National university
#13 Best colleges in the Boston areaClark University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $28,714 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,759 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#26 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#26 of 605
- Best colleges for marketing in America#47 of 834
- Best colleges for business in America#103 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#87 of 1,238
- Best colleges for education in America#95 of 1,318
Show 19 more
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#58 of 704
- Best colleges in America#167 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#135 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#145 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#138 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#135 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#138 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#134 of 1,187
- Best mid-size colleges in America#77 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#141 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#140 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#137 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#133 of 1,063
- Best colleges for computer science in America#94 of 750
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#240 of 1,829
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#60 of 430
- Best colleges for economics in America#136 of 788
- Most selective colleges in America#123 of 683
- Best colleges in the Boston area#13 of 51
In Massachusetts
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Massachusetts#4 of 31
- Best colleges for social work in Massachusetts#2 of 12
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Massachusetts#8 of 47
- Best colleges for marketing in Massachusetts#5 of 28
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Massachusetts#8 of 38
- Best colleges for business in Massachusetts#11 of 50
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.86%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,370 · ACT 31.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.8 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$19,052
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $68,432 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,369 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 43% · Women 57% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 16% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 62% |
| Total students | 4,124 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $28,714 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $68,432 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,759 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 77% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 73% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 75% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 80% |
| First-year retention | 86% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $62,381 |
| Admission rate | 40% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Early decision deadline College website, 2026-27 | November 1 |
| Second early decision deadline College website, 2026-27 | January 15 |
| Early action deadline College website, 2026-27 | November 1 |
| Regular decision deadline College website, 2026-27 | January 15 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,599 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 23% |
| Average SAT | 1370 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 658–740 |
| SAT math | 630–720 |
| ACT composite | 30–33 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Economics | |
| Business administration | |
| Political science | |
| Sociology | |
| Psychology | |
| Romance languages | |
| Biology | |
| History | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Geography | |
| English | |
| Other social sciences | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Classics, Communication studies, Computing and information science, Criminal justice, Ethnic and gender studies, Film and video, Geography and Environmental Studies, Global studies, Graphic communications, Human resources, Interdisciplinary studies, International relations, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Management science, Marketing, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Music, Other education, Other foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics, Other visual and performing arts, Philosophy, Physics, Social work, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Psychology | |
| Social sciences | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Biology | |
| Interdisciplinary studies |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,500 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 20%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $114,427IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 75% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Worcester Regional Airport (ORH)About 3 miles away · about 10 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)About 42 miles away |
| Town population | 207,055Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BostonAbout 42 miles away · about 1 hour 5 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 25°F in January · 71°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Worcester Regional Airport, MA, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1.78 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.25 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Clark University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 10% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Clark University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $28,714 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Clark University?
- Clark University admitted 40% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Clark University’s graduates do?
- 77% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $62,381; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,759.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 165334
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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