University Benchmarks

Ranking the Top 100 Academic Universities

UniversityBenchmarks.com ranks the universities that attract and produce the best academic students.

There are many 'University Rankings' on the internet. Most rankings rely heavily on subjective metrics like 'reputation' and 'selectivity'. UniversityBenchmarks is purely an academic ranking model. The rankings are based on the reported academic and financial metrics of the colleges. There are no subjective factors like 'reputation' that are used. The calculations are performed using normal statistical models. All universities are considered equal and there is no weighting of the ranking categories.

The university 2014-2015 dataset is comprised of over 2400 US Universities & Colleges and comes from multiple sources using the most favorable reported metrics for a university.

The universities are ranked against each other in each filtered set. It is an iterative process whereby lower ranking universities are removed and the set is re-ranked until the final set of 100 is reached.

Selecting 'Rank Top 10 Only' will show the Top 10 for each filter category ranked against each other.

The academic rankings of the universities within the major conferences (ACC, Big12, Big10, Pac12, SEC) are available.

The 2017 rankings will be available in August.

Notes:
  • It is possible for universities to be ranked higher/lower than one another depending on the filter set.
  • Conference averages are based on the top 8 schools in the conference.
  • Public Schools are highlighted
  • Clicking on the university's seal icon will take you to the university's website.

Ranking Fields

Rank - Overall rank based on the average of the ranking fields (Scores, Difficulty, Smartest, Brainpower, Faculty and Research).

Scores - SAT & ACT scores. The university's test scores are corrected for dropout rate when score level is Good, Excellent or Elite. This will slightly boost scores for highly competitive schools.

Difficulty - Academic rigor is estimated based on how difficult it is to get an "A" at the university. An estimated GPA at the university is calculated for the average US Student. University grade inflation, average GPA, and STEM density are factors.

Smartest - University that can field the highest scoring students based on the average US University size. Higher Smartest Rank = "Smartest for the Average University"

Brainpower - The average "smartest" rank using 5 reference populations (CalTech, MIT, Stanford, GaTech and Berkeley). Higher Brainpower Rank = "Higher Density of Smart Students". The university ranked higher can mathematically field 'X' number of smarter students than universities ranked below them.

Faculty - Ranking based on number of % of faculty with awards and academy membership.

Research - Ranking is achieved by iteratively ranking the average of 3 research metrics (r-pop, r-stem, r-other ). The lowest ranked college is then removed and the new set is re-ranked. The result is the schools with potentially the strongest research environments per student bubble up to the top regardless of size or research budget.

  • r-pop - Average research spending for student population
  • r-stem - STEM research spending
  • r-other - Other/Medical/Health research spending

Salary ROI - "Salary Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. Using the undergraduate average starting and mid-career salaries, the rank is based on a 20yr salary accumulation (with raises) minus the cost of a 4 year education at the university. Salaries are normalized across the country using the average COLA for the university's geo-economic region (7 regions total). The COLA effect is diminished by the level of the university. Elite, Excellent and Good universities have a greater distribution of graduates across the country and a diminishing COLA effect. The resultant value would be the graduate's spending potential over the 20yr period.

Overall ROI - "Overall Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. The average of Overall Rank and Salary ROI. This would be the "Best academic bang for the buck". Colleges that produce the best education, at the best price, with the best return will be ranked higher.

Color Key - ranks are colorized as follows 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 50 100

The 2016 University Academic Rankings

Clarkson University

2016 University Academic Rankings

Clarkson University is a private research university with its main campus located in Potsdam, New York, and additional graduate program and research facilities in New York State's Capital Region and Beacon, N.Y. It was founded in 1896 and has an enrollment of about 4,300 students studying toward bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in each of its schools or institutes: the Institute for a Sustainable Environment, the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business and the Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering. Clarkson University ranks #8 among "Top Salary-Boosting Colleges" nationwide. The Carnegie foundation classified Clarkson University as a "High Research Activity" institution.

Programs

Clarkson provides education for undergraduates, graduate students and early college students through the School of Arts & Sciences, School of Business, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and the Clarkson School.

At the undergraduate level, students study in more than 50 majors and minors, including multidisciplinary degrees in engineering & management (E&M), environmental science & policy, digital arts & sciences, and innovation & entrepreneurship.

At the graduate level, Clarkson's School of Arts & Sciences, School of Business, Institute for a Sustainable Environment and Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering provide programs of study leading to degrees in master of business administration, master of engineering, master of science, master of physician assistant studies, master of arts in teaching, doctor of physical therapy and doctor of philosophy.

