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Is Clarke University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Clarke, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Clarke sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $58,625 helps, but median debt of $25,000 plus yearly net price of $26,095 creates a tighter path. For context, Clarke's net price is about 13% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$25,692
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $2,855 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $11,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is manageable, but it makes the aid offer matter a lot.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$26,095
Median earnings 10 years out
$58,625
Median debt at graduation
$25,000
Graduation rate
55%
At Clarke, a typical graduate carries about $25,000 in student debt and earns roughly $58,625 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $284 per month, or 6% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $16,825 more than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
85% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Clarke is a private nonprofit four year school in Dubuque, IA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Dordt
Sioux Center, IA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $25,944
Private nonprofit 4-year
Mercy College of Health Sciences
Des Moines, IA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $25,670
Private nonprofit 4-year
Cornell
Mount Vernon, IA
Worth-It Score: 56/100
Median net price: $25,297
Private nonprofit 4-year
University of Dubuque
Dubuque, IA
Worth-It Score: 50/100
Median net price: $25,171
Private nonprofit 4-year
Briar Cliff
Sioux City, IA
Worth-It Score: 48/100
Median net price: $27,472
Common questions about Clarke
The median net price at Clarke is $26,095 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in Iowa? See the most affordable private colleges in Iowa →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at Clarke in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$26,725a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →