Wellesley vs. Clarkson

Should I go to Wellesley College or Clarkson University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wellesley or Clarkson is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Barnard RIT Vassar Tufts St Lawrence University Amherst BU BC MHC RPI NYU Syracuse
Wellesley College vs. Clarkson University comparison
Wellesley College Clarkson University College 3 College 4
Wellesley College Clarkson University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Wellesley Clarkson
Location Wellesley, MA Potsdam, NY
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 2,447 3,719
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #220
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wellesley.edu clarkson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wellesley Clarkson
Tuition (In State) $61,584 $54,960
Tuition (Out of State) $61,584 $54,960
Room & Board $19,080 $16,744
Avg Net Price $21,362 $32,450
Avg Grant Aid $61,328 $41,285
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

Wellesley Clarkson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,491 6,594
Admitted 1,152 5,171
Acceptance Rate 13.6% 78.4%
Enrolled % 50.8% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 33/35 25/30
SAT Range 1430/1550 1190/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 8, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Wellesley Clarkson
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

Wellesley Clarkson
Graduation Rate 92% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,100 $70,800
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,900 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $92 $279

Diversity

Wellesley Clarkson
% Men 1% 64%
% Women 99% 36%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 40% 84%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 12% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Wellesley Clarkson
% In-State 11% 65%
% Out-of-State 73% 31%

Campus

Wellesley Clarkson
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Clarkson University is larger than than Wellesley based on total student enrollment (3,719 students vs. 2,447 students)

Wellesley vs. Clarkson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wellesley or Clarkson?

  • Wellesley College is 12.1% more expensive to attend than Clarkson for in-state tuition ($61,584.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.1% higher at Wellesley than Clarkson University ($61,584.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Clarkson ($21,362 vs. $32,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clarkson University are 14% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($16,744 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Wellesley College (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 48.5% larger than aid received Clarkson University ($61,328 vs. $41,285)

Wellesley vs. Clarkson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wellesley or Clarkson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Clarkson or Wellesley .

  • The average SAT score at Wellesley College (1369) is 171 points higher than at Clarkson (1198)
  • Incoming Wellesley students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Clarkson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Wellesley students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Clarkson (3.8)
  • Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Wellesley (13.6%)

Wellesley vs. Clarkson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wellesley or Clarkson? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Clarkson and Wellesley.

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than Clarkson University (92% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $2,700 more per year than Wellesley graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $68,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $18,100 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($8,900 vs. $27,000)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $187 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($92 vs. $279)
  • More Wellesley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Clarkson students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 86%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/