Niagara University
About
Niagara University (NU) is a private Catholic university in Lewiston, New York, United States. Based in the Vincentian tradition, it is run by the Congregation of the Mission and enrolls approximately 3,700 students. Approximately half of the student body lives on campus, while the other half commute from the surrounding area. The campus area was listed as a census-designated place in 2020, with a population of 940.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 13.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 67 Title IV programs, 9 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 58 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing9 · 13.4%
- No Data58 · 86.6%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Programmatic accreditations · 3
Action history · 4
- Apr 2023Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
- Jun 2021Grant Substantive Change: OtherMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Jun 2017Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Oct 2012Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 823 students received $4.7M in Pell grants, alongside $16.0M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 903 borrowers who entered repayment, 10 (1.1%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Niagara
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 13
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus4
Includes 4 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Niagara vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Niagara selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectNiagara University | 75% | — | 4,033 | $18,740 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Bryant University | 80% | 65.5% | 3,636 | $40,846 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Canisius University | 66% | 72.4% | 2,451 | $18,322 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Daemen University | 59% | 68.3% | 2,540 | $18,244 | Doctoral/Professional |
Fairfield University | 84% | 33.3% | 6,864 | $46,274 | Doctoral/Professional |
Ithaca College | 76% | 69.0% | 4,767 | $32,965 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
La Salle University | 58% | 96.6% | 3,153 | $21,409 | Doctoral/Professional |
Le Moyne College | 73% | 83.0% | 3,091 | $21,547 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Loyola University Maryland | 79% | 75.5% | 4,897 | $29,633 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Nazareth University | 73% | 74.7% | 2,401 | $30,521 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Quinnipiac University | 76% | 72.2% | 9,424 | $39,207 | Doctoral/Professional |
Rider University | 61% | 78.6% | 4,003 | $25,287 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | 69% | 41.2% | 1,439 | $37,208 | — |
St Bonaventure University | 67% | 81.6% | 2,752 | $27,151 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
St. John Fisher University | 74% | 66.4% | 3,693 | $28,150 | Doctoral/Professional |
| Peer group median | 73% | 72.3% | 3,636 | $28,150 |
Niagara Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment serves as a strategic partner across the university, transforming data into meaningful information that advances strategic decision-making, sustainable quality improvement, and renewal at all levels of the institution.
Visit IR office page- Dr. Vennessa WalkerExecutive Dir of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment
- Dr. Vennessa WalkerExecutive Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment
- Jillian BaillieExecutive Assistant General Counsel, and Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic plan2018-2025 Strategic PlanNiagara University's 2018-2025 Strategic Plan aims to enhance its regional, national, and international standing through a focus on academic excellence, diversified and inclusive student experiences, mission-driven civic engagement, and fiscal sustainability. The plan outlines objectives to elevate the university's academic programs, improve facilities and student support services, and expand its presence as a bi-national institution in Ontario, Canada. By fostering global citizenship and strengthening its financial future through innovative partnerships, Niagara University seeks to maximize its impact on students and the wider community.niagara.edu
Notable alumni of Niagara (30)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Elsa Salazar CadeAcademics
- Teresa J. DomzalAcademics
- Dennis HoltschneiderAcademics
- David M. O'ConnellAcademics
- Patrick CowleyArts and entertainment