
- TC Timothy CanhamNASA JPL software engineer and operations lead for the Ingenuity Mars helicopter; B.S. in electrical and computer engineering (1991)
- BA Barney AdamsFounder of Adams Golf and inventor of the Tight Lies fairway wood; graduated in business administration (1962)
Frequently asked questions
What is Clarkson University's acceptance rate?
In fall 2024, 6,661 students applied and 77 percent were admitted (IPEDS College Navigator). US News lists 82 percent in its 2027 edition without stating the data year.
Does Clarkson require the SAT or ACT?
No. Clarkson is test-optional, and self-reported scores are accepted if you choose to submit them. Enrolled students who submitted ACT scores had a composite range of 25 to 32.
When is the Clarkson application deadline?
Early Decision is December 1 and Regular Decision is January 15; merit-scholarship consideration needs your application and scholarship submissions by these dates, and the deposit deadline is May 1.
How much does Clarkson cost?
The 2026-27 published cost of attendance is $86,556, made up of $61,694 tuition, $1,370 fees, $10,840 average housing, $8,528 food and about $4,124 in books, personal, transport and loan fees. Aid and scholarships reduce this substantially.
Does Clarkson give financial aid to international students?
Clarkson does not provide need-based aid to international undergraduates, but all accepted international applicants are considered for partial scholarships of $5,000 to $40,000 a year with no separate application.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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