Clemson University is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a mid-size institution with 23,401 undergraduate students. Admission is competitive, with an acceptance rate of around 38.3%. The most popular majors are Engineering, Business, Biology, Social Sciences, and Health Professions. Its six-year graduation rate is 86.6%, and Clemson graduates have a median income of around $57,100 ten years after graduation.
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public research land-grant university in Raleigh, North Carolina, part of the Raleigh metropolitan area. It is a large school with 27,323 undergraduates. Admissions are competitive, with an acceptance rate around 41.7%. The most popular majors are Engineering, Business, Biology, Agriculture, and Social Sciences. The six-year graduation rate is around 85%, and NC State graduates have a median income of about $57,200 ten years after graduation.
| Clemson University | North Carolina State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 4.3 Out of 10 | 5.2 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 951 QS World University 2026 # 575 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 951 QS World University 2025 | # 272 QS World University 2026 # 301 Times Higher Education 2026 # 209 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 77 for Engineering by US News 2024 | # 27 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 189 for Medicine by QS World University 2024 |
| Programs | UG Programs -55 PG Programs -55 | UG Programs -84 PG Programs -72 |
| Acceptance Rate | 38.1 % | 39.8 % |
| Exam Score | Duolingo-105 GRE-300 IELTS-6.5 SAT-1220 TOEFL-80 | Duolingo-110 IELTS-6.5 PTE-62 SAT-1230 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 35362 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 22976 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 13284 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 37410 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 24735 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 37333 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows: Bachelor of Science: $89,000 Masters in Science: $83,000 Doctorate: $50,000 Bachelor of Arts: $43,000 | Graduate employability rank (2020): 111-120. |
| application requirements | Submit academic credentials Submit scores of entrance exams Submit English language proficiency test scores Check program specific requirements | SAT/ACT scores are required by all applicants, applications are accepted through both Common App and Coalition app. |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.6/10 Read 13 reviews | 8.1/10 Read 18 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 300 for Business by QS World University 2026 # 95 for Business by US News 2025 | # 101 for Business by QS World University 2026 # 251 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 57 for Business by Bloomberg 2024 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 115/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 54/90TOEFL - 80/120 | Duolingo - 110/160IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -37374 | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -45915 |
| application dates | Oct 15, 2025 (Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake) Feb 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Summer 2026 Intake) Apr 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) | Nov 1, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026 intake) Jan 15, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026 intake) Mar 1, 2026 (Final Application Deadline for 2026 intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Clemson University | North Carolina State University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1889 | 1887 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 13:1 |
| Male:Female | 51% Male, 49% Female | 55% Male, 45% Female |
| Location Facts | Clemson's 1,400-acre campus is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The campus now borders Lake Hartwell. | Located in North Carolina, the main campus has three sub-campuses. Some of the surrounding structure include Memorial Bell Tower, Court of North Carolina, and Free Expression Tunnel. |
| Library | Clemson Libraries serves the students, faculty, and staff of Clemson University, as well as members of the community. This includes visitors from community groups and K-12 schools and programs. | The NC State Library system comprises of 5 libraries- D.H Hill Jr Library, Harrye B. Lyons Design Library, Natural, James B Hunt Jr Library, and William Rand Keenan Jr. Library of Veterinary Medicine. The university library has a consortium that holds a combined research collection of over 23 million forming the second-largest academic research collection in country. |
| Campus Life | A walk across Clemson’s campus transports visitors from rolling hills to Death Valley and farther still to Lake Hartwell. The sound of the carillon greets those within earshot of Tillman Hall, and often, the sight of an orange and purple sunset signals the end of a day spent in Clemson. Clemson has six campus media organizations. Clemson offers 31 club sports. With 27 residence halls and on-campus apartments, Clemson students can choose the style, location and amenities for their home at Clemson. Clemson Dining provides fuel for students to pursue their goals every day. With 26 on-campus dining options, there’s always a seat at the table for students on campus. Clemson University’s highest priority is making sure that students feel welcome and safe while they are on campus. Clemson students have access to a variety of resources to help recover from illness, maintain their health and reach their mental and physical health goals. From Counseling and Psychological Services to Redfern Health Center, a variety of certified health professionals are available to support the well-being of every student. Group fitness classes, personal training, intramural sports teams, club sports, outdoor recreation and over 250,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities give Clemson students the option of exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains or exercising on campus. | There are 70 intramural & sports clubs, 9 varieties of foods (apart from the dining halls). Apart from this you can also indulge in arts, theatre, music dance. The university has its own museum, crafts center, There are around 700 student clubs and organizations catering to agriculture, health, science, music, food, and more is where you can find your calling. |
