Clarkson University is again in tier one, the top tier of national universities, in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings of “Best Colleges.” Clarkson ranks in the top 125 institutions in the nation.
“Clarkson’s reputation as a proven leader in technological education and our rigorous academics has created an exciting ecosystem. These rankings are in large part the result of offering a personalized educational experience that transforms the way people think and create solutions for a better future, attracting high-quality students,” said Anthony Collins, Clarkson University President.
Clarkson also leads in the publisher’s new Social Mobility Ranking by being among the top 60 universities in the country for graduation rates and success of students awarded Pell grants. Households with family incomes less than $50,000 annually are eligible for Pell grants, and a majority are awarded to students with a family income below $20,000. “This new category reflects both Clarkson’s commitment to accessibility across all socioeconomic backgrounds and shows we put student success at the forefront through personalized advising and innovative solutions to financial aid, such as Income Share Agreements that track success after graduation,” said Kelly O. Chezum, Vice President for External Relations.
Each year U.S. News surveys more than 1,800 accredited four-year institutions for their annual “Best Colleges” issue. Schools in the “National Universities” category, like Clarkson, offer a full range of undergraduate majors, master’s, and Ph.D. programs and recognize faculty research as part of strengthening the rigor of the educational experience for students.
Clarkson also ranks high in Faculty Resource Measure, which assesses a school’s commitment to instruction, percentage of classes under 20 students, and alumni giving rate. The average SAT score also rose 20 points from 2019.
Clarkson is also again on the U.S. News “Great Schools, Great Prices” list (Best Value Schools), which takes into account a school’s academic quality, as indicated by its U.S. News Best Colleges ranking, and the 2018-2019 net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid through scholarships and aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included, because U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that perform well academically.
U.S. News also ranks Clarkson among its “Best Colleges for Veterans” in the National University category. The list provides military veterans and active-duty service members with data on which top-ranked schools offer benefits that can help them make pursuing a college education more affordable.
The survey editors also placed Clarkson University in the “A+ Options for B Students” list, which they identify as strongly rated schools that accept students who have potential and will work hard.
Clarkson is among the top 10 four-year colleges in the nation adding the most value to student earnings potential, according to value-added college rankings from the Brookings Institution, which look at colleges’ direct contributions to alumni salaries. The report says that getting your degree from Clarkson University can increase your earnings by 42 percent, putting this research university in the top 10 ROIs nationwide.
Of students graduating in Clarkson’s Class of 2018 and using the campus Career Services Center, 96 percent reported being placed in a career related to their chosen field of study and goals in the first six months after graduation and putting them on a path for accelerated career success. Graduates earn salaries among the top 2.5 percent in the nation.
Clarkson is in good company in the top tier undergraduate rankings as well as the Best Value Schools category, which it shares with schools like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Cal Tech and Duke.
