Clarke University
#6 Best Education Colleges in Iowa- Graduation Rate
- 56% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $55,396 B
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $24,479 D
- 43% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 72% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 13.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $13.0 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Education Colleges in Iowa.
Every $1 spent returns $13.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,174,376.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 36% above the national college median.
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Social mobility rate of 3.45% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $13.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Clarke University Matters
Clarke University is a private doctoral / professional university in Dubuque, IA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Doctoral / Professional University
- Carnegie Class
- Doctoral/Professional
- Enrollment
- 742
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- 30
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Education, Health Professions, Psychology
Why students choose Clarke University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 72% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 900–1160. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $24,479 a year after grants and scholarships — 43% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $55,396 ten years after enrolling — 36% above the typical college, against $26,717 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 6% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.68 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Clarke University has a graduation rate of 56%, which highlights the challenges many students face in completing their degrees. With an acceptance rate of 72%, it welcomes a diverse range of students but indicates that a significant portion may struggle to finish their studies.
Earnings data reveals that graduates see a median income of $55,396 within ten years of attending. This figure reflects the potential return on investment for students, though the school lacks specific mobility metrics. Understanding how students from lower-income backgrounds fare after graduation is essential for prospective students weighing their options.
The net price to attend Clarke University is approximately $24,479, and the median debt for graduates stands at $26,717. Students who thrive here typically pursue degrees in health professions, business and marketing, education, psychology, or humanities. With a Pell Grant rate of 37%, financial aid resources are available, helping some students manage the cost of their education effectively.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Clarke University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Clarke University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Dubuque, Iowa, Clarke University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 72%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,054. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 72%
- Retention Rate
- 67%
- SAT Average
- 1054
- ACT Midpoint
- 21
- SAT Range
- 900–1160
- ACT Range
- 16–24
- Full-Time Faculty
- 66%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,842
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 9:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- First-Gen Students
- 29%
- Applicants
- 2,665
- Admitted
- 2,260
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Clarke University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Clarke University is $40,910, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $24,479. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,405 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,717 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $40,910
- Out-of-State
- $40,910
- Avg Net Price
- $24,479
- Median Debt
- $26,717
- Pell Grant Rate
- 37%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 74%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $23,405
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $22,543
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $22,645
- Family Income $110K+
- $24,784
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Clarke University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Clarke University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Clarke University earn a median of $55,396, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $49,157
- 8 Years
- $52,881
- 10 Years
- $55,396
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.48x
- Earning > $25K
- 75%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (111)
- 61%
- 100% (111)
- 61%
- 100% (111)
- 61%
- 100% (111)
- 61%
How Clarke Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Clarke University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Clarke University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $24,479/year ($97,916 total). Graduates earn $55,396 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,272,292 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,174,376 (13.0× your investment). The median debt is $26,717, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 56% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $97,916
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,272,292
- Net Return
- $1,174,376
- ROI Multiple
- 13.0×
- Cost Per Year
- $24,479
- Median Debt
- $26,717
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 56%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Clarke University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Clarke University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.45%, among the highest in the country. About 7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 49% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $75,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.45%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 49.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 7.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $102,850
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $4,618,047
- Investment Income
- $-2,713,700
Top Programs
The fields Clarke University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 20% $46,350 early-career
- Education 19% $41,427 early-career
- Health Professions 15% $67,976 early-career
- Psychology 8% $34,625 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 6%
- Visual & Performing Arts 6%
- Computer Science & IT 5% $68,105 early-career
- Communications 3%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Clarke University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Clarke University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Dubuque, Iowa, Clarke University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 72%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,054. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Clarke University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Clarke University is $40,910, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $24,479. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,405 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,717 in federal student loans.
Is Clarke University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Clarke University earn a median of $55,396, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Clarke University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Clarke University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.45%, among the highest in the country. About 7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 49% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $75,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Clarke University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Clarke University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.68, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Clarke University.
- Franklin CollegeFranklin, IN · Close peer62% grad $55,376 earn 70% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Cleary UniversityHowell, MI · Close peer41% grad $54,186 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Concordia University Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Close peer49% grad $56,075 earn 69% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Dakota Wesleyan UniversityMitchell, SD · Close peer47% grad $53,728 earn 73% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Spring Hill CollegeMobile, AL · Close peer54% grad $51,500 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA · Close peer62% grad $59,492 earn 81% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Clarke University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Clarke University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.68, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note