National university
#14 Best colleges for criminal justice in AmericaClemson University
Clemson, SC · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid About $22,000 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
President Ayers First Campus Tour at Clemson University · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
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#14 of 1,046
- Best colleges for nursing in America#25 of 1,068
- Best colleges for marketing in America#24 of 834
- Best colleges for accounting in America#33 of 1,132
- Best colleges for finance in America#26 of 744
- Best colleges for business in America#65 of 1,563
Show 21 more
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#59 of 1,238
- Best colleges for education in America#64 of 1,318
- Best colleges in America#110 of 1,829
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#111 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#93 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#99 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#95 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#95 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#98 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#95 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#98 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#98 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#98 of 1,116
- Best colleges for engineering in America#73 of 749
- Best large colleges in America#27 of 256
- Best colleges for economics in America#96 of 788
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#55 of 367
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#115 of 693
- Most selective colleges in America#117 of 683
- Best value colleges in America#135 of 674
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#154 of 681
In South Carolina
- Best colleges in South Carolina#1 of 35
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in South Carolina#1 of 35
- Best colleges for business in South Carolina#1 of 34
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in South Carolina#1 of 31
- Best colleges for English in South Carolina#1 of 31
- Best colleges for education in South Carolina#1 of 30
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- Best colleges for psychology in South Carolina#1 of 30
- Best test-optional colleges in South Carolina#1 of 30
- Best colleges for history in South Carolina#1 of 28
- Best colleges for mathematics in South Carolina#1 of 28
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in South Carolina#1 of 26
- Best colleges for art and design in South Carolina#1 of 25
- Best colleges for chemistry in South Carolina#1 of 25
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in South Carolina#1 of 25
- Best colleges for accounting in South Carolina#1 of 24
- Best colleges for criminal justice in South Carolina#1 of 21
- Best colleges for nursing in South Carolina#1 of 20
- Best colleges for marketing in South Carolina#1 of 16
- Best colleges for engineering in South Carolina#1 of 15
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in South Carolina#1 of 12
- Best colleges for economics in South Carolina#1 of 12
- Best colleges for finance in South Carolina#1 of 12
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in South Carolina#1 of 10
- Best value colleges in South Carolina#2 of 9
- Best value colleges in the South in South Carolina#2 of 9
- Most selective colleges in South Carolina#2 of 9
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in South Carolina#3 of 10
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in South Carolina#3 of 9
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.87%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.93%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,353 · ACT 30
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$14,641
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 paid by families who received aid, by income. Families who get no aid pay the full cost of attendance: $35,015 a year.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
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) | 22,875 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 46% · Women 54% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 17% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 49% |
| Total students | 28,747 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | About $22,000 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $35,015 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 87% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 71% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 71% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 78% |
| First-year retention | 93% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $71,513 |
| Admission rate | 38% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $70 |
| Early action deadline College website, 2026-27 | October 15 |
| Regular decision deadline College website, 2026-27 | January 1 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,221 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 15% |
| Average SAT | 1353 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 620–700 |
| SAT math | 620–710 |
| ACT composite | 28–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 24% (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 |
|---|---|
| Information science | |
| Computer engineering | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Construction Management | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Engineering-Related Fields | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Industrial Engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Finance | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Agricultural Engineering | |
| Materials Engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Accounting | |
| Mathematics | |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | |
| Marketing | |
| Economics | |
| Nursing | |
| Other health professions and related clinical sciences | |
| Public relations | |
| Romance languages | |
| Business administration | |
| Other foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics | |
| Chemistry | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| Agricultural business | |
| Design | |
| Biology | |
| Landscape Architecture | |
| Political science | |
| Architecture | |
| Forestry | |
| Food Science and Technology | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Psychology | |
| Sociology | |
| Plant Sciences | |
| Linguistics | |
| Agricultural Production Operations | |
| English | |
| Secondary education | |
| Criminology | |
| History | |
| Teacher education | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | |
| Animal Sciences | |
| Other visual and performing arts | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs, Anthropology, Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services, Ceramic Sciences and Engineering, Construction Engineering Technology/Technician, Ethnic and gender studies, Family and human development, Film and video, Genetics, Geology and earth science, Liberal arts, Other education, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-health, Religious studies, Soil Sciences, Special education.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Engineering | |
| Biology | |
| Social sciences | |
| Health professions |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 3% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $13,284 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Atlantic Coast Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 8%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 88%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $38,593IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 33% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)About 38 miles away · about 1 hour 5 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)About 113 miles away |
| Town population | 18,072Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | AtlantaAbout 111 miles away · about 2 hours 25 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 43°F in January · 80°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Clemson University, SC |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is Clemson University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 7% 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 Clemson University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is about $22,000 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 Clemson University?
- Clemson University admitted 38% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Clemson University’s graduates do?
- 87% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $71,513; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 217882
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Clemson vs Auburn · Clemson vs Binghamton · Clemson vs University of California-Santa Barbara · Clemson vs North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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