Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at Clarkson University

Clarkson's entrepreneurship program sits in an interesting middle ground—below national averages but right at the state median for New York. Starting at $38,000 might sound low compared to the national benchmark of $45,000, but that's actually typical for this degree in New York, where only Syracuse significantly outpaces the field. The 39% earnings growth to $52,500 by year four suggests graduates gain traction once they establish themselves, though this trajectory still leaves them trailing stronger programs.

The debt picture offers some reassurance: at $27,000, graduates carry manageable loans that fall in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of similar programs saddle students with more debt. With first-year earnings covering three-quarters of what's borrowed, the financial burden remains workable even during that challenging initial period. For a program at a selective private institution (1307 average SAT), these outcomes feel modest but not alarming.

The major caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual experiences could vary widely from these medians. If your child is drawn to Clarkson's engineering-adjacent culture and smaller entrepreneurship cohort, the reasonable debt and steady earnings growth make this a defensible choice. Just don't expect it to compete with larger business programs on pure earning power—at least not immediately after graduation.