Clarion University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Clarion University is a public university in Pennsylvania that admits most qualified applicants (around 94%), which puts it in the accessible range. A rate like this means it admits most qualified applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Clarion University weighs, where it ranks among Pennsylvania schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1120, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Clarion University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Clarion University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Clarion University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Clarion University?
At Clarion University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 94% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Clarion University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Clarion University hard to get into?
Clarion University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 94% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Clarion University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Clarion University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Clarion University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
How to get into Clarion University
Built from Clarion University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Clarion University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Clarion University carries about a 2.97 core GPA and a 1090 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 940 to 1140 SAT (17 to 25 ACT). Submit a score at 1040 or higher; below 940, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Clarion University rates academic GPA and state residency highest. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Clarion University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.pennwest.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to Clarion University, and how many get in?
6,189 students applied to Clarion University for fall 2023; 5,796 were admitted (93.7%). 1,617 enrolled. Only about 28% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Clarion University enrolls about 7,451 undergraduates in total, 61% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Clarion University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Clarion University scored between 940 and 1140 on the SAT (average 1063). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 17 to 25. A score above 1140 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 940 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Clarion University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Clarion University looks for
What Clarion University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, modeled from its selectivity and profile.
Clarion University signals that it values academic GPA and state residency above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. The full breakdown is charted below; with no reported data published, it is modeled from schools of this selectivity and type, so treat it as a planning guide rather than an official rubric.
SAT score positioning at Clarion University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Clarion University cost after financial aid?
Clarion University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $26,916 per year. Tuition and fees are $11,436 for PA residents and $16,054 for out-of-state students, a $4,618 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,256 a year, and it ranges from $13,944 for families earning under $30,000 to $23,272 for families earning over $110,000. 38% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Clarion University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Clarion University student who received federal aid earns $47,295 a year, up from $38,474 at six years. 52% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 72% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $23,725; 60% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Clarion University compares in Pennsylvania
Clarion University ranks #59 most selective of 62 schools in Pennsylvania in our database.
Among the 62 Pennsylvania schools we track, Clarion University ranks #59 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Pennsylvania (5%) and Swarthmore College (7%) sit nearby, which makes Pennsylvania a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to Clarion University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Clarion University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Sacramento State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Clarion University's acceptance rate?
Clarion University admitted 5,796 of 6,189 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 93.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 28% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Clarion University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 940 to 1140 on the SAT and 17 to 25 on the ACT. A score above 1140 is in the top quarter of admits. Clarion University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Clarion University test-optional?
Yes. Clarion University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Clarion University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Clarion University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $18,256 a year against a sticker price of about $26,916. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $13,944 on average.
What do Clarion University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Clarion University are $47,295 a year among students who received federal aid, and 52% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Clarion University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Clarion University weighs academic GPA and state residency most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Clarion University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Clarion University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at Clarion University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Clarion University specifically.
How does residency affect admission to Clarion University?
As a public university, Clarion University typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.