Clarke University
Dubuque, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 71.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 48/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Clarke University scores 48 (Below Average Value) on the CampusROI scale. Average 6-year earnings of $39,700 against a $24,479 net price produce an 11.7-year payback period and a 0.673 debt-to-earnings ratio. Clarke is a small (742 students) Dominican Catholic institution in Dubuque, Iowa. Registered Nursing (19 graduates, $62,676 year-one, ROI grade B) is the strongest program. Business Administration (32 graduates, $38,921 year-one, ROI grade C) is the largest program with full data. Kinesiology (24 graduates, $31,013 year-one, ROI grade D) and Psychology (22 graduates, $26,714 year-one, ROI grade D) are weaker performers. The $26,717 median debt is near the Stafford loan cap, indicating most students are borrowing near maximum federal limits. The 56.1% completion rate combined with $24,479 net price creates meaningful financial risk for the large share of students who do not graduate.
Clarke University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $40,910/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $40,910/yr |
| Average net price | $24,479/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $97,916 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $55,396 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,717 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $283 |
| Estimated payback period | 11.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 56.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 742 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $40,910/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $24,479/year, or roughly $97,916 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $23,405/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,784/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,717, which works out to about $283 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,700) and comes to 0.67, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $23,405 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $22,543 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,645 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,890 |
| $110,001+ | $24,784 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $23,405 per year at Clarke. Four-year cost around $93,600 against $39,700 average 6-year earnings is a poor financial outcome. Low-income students face the highest risk: $93k in total cost against $40k annual earnings and a 56.1% completion rate means a significant share will have debt without a degree.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $22,645, and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $27,890. Unusually, the $48,001-75,000 bracket pays slightly less than the $30,001-48,000 bracket ($22,543), suggesting an income-schedule quirk in the aid formula. Four-year costs of $91,000-$112,000 are significant against these earnings. Middle-income families should model specific program outcomes before committing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $24,784 per year. The four-year cost around $99,000 is close to the net price paid by lower-income brackets - Clarke's aid formula produces relatively compressed net prices across income bands.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Clarke University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $75,920 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $42,853 | D |
| Psychology | $54,384 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $74,114 | B |
| Teacher Education | $48,048 | C |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $73,295 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is Clarke's strongest program: 19 graduates, $62,676 year-one, $74,114 at year four, ROI grade B, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.431 with $27,000 median debt. Dubuque-area nursing wages are lower than major metro markets. Students who complete nursing at Clarke enter the regional Iowa/Wisconsin healthcare market with reliable employment.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest program at 32 graduates, $38,921 year-one, $75,920 at year four, C ROI grade, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.694 with $27,000 median debt. Year-one of $39k against $27,000 debt at a private institution is a marginal start. The multi-year trajectory suggests graduate programs or career advancement rather than immediate compensation growth.
Psychology
Psychology shows 22 graduates with a D ROI grade: $26,714 year-one, $54,384 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.992 with $26,500 median debt. Near-parity between year-one earnings and debt load is a difficult financial position. The four-year trajectory to $54k is reasonable but takes four years of career advancement to reach. Psychology at Clarke, as at most small privates, is a graduate school pipeline; standalone employment outcomes at this price are financially stressful.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 81.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Clarke University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 71.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 430-570 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-24 |
| Enrollment | 742 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 36.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,842 |
Clarke admits 71.8% of applicants. SAT 470-590 Math and 430-570 Reading are broad ranges. ACT 16-24 composite describes a wide academic band. Admission is generally accessible. The 56.1% completion rate is the most important number for prospective students: more than four in ten who start do not finish, and this should inform decisions about enrollment readiness and support needs.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke University (this school) | 48 | $24,479 | $55,396 |
| Heritage University | 51 | $14,598 | $49,416 |
| Cleary University | 49 | $22,143 | $54,186 |
| Franklin College | 48 | $22,855 | $55,376 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
Who Thrives Here
Clarke admits 71.8% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 470-590 Math and 430-570 Reading; ACT composite 16-24. Enrollment is 742. The Pell grant rate of 36.7% indicates substantial lower-income enrollment. The small size creates close faculty-student relationships. The ACT 25th percentile of 16 and Reading SAT 25th percentile of 430 indicate broadly open academic access. Students enrolling in nursing have the clearest financial path; students in arts, kinesiology, or social sciences face weak earnings against significant debt.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Clarke University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $24,479 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $55,396 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 11.7 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $26,717 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Clarke University: Common Questions
Is Clarke University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Clarke University scores 48/100 on our ROI scale. At $24,479 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $55,396 ten years after entry, so it takes about 11.7 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Clarke University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $24,479 a year, or roughly $97,916 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Clarke University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $55,396 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,596 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Clarke University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 11.7 years for Clarke University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Clarke University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,717, against average earnings of $39,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Clarke University?
The six-year graduation rate is 56.1%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.