Clark Atlanta acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Clark Atlanta University · Private nonprofit · Atlanta, GA · 3,495 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Clark Atlanta admitted 64.6% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 56.8% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $30,270 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 56.8% | 5,873 | 3,336 |
| 2014 | 84.7% | 5,140 | 4,352 |
| 2015 | 51.2% | 8,611 | 4,409 |
| 2016 | 71.8% | 10,733 | 7,711 |
| 2017 | 57.9% | 13,940 | 8,075 |
| 2018 | 51.8% | 14,942 | 7,747 |
| 2019 | 54.8% | 16,483 | 9,036 |
| 2020 | 59.0% | 15,613 | 9,219 |
| 2021 | 58.2% | 16,718 | 9,737 |
| 2022 | 56.3% | 16,153 | 9,088 |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 27,672 | 17,884 |
Applications went from 5,873 in fall 2013 to 27,672 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $38,601 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | Not reported |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | Not reported |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | Not reported |
| Over $110,000 | $41,270 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $30,270 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $46,270 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $38,626 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| SCAD GA | 83.7% | $42,665 same for all |
| Emory GA | 11.1% | $68,056 same for all |
| Florida Tech FL | 62.5% | $46,669 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Clark Atlanta University admitted 17,884 of the 27,672 applicants in fall 2023, for a rate of 64.6%.1 In fall 2013 it was 56.8%, so the rate is now 7.8 percentage points higher.1 It swung widely in between, reaching 84.7% in 2014 and declining in 5 of 10 yearly changes.1 Applications grew 371%, from 5,873 to 27,672, while admitted students went from 3,336 to 17,884.1
The university is test-optional, and only 1% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores and 1% submitted ACT scores, so no score ranges are shown.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $30,270, charged to all students alike.2 Even after grants, the 2024-25 net price comes to $38,601 for families in the $0 to $30,000 band and $41,270 for those over $110,000.2
Only 39% of the 2019 entrants graduated within 6 years, below the 43% state median across 52 colleges.2 Among fall 2023 entrants the retention figure was 71%, meaning a sizable share did not return the following year.2 Median earnings are $46,867 10 years after entry, against a state median of $51,737, and median federal debt is $26,000.2 For comparison, the 52 bachelor's colleges in Georgia reach a median graduation rate of 43%, with median earnings of $51,737 in 2022-23.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 27,672 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 17,884 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,069 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 3,495 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 1% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 1% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $30,270 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $46,270 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $38,626 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $38,601 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $41,270 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 39% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 71% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 75% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $46,867 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $26,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Georgia (N = 52) | 43% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Georgia (N = 54) | $51,737 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Clark Atlanta, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page