History
Ranked as the 24th best national public university by U.S.News & World Report, Clemson is a science- and engineering-oriented college dedicated to teaching, research and service. Founded in 1889, we remain committed both to world-class research and a high quality of life. In fact, 92 percent of our seniors say they’d pick Clemson again if they had it to do over.
Education
One of the country’s most selective public research universities, Clemson University serves a uniquely driven and highly accomplished student body.
A top public university with a reputation for excellence that's known worldwide, Clemson University leads the way in providing a hands-on education — in the lab, in the arts and in the field. Academic programs lay the groundwork for innovative research at this South Carolina university. With more than 80 undergraduate majors and 110 graduate degree programs, there are plenty of opportunities and career paths to choose from.
Research
With an emphasis on research and economic development, Clemson is strongly focused on collaboration and encouraging faculty, students and economic partners to embrace and pursue bold ideas. Teaching, research and outreach are driving development and improving the quality of life in South Carolina and beyond.
Career
The Center for Career and Professional Development was created through the merger of the Cooperative Education Program and The Michelin Career Center. In addition, the UPIC Program was created to manage and facilitate our extensive on-campus internship and cooperative education program. The career center offers many unique services, such as career workshops, on-campus interviewing, experiential education opportunities (co-op program and internship programs), and others.
Student services
When becoming a full-time student at Clemson University students will probably encounter some new technical terms and procedures. To help with them this process, the CCIT Customer Support Center has compiled this summary of some of the things they need to know.
- Usernames and Passwords, XID numbers, and PINs
- Laptops
- More Information and Contacts
Housing services
Our Living-Learning Communities enhance your college experience by promoting academic success in your residential area. These programs provide experiences that extend from the classroom to the surrounding community.
Clemson has everything you need for academic success. When it’s time to study, your personal library awaits and the Academic Success Center is there to meet all your academic needs. And your GPA is in good hands – a recent study shows that Clemson students living on campus have significantly higher GPAs than students who live off campus.
Library services
The Clemson University Libraries serve as the portal to scholarly information and discovery. With electronic access to thousands of journals and books, growing digital media collections, printed materials, maps and audio/visual recordings, the library provides access to collections that support research, innovation and learning.
ICT services
Clemson University offers on-campus internet connectivity to all faculty and staff. In addition, guest visiting Clemson can gain access to the internet via Clemson Guest network or Eduroam.
Internet connectivity is provide to all users when on campus. However, registration of all devices accessing Clemson network must be go through the 'NetReg" process.Medical services
The Bureau of Emergency Medical Services provides comprehensive Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service to the campus of Clemson University. Service is also provided to the surrounding community through mutual aid when requested. Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians provide 24 hour a day, year round response, assessment, treatment and transportation services.
Campus life
When students live on campus, the entire campus is their home away from home. The best part is, they don’t have to leave Clemson Home to experience some of the best things Clemson University has to offer.The backyard is where the Tigers play. Whether it’s Death Valley, Littlejohn Coliseum, Doug Kingsmore Stadium or the Walker Golf Course, there’s always something exciting going on in backyard.
Sports facilities
Originally built in 1930 as the Clemson Field House, Swann Fitness Center is the main fitness building on Clemson's campus.
Student clubs
There are plenty of student organizations in different domains:
- Club Sports Program
- Campus Wide Programming
- Creative/Performing Arts
- Cultural/International
- Governing
- Honorary
- Media
- Political Activism
Accreditation
Clemson University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the bachelors, masters, education specialist and doctoral degrees.
Clemson University Overview
Clemson University Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 10.1% United States
Top 9.1% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
601
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Climbed 100 places compared to 2024
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 601 | 701 | 601 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
676
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 27 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 693 | 703 | 676 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
951
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 851 | 951 | 951 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Clemson University Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
United States Country
Clemson City
Clemson University Student Reviews & Awards
4
Based on 9 reviews
- 5 Star 2 Reviews
- 4 Star 6 Reviews
- 3 Star 0 Reviews
- 2 Star 1 Review
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
Felt more like a community than a campus
The university was more like a community than just a place to go to school. In general, the faculty and staff clearly cared about the experiences and well-being of their students. The university wants students to feel they are safe both emotionally and physically and provides opportunities for students to get engaged within campus activities.
No title
This institution offers a vibrant academic community with state-of-the-art amenities. Faculty members are renowned for their expertise and mentorship, guiding students towards success. The campus features modern facilities and diverse accommodation options, fostering a supportive environment for learning and personal growth.
Clemson University
I had a pretty good experience at Clemson University. The first year was a struggle, but when I started taking classes based on my major in the second year, things got much better. All the professors I wanted really wanted everyone to do well in class. The campus is beautiful, Clemson offers many programs and opportunities for all students to further their education and help grow as a person. Clemson University students and staff are always very kind and everyone is willing to help everyone, no matter the circumstances. At Clemson University, there are endless clubs to join, ranging from Greek life to scuba diving to student government. Overall it's a very happy campus where whatever your interests and preferences are, there are always people to talk to and ways to participate in the community.
Studied here? Share your experience