| Hostel | #Housing - $8208 | #Rooms - $10084 #Rooms (Studio Room) - $12150 #Rooms (Double Room) - $9105 |
| Famous Alumni | Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. Class of 1948, was the only person killed by enemy fire during the Cuban Missile Crisis. | Rajendra Pachauri (chairman of intergovernmental pannel on climate change), Russel Wilson (football quarterback), John Edwards (former US Senator for North Carolina), Robert Gibbs (former White House press secretary), Thurl Bailey (basketball player), John Tesh (pianist), Lara Trump (TV producer), etc. Total Collections- 5.3+ million; 678 databases; 1,200,000 ebooks. |
| City Life | Clemson is located in Pickens and Anderson counties. The city, in large part, revolves around the presence of the University. In 2015, the Princeton Review named Clemson as #1 in the US for “town-and-gown” relations with its University. There are approximately 16,649 people living in Clemson. Clemson borders Lake Hartwell, one of the Southeast’s largest and most popular recreation lakes.art, revolves around the presence of the University. The median income in Clemson, SC is $39,241 and the median home value is $236,549. Living in Clemson offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents rent their homes. In Clemson there are a lot of bars and parks. Many young professionals live in Clemson and residents tend to be conservative. The public schools in Clemson are highly rated. | Raleigh, NC, offers a lot work opportunities in high-tech firms or start-ups offering jobs in technical, medical, and other careers. The variety of food and the delicacies offered is extraordinary and delicious. Apart from this, the city offers cheap accommodation, buzzing nightlife, mountains & beaches getaway, and more. The unemployment rate in May 2020 is 11.5%. |
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Clemson University vs. North Carolina State University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Clemson and NC State are both top-tier public research universities, with NC State typically performing better in world rankings. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, NC State is placed around 272th in the world, while Clemson falls in the 951–1000 band. Ranking-wise, NC State is #251–300 (Times Higher Education 2025), while Clemson is not in the top 600. Subject-wise, NC State is strong in Engineering (27th rank in US News 2025), Agriculture, and Computer Science, regularly appearing in the top 50–100 in the world. Clemson is also well-regarded in Engineering (77th US News 2024), especially in areas such as Automotive and Industrial Engineering, and is in the top 50% of 225 research themes.
General Information
NC State is the larger university, with a total enrollment of 37,323 versus Clemson's 28,747. NC State's campus in Raleigh, an urban setting, accommodates a wider array of academic offerings, including 84 undergraduate and 72 graduate programs. Clemson, situated in a small town, provides a more personalized campus experience with 55 undergraduate and 55 graduate programs, focusing on undergraduate education and selective graduate fields such as Engineering and Business.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Both admissions are competitive, with Clemson at 38.3% and NC State at 41.7%. NC State is slightly higher in SAT range (1300–1460 compared to Clemson's 1250–1400), but both have comparable ACT ranges (28–32). Both admissions take high school GPA, rank, and test scores (test-optional), with NC State having a higher yield rate (35.9% compared to Clemson's 20.7%). Clemson provides special routes such as the Bridge to Clemson program for South Carolina students, improving access for state students.
Research Impact & Facilities
Both institutions rank as Research Universities with very high research activity. Clemson has robust research production, leading in Engineering, Materials Science, and Biology, with a strong emphasis on undergraduate participation. NC State's research facilities are greater in number and capability, especially in Engineering, Agriculture, and Computer Science, with huge facilities such as the Centennial Campus to facilitate industry collaborations. Clemson's small-scale research facilities and old libraries support its undergraduate emphasis, whereas NC State's large graduate programs propel larger innovations.
Cost & Financial Aid
Clemson's in-state cost is $15,554 and out-of-state is $40,866, while NC State is cheaper at $8,799 in-state and $32,847 out-of-state. NC State provides less in terms of financial aid on average ($11,521 compared to Clemson's $12,634), but a lower percentage of students are provided aid (51% compared to Clemson's 75%). Both offer need-based and merit-based aid, with Clemson covering a greater percentage of demonstrated need for its students.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
NC State and Clemson alumni earn similar median incomes a decade after graduation, with NC State marginally higher at $57,200 versus Clemson's $57,100. Both institutions have excellent alumni networks with NC State being strong in the Engineering and Technology industries owing to its presence in the Research Triangle area. Clemson alumni perform well in Engineering, Business, and local industries with a prominent presence in the South Carolina economy. Both have excellent retention (93%) and robust career placement services, although NC State's urban location offers easier direct access to tech and industry centers.
