Clarke University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Dubuque, Iowa. It enrolls 742 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
55/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes34
Value31
Affordability45
Selectivity39
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 71.8%, Clarke University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
71.8%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
900 – 1160
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
16 – 24
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Clarke University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
25.7 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Clarke University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $24,479 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$24,479
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
37%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
74%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$40,910
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,734
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,734
Books & Supplies
$1,514
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,728
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,728
Total Cost of Attendance
$55,782
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$23,405
$30,001 – $48,000
$22,543
$48,001 – $75,000
$22,645
$75,001 – $110,000
$27,890
Over $110,000
$24,784
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,75010%percentile
$8,82625%percentile
$26,717Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$34,95590%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $21,500
↓ $5,217
No Pell $17,125
↓ $9,592
Dependent students $19,000
↓ $7,717
Independent students $26,250
↓ $467
Female students $21,250
↓ $5,467
Male students $13,750
↓ $12,967
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,500, less than completers ($26,717), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
60% of full-time students who enrolled at Clarke University graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
60%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Clarke University earn a median of $55,396 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$55,396
Earning > $25K
87%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$42,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$51,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$39,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$45,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$47,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,700, about 17% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
10.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Clarke University is home to 742 students, a small, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
742
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
29%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 52.2%387
Black 13.3%99
Hispanic 11.7%87
International 10.8%80
Other 4.9%36
Asian 1.8%13
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Clarke University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityDubuque, Iowa
Housing
Strongly residential616 beds for 742 students
Adult Learners
7%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Clarke University offers
a varied set of programs:
25 distinct programs across
15 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Clarke University is 10:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$57M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$59,731
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
77 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
16
21%
$66,278
Associate Professors
21
27%
$62,830
Assistant Professors
28
36%
$56,071
Instructors
12
16%
$54,120
Pros & Cons of Clarke University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Clarke University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
First-year retention is below typical
Most students take on federal loans
Best for:
Based on the data, Clarke University is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Clarke University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Clarke University.
Is Clarke University hard to get into?
Admissions at Clarke University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 71.8%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Clarke University?
Clarke University has an acceptance rate of 71.8%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Clarke University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Clarke University scored between 900 and 1160 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Clarke University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Clarke University scored between 16 and 24 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Clarke University cost?
The average net price after aid at Clarke University is $24,479 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Clarke University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $55,396 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,479 per year. That's roughly 2.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Clarke University known for?
Clarke University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Rehabilitation, Kinesiology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Clarke University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Clarke University are $55,396, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Clarke University accredited?
Yes. Clarke University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Clarke University?
Clarke University enrolls 742 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Clarke University?
Clarke University graduates 60% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Clarke University a public or private college?
Clarke University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Clarke University located?
Clarke University is located in Dubuque, Iowa.
What programs does Clarke University offer?
Clarke University offers 25 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Rehabilitation, Kinesiology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Clarke University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Clarke University is 10:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Iowa
Other colleges in Iowa share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Special Education
Educational Administration
Business Administration
Related Guides
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
