Clarke University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Clarke University is a private college in Iowa that admits most qualified applicants (around 72%), which puts it in the moderately selective range. A rate like this means it admits more applicants than it rejects; 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 Clarke University weighs, where it ranks among Iowa 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 Clarke 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 Clarke University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Clarke University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Clarke University?
At Clarke University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 72% 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 Clarke University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Clarke University hard to get into?
Clarke University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 72% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Clarke University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Clarke University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Clarke University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Clarke University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Clarke University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Clarke University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1030 SAT?
About 87% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1030 SAT, the middle of Clarke University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1160 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/clarke-university.
How to get into Clarke University
Built from Clarke 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 Clarke University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Clarke University carries about a 3.21 core GPA and a 1110 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 900 to 1160 SAT (16 to 24 ACT). Submit a score at 1030 or higher; below 900, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Clarke University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Clarke University's exact dates at www.clarke.edu.
How many students apply to Clarke University, and how many get in?
3,087 students applied to Clarke University for fall 2023; 2,104 were admitted (68.2%). 199 enrolled. Only about 9% 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. Clarke University enrolls about 742 undergraduates in total, 46% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Clarke University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Clarke University scored between 900 and 1160 on the SAT (average 1054). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 16 to 24. A score above 1160 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 900 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Clarke 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 Clarke University looks for
What Clarke University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Clarke University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores 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. These ratings come from Clarke University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Clarke 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 Clarke University cost after financial aid?
Clarke University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $55,782 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $40,910. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $24,479 a year, and it ranges from $23,405 for families earning under $30,000 to $24,784 for families earning over $110,000. 37% 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 Clarke University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Clarke University student who received federal aid earns $55,396 a year, up from $49,157 at six years. 56% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 67% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $26,717; 74% 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 Clarke University compares in Iowa
Clarke University ranks #9 most selective of 21 schools in Iowa in our database.
Among the 21 Iowa schools we track, Clarke University ranks #9 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Grinnell College (15%) and William Penn University (52%) sit nearby, which makes Iowa a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Clarke University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Clarke University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Canisius University, Quinnipiac University, and Stetson University. 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 Clarke University's acceptance rate?
Clarke University admitted 2,104 of 3,087 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 68.2% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 9% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Clarke University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 900 to 1160 on the SAT and 16 to 24 on the ACT. A score above 1160 is in the top quarter of admits. Clarke University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Clarke University test-optional?
Yes. Clarke 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 Clarke University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Clarke University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $24,479 a year against a sticker price of about $55,782. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $23,405 on average.
What do Clarke University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Clarke University are $55,396 a year among students who received federal aid, and 56% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Clarke University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Clarke University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Clarke University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Clarke University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Clarke 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 Clarke University specifically.
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.