Acceptance Rate
40%
Avg. SAT
1460
75th percentile
“Discover the birthplace of American psychology in Worcester's gritty heartbeat, where curious minds tackle global issues at a small research powerhouse.”
Worcester, MA
Location
Midsize City
Campus Setting
Clark University bursts onto the scene in 1887, bankrolled by Jonas Gilman Clark, a self-made millionaire who lost his only son and channeled grief into a bold vision: a research university open to women from day one—decades before most peers caught up. You'll thrive here if you're intellectually restless, drawn to social justice and real-world puzzles, but practical enough to embrace Worcester's unpolished edge. This midsize city, dubbed the Heart of the Commonwealth, pulses with biotech startups, massive hospitals like UMass Memorial, and a revitalizing arts scene, all 45 minutes from Boston by train. Tradeoffs hit hard: no idyllic suburbia here—expect urban grit, potholed streets, and harsh New England winters that test your resolve, far from the leafy enclaves of Amherst or Cambridge.
Photo Gallery
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
Step into Clark's classrooms, and you'll debate Freud's legacy in the psychology department that launched America's first lab under G. Stanley Hall, or map climate migration with geographers who've shaped GIS tools since 1925. The 9:1 student-faculty ratio delivers mentor-style teaching—professors remember your name and pull you into labs early, co-authoring papers as undergrads snag research gigs rarer at bigger schools. Standouts like the IDCE program fuse international development, environment, and geography for hands-on fieldwork in places like Uganda; you'll crunch data on poverty or sustainability, not just read about it. Drawbacks? With 2,400 undergrads, niche majors dwindle—trades off breadth for depth, suiting focused thinkers over dabblers.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
2,266 undergrad • 1,659 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
43%
Black / African American
4%
Hispanic / Latino
8%
Asian
5%
Other / Multi-racial
41%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Worcester, MA
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
Clark's vibe hums collaborative and progressive—think packed Model UN debates, Quidditch matches on the quad, and protests for climate action, fueled by a diverse crew from 50 states and 80 countries. A typical week blends late-night study sessions in cozy house lounges, Friday flickers at the campus cinema, and weekend jaunts to Worcester's craft breweries or Red Sox AAA games at Polar Park. Residential life clusters you into themed villages—Wellness House for yogis, Arts Village for creators—fostering tight bonds in a compact campus where everyone knows the barista. Challenges lurk: the social scene skews earnest over raucous, party options lean DIY amid city safety worries after dark, and bone-chilling winds bury traditions like the spring Maywauken music fest under snow more often than not.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
Yes
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$17,724
$30K – $48K
$20,652
$48K – $75K
$20,828
$75K – $110K
$25,800
$110K+
$36,443
Apply for Financial Aid
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
86%
4 Years Graduation Rate
73%
6 Years Graduation Rate
78%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$62,381
86% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Clark University and return in the fall. 73% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 78% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
73%
4-6 years
5%
Non-grad
22%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$52,000
Acceptance
40%
Undergrads
2,266
4-Year Grad Rate
73%
Endowment
$395M
Worcester, MA 01610-1477