clarkson university niche

Clarkson Degrees Online and at Four New York Locations

Clarkson University appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Technologically Advanced Small Colleges.

Ranked Times Higher Education’s 178th best institution, Clarkson University maintains a 12.4:1 student-professor ratio across five schools to confer 46 bachelor’s and 41 graduate programs, including 17 wholly online, for 88.9 percent retention in STEM-centered academics. For example, the 120-credit Aeronautical Engineering BS offers hands-on International Center for Gravity Materials Science & Applications projects, Lockheed Martin co-ops, and Tau Beta Pi Chapter events. Chaired by Dr. Stephen Bird, the Environmental Science BS builds a 120-credit, four-year curriculum with Beacon Institute for Rivers & Estuaries work and Lake George Land Conservancy trips.

Online via Moodle, the Clinical Leadership in Healthcare Management MS develops a 36-credit, CAHME-accredited degree with condensed 11-week courses like Statistical Modeling plus the Strategic Issues capstone for future median PayScale wages of $128,200. Led by Prof. Erik Backus, a 2013 ICEIS Best Paper Award recipient, the 30-credit Construction Engineering Management ME spans 24 months online until 95 percent job placement at Arcadis, Kewitt, Whiting-Turner, Gilbane, Froehlin & Robertson, and more. Other Clarkson University options include the Biomolecular Science BS, Mathematical Economics BA, Political Science BA, Information Systems BS, Bioethics MS, Data Analytics MS, and Civil Engineering Ph.D.

About Clarkson University

Clarkson University originated on September 2, 1896, when humanitarian Thomas S. Clarkson’s sisters and niece started the Memorial College of Technology for a coed inaugural class of 17 after his fatal quarry accident. In 1913, the New York State Legislature chartered it as Clarkson College of Technology. By February 24, 1984, the Clarkson University name was chosen for the doctoral RU/H institution. During the 1990s, Clarkson expanded to a 640-acre North Country campus in Potsdam just 30 miles from the Canada border. In 2011, it notably acquired the Beacon Institute for Rivers & Estuaries in Dutchess County. In Spring 2016, Clarkson merged with Union College for an Albany presence too.

Endowed for $186.1 million, Clarkson University now employs 842 faculty teaching 4,300 Golden Knights from 65 countries online on Moodle and on-site with 220+ clubs like Arnold Air Society. In 2017, Clarkson earned an American Society of Testing and Materials International Service Award. On Niche, CU was named America’s 97th best engineering school, 191st top computer science program, and 317th best communications college. The Princeton Review ranked Clarkson 13th for career services and 24th for job placement. Money magazine crowned Clarkson University the 194th top value nationally. WalletHub noticed CU for the 25th best education outcomes and 209th most selectivity. The Center for World University Rankings also declared Clarkson 240th for faculty quality and 422nd for alumni employment.

Clarkson University Accreditation Details

On November 20, 2014, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accepted a Periodic Review Report from Clarkson University to continue the Level VI accreditation through 2019-20 under its 16th president, Dr. Anthony Collins, who received the John W. Graham Faculty Research Award. Located 394 miles down Interstate 81 in Philly, this superb six-state Northeast Region accreditor is authorized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and New York State Education Department. The Office of the Dean of Students also lists the following programmatic accreditations:

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
  • Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
  • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
  • Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation
  • Accreditation Review Committee on Education for Physician Assistants
  • Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
  • Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education

Clarkson University Application Requirements

Admission to the U.S. News & World Report’s 102nd best college is classified “more selective” because the Fall 2017 acceptance rate was 65.7 percent for 7,000 applicants. Selected Golden Knights have completed a New York State Regents curriculum or its out-of-state equivalent. Freshmen usually rank in the upper one-third of their class with a median 3.60 GPA. The mid-range for ACT scores was 24 to 29. Most landed between 580 to 680 for SAT Math and 560 to 650 for SAT Reading. Transfers are test-exempt with 24+ college credits at cumulative GPAs above 2.75. Foreign students still need English scores of 6.5 on the IELTS or 550 on the TOEFL pBT. The Graduate School requires culminating a regionally accredited bachelor’s major or higher. Most master’s expect minimum overall GPAs of 3.0 or 3.3. The DPT program has prerequisites like General Chemistry plus a 50-hour experience requirement. Online MBA cohorts in the David D. Reh School of Business need a 550 GMAT mark or greater. The TESOL MAT Online requires 12 credits of a foreign language and K-12 certification eligibility.

Clarkson University set freshman deadlines of December 1st for Early Action and February 1st for Regular Decision. Undergrad transfers have priority deadlines of April 15th for Fall and October 15th for Spring starts. The Graduate School generally seeks entrants by January 30th or September 1st respectively. Accordingly, complete the $50 CU or Common App online. Have official transcripts mailed physically to PO Box 5605 in Potsdam, NY 13699. Test score submissions require ACT code 2698, SAT/GRE code 2084, or GMAT code V1G-53-52. Other checklist items include the two recommendation letters, 500-word personal essay, transfer evaluation, professional résumé or vitae, passport copy, certification of finances, and Honors Program form. Learn online program specifics at (315) 268-6400 or [email protected].

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2019-20, Clarkson University is charging full-time undergrad tuition of $24,929 per term or $49,858 annually. Online or hybrid bachelor’s courses will be $1,662 per credit. Students will pay the $350 CUSA activity fee, $250 campus fee, $1,000 Knight Card fee, and $670 health/wellness fee. Residing at the St. Lawrence County campus’ housing like Cubley Hall will add $9,535 for yearly rent. Standard meal plans for Ross-Brooks Dining Hall will be $7,100 each year. CU budgets $1,446 for books and $2,314 for miscellaneous. Annual bachelor’s study equals about $68,112 on-site and $54,108 at home. The Graduate School has varying prices from $961 to $1,606 per credit. For example, the Online MBA will bill $1,174 per credit. Online Electrical Engineering MS students spend $1,388 per credit. The Online Bioethics MS is $998 per credit.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid Services in Graham Hall 5575 gets 100 percents of new CU Golden Knights median assistance of $32,540 each for $25.71 million total. University funds include the Gordon Babcock Scholarship, Advani Endowed Scholarship, Bart Blaner Scholarship, Edwin Clark Memorial Scholarship, Deneka Family Scholarship, DeCrescenzo-Lupe Scholarship, FLIR Systems Inc. Scholarship, Emerson Foundation Matching Grant, Frank Gutmann Memorial Scholarship, Michael Lewis Jaeger Memorial Scholarship, Barbara Hewett Lowers Scholarship, Sackett Endowed Scholarship, John Ben Snow Scholarship, and Edward Misiaszek Sponsored Scholarship. The Five Boroughs Scholarship gifts $6,000 to New York City high schoolers with 85 or better averages. The Conrad Foundation sponsors $12,000 Spirit of Innovation Scholarships for STEM competition finalists. The National Co-Op Scholarship has a February 15th deadline for freshmen with minimum 3.5 GPAs. FAFSA forms coded 002699 determine Federal Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Teach Grant, Work-Study Program, and Direct Loan eligibility. New York programs include the TAP Grant, Part-Time TAP, and Educational Opportunity Grant.

Learn more about Clarkson University at the Distance Learning Office website.