Private research university in upstate New York known for engineering, business, and health sciences with hands-on learning and strong ROI.
Clarkson offers more than 95 programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through five schools and institutes: the Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, David D. Reh School of Business, Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health and Life Sciences, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, and Institute for STEM Education. The university emphasizes hands-on learning, research opportunities, and experiential education. Notable research centers include the Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP), Center for Complex Systems, and Center for Identification Technology Research. Students participate in 15 SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) teams and benefit from exchange programs with European and Australian institutions.
The main campus spans 640 wooded and waterfront acres in Potsdam, New York, near the Adirondack Park and St. Lawrence River Valley. A secondary Capital Region Campus operates in Latham, New York (formerly Schenectady). The university hosts over 130 student clubs and organizations, including the Clarkson Union Board, Outing Club, Ski Club, and student-run radio station WTSC 91.1 FM. Clarkson Ignite, founded in 2017, provides innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities through makerspaces, competitions, and the Cube student business accelerator. The Clarkson School offers an early college program for high school students.
Clarkson's Golden Knights compete in 20 varsity sports. The university is primarily NCAA Division III in the Liberty League, but both men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in NCAA Division I as members of ECAC Hockey. The women's hockey program has won three NCAA national championships (2014, 2017, 2018), marking the university's first national titles. The men's ice hockey team has won 6 ECAC Tournament Championships, most recently in 2019. Additional varsity teams include baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, and skiing.
Clarkson ranks 152nd nationally in U.S. News & World Report (2019) and 243rd in Forbes. The university is recognized as a top 55 Best Value National University and top 115 for undergraduate engineering programs (2025 U.S. News). The supply chain management program ranks in the top 20 nationally. Clarkson was ranked #8 among 'Top Salary-Boosting Colleges' by Money magazine (2015) and is named a top 10 university by the Brookings Institution for increasing students' lifetime earning potential. The online graduate business program ranked #12 nationally (U.S. News 2013).