Clarke University
Clarke University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Clarke University Featured Rankings
- #4 Best Research Universities in Iowa
- #6 Best Christian Colleges in Iowa 2026
- #7 Iowa's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #8 Iowa's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #10 Best Private Colleges in Iowa 2026
- #10 Best Small Colleges in Iowa
- #13 Best Colleges in Iowa 2026
- #24 The Best Catholic Colleges and Universities
About Clarke University
According to Wikipedia, Clarke University is a private Roman Catholic university in Dubuque, Iowa. The campus is on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River and downtown Dubuque. Clarke offers a broad undergraduate curriculum in 19 academic departments with over 40 majors and programs. The university also provides graduate master's and doctoral degrees in select areas of study and has a general enrollment of approximately 1,200 students.
Clarke University's Online Degrees
Clarke University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,087 | 72% | 67% | 52% | 1030 | 20 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Clarke University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $42,420 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $22,155 |
| 30K - 48K | $24,451 |
| 48K - 75K | $20,761 |
| 75K - 110K | $27,677 |
| 110K+ | $31,569 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Clarke University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Clarke University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $58,625 a year, and 96% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Clarke University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 1,076 | 912 | 164 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Clarke University?
Clarke University is located at 1550 Clarke Dr, Dubuque, IA 52001-3198.
How Safe is Clarke University?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Clarke University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Clarke University has a violent crime rate of 0.10% and a property crime rate of 0.21%. Dubuque has a violent crime rate of 0.41% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 1.45%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Clarke University Known For?
Clarke University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Computer Science
- Literature
- Communications
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Social Work
- History
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Education
- Medical
- Nursing
Clarke University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Clarke University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Clarke University ranks #400 in the U.S. and #1831 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesClarke University ranks #705 in the U.S. and #2123 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesClarke University ranks #855 in the U.S. and #3200 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesClarke University ranks #1073 in the U.S. and #3564 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesClarke University ranks #1075 in the U.S. and #4149 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesClarke University ranks #1348 in the U.S. and #3283 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesClarke University ranks #1387 in the U.S. and #4418 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesClarke University ranks #1492 in the U.S. and #6130 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesClarke University ranks #1519 in the U.S. and #5861 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesClarke University ranks #1774 in the U.S. and #4670 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesClarke University ranks #1891 in the U.S. and #7188 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesClarke University ranks #2479 in the U.S. and #8720 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesClarke University ranks #2718 in the U.S. and #7242 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWho Are Clarke University's Most Influential Alumni?
Clarke University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Computer Science, Literature, and Communications. Here are some of Clarke University's most famous alumni:
- Mary Kenneth Keller
- A First American woman to receive a PhD in computer science .
- Peggy Sullivan
- An American librarian.
- Margaret Feldner
- An American academic.
- Adam Rapp
- An American playwright, novelist and film director.
- Karen Morrow
- An American actress and singer .
- Nancy Dickerson Whitehead
- An American radio and television journalist.