Clarkson University is home to the Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP). CAMP is dedicated to developing Clarkson's research and educational programs in high-technology materials processing. Its mandate is to develop innovations in advanced materials processing and to transfer this technology to business and industry. The center receives support from the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research for research and operating expenses as one of 14 Centers for Advanced Technology (CATs). In addition, CAMP-related work receives several million dollars each year from the federal government and private industry.

Clarkson's 15 Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design (SPEED) teams allow students across all majors to participate in hands-on, extracurricular projects.

Clarkson participates in student exchange programs with many schools in Europe and Australia. One example is the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, where students who are studying engineering come to Clarkson for a year as part of one of the exchange programs.

Rankings

Clarkson University's Entrepreneurship Program is one of the top 15 in the nation, according to the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine.

U.S. News & World Report's 2015 rankings "America's Best Colleges" placed Clarkson University in tier one, the top tier of national universities, with a ranking of 121, and No. 36 on the "Great Schools at Great Prices" list, which takes into account a school's academic quality, as indicated by its 2015 U.S. News Best Colleges ranking, and the 2013-2014 net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. The survey editors also placed Clarkson University in the "A+ Options for B Students" list.

History

The school was founded in 1896, funded by the sisters of Thomas S. Clarkson, a local entrepreneur who was accidentally killed while working in his sandstone quarry not far from Potsdam. When a worker was in danger of being crushed by a loose pump, Clarkson pushed him out of the way risking his own life. Clarkson was crushed against a wall by the swinging pump, sustaining severe inte ... [more on wikipedia]

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Clarkson University", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

Clarkson University Details

Clarkson University Details
detail value
stateNew York
conferenceUpstate Collegiate Athletic As...
publicPrivate
scores1735/1157/26
levelAboveAverage
rank[211
overall ROI rank[187
sizesmall
undergrads3247
grads626
price59922
drop27
stem76
research17
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for Clarkson University?

1. number 211 for Academics.

2. number 187 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to Clarkson University?

1. Florida Institute of Technology

2. Lawrence Technological University

3. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

4. Colorado School of Mines

5. Southern Polytechnic State University

6. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

7. New Jersey Institute of Technology



National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

Clarkson University National Academic Rankings

Clarkson University National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Top25021119212722524991133135187
Stem High302932404116243533
New England Region888463939940503965
State of New York27251943431213914
Top Ten Top25021119212722524991133135187


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

(mathematically similar student body, size, academics, stem, salary... etc)

Clarkson University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Clarkson University

Clarkson University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Clarkson University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
85.95
Florida Institute of TechnologyFloridaGulf South Conference / Sunshi...PrivateAboveAverage260130
85.74
Lawrence Technological UniversityMichiganWolverine - Hoosier Athletic ConfPrivateAboveAverage319146
85.07
South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologySouth DakotaGreat Northwest Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage281111
84.86
Colorado School of MinesColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePublicGood8424
83.63
Southern Polytechnic State UniversityGeorgiaNo Conference AffiliationPublicAboveAverage267128
83.55
SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestryNew YorkNo Conference AffiliationPublicAboveAverage229244
82.87
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew JerseyIndependent Northeast RegionPublicAboveAverage195185
81.90
University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyMarylandAmerica EastPublicAboveAverage130174
80.88
North Carolina State University at RaleighNorth CarolinaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage5831
80.70
University of South FloridaFloridaAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage94113
79.70
Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinoisDivision III IndependentsPrivateGood12255
79.57
University of Illinois at SpringfieldIllinoisGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAverage403397
78.86
Drury UniversityMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAboveAverage295378
78.66
Milwaukee School of EngineeringWisconsinNorthern Athletics Collegiate ...PrivateGood184102
78.33
Wentworth Institute of TechnologyMassachusettsCommonwealth Coast ConferencePrivateAverage348352
77.94
Nova Southeastern UniversityFloridaSunshine State ConferencePrivateAverage488397
77.69
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachFloridaFlorida Sun ConferencePrivateAverage401210
77.22
Montana Tech of the University of MontanaMontanaFrontier ConferencePublicAboveAverage399203
77.19
University of Alabama in HuntsvilleAlabamaGulf South ConferencePublicAboveAverage181103
77.16
Michigan Technological UniversityMichiganGreat Lakes Intercollegiate At...PublicAboveAverage14658
76.89
Kettering UniversityMichiganNo Conference AffiliationPrivateAboveAverage332139
76.69
New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyNew MexicoNo Conference AffiliationPublicGood18093
76.65
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicGood10532
76.35
University of Michigan-DearbornMichiganWolverine - Hoosier Athletic ConfPublicAboveAverage312185
74.94
Rochester Institute of TechnologyNew YorkUpstate Collegiate Athletic As...PrivateAboveAverage151195
74.89
University of Missouri-St LouisMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAboveAverage242211
74.51
Wayne State UniversityMichiganGreat Lakes Intercollegiate At...PublicAverage414286
72.92
Bethel UniversityMinnesotaMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateAboveAverage423428
72.84
Madonna UniversityMichiganWolverine - Hoosier Athletic ConfPrivateAboveAverage418377
72.56
University of PortlandOregonWest Coast ConferencePrivateAboveAverage235245
72.53
Ohio Northern UniversityOhioOhio Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage332170
72.39
Messiah CollegePennsylvaniaMiddle Atlantic States Athleti...PrivateAboveAverage387436
72.15
Rollins CollegeFloridaSunshine State ConferencePrivateAboveAverage262338
72.05
Providence CollegeRhode IslandBig East ConferencePrivateAboveAverage286350
72.00
Butler UniversityIndianaPioneer Football League / Big ...PrivateAboveAverage349204
71.94
Point Loma Nazarene UniversityCaliforniaPacific West ConferencePrivateAboveAverage357440
71.38
Bradley UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePrivateAboveAverage326177
71.34
Rockhurst UniversityMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAboveAverage404250
71.29
LeTourneau UniversityTexasAmerican Southwest ConferencePrivateAboveAverage328173
71.11
Willamette UniversityOregonNorthwest ConferencePrivateAboveAverage300402
70.99
Regis UniversityColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage360303
69.76
Polytechnic Institute of New York UniversityNew YorkNo Reported AffiliationPrivateGood7672
68.51
United States Coast Guard AcademyConnecticutNew England Football Conferenc...PublicGood18597
68.35
CUNY City CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAverage293347
68.27
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage368278
68.27
University of Colorado DenverColoradoNo Conference AffiliationPublicAverage283217
67.64
Portland State UniversityOregonBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage308408
67.63
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage288356
67.39
The University of Texas at ArlingtonTexasSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage240157
66.63
Seattle Pacific UniversityWashingtonGreat Northwest Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage383384


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

Clarkson University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Clarkson University

Clarkson University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Clarkson University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
95.02
Texas Christian UniversityTexasBig Twelve ConferencePrivateAboveAverage214181
94.42
University of CincinnatiOhioAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage202106
93.47
Gonzaga UniversityWashingtonWest Coast ConferencePrivateAboveAverage235214
93.39
Truman State UniversityMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAboveAverage208189
93.11
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew JerseyIndependent Northeast RegionPublicAboveAverage195185
92.85
University of North TexasTexasConference USAPublicAboveAverage192165
91.85
University of Missouri-St LouisMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAboveAverage242211
91.39
Pepperdine UniversityCaliforniaWest Coast ConferencePrivateGood212231
91.04
Milwaukee School of EngineeringWisconsinNorthern Athletics Collegiate ...PrivateGood184102
90.88
Chapman UniversityCaliforniaSouthern California Intercoll ...PrivateGood208242
90.84
Skidmore CollegeNew YorkUpstate Collegiate Athletic As...PrivateGood210220
90.35
New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyNew MexicoNo Conference AffiliationPublicGood18093
90.18
Trinity UniversityTexasSouthern Collegiate Athletic C...PrivateGood212170
89.54
The University of Texas at ArlingtonTexasSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage240157
89.39
University of Colorado DenverColoradoNo Conference AffiliationPublicAverage283217
89.27
United States Coast Guard AcademyConnecticutNew England Football Conferenc...PublicGood18597
89.00
Union UniversityTennesseeGulf South ConferencePrivateGood225213
88.36
Muhlenberg CollegePennsylvaniaCentennial ConferencePrivateGood223217
88.34
Emerson CollegeMassachusettsNew England Women's & Men's At...PrivateGood207240
88.24
Ohio UniversityOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage215174
87.90
University of Hawaii at ManoaHawaiiMountain West Conference / Big...PublicAverage204245
87.40
Trinity CollegeConnecticutNew England Small College Ath ConfPrivateGood215225
85.67
Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyIndianaHeartland Collegiate Athletic ...PrivateExcellent15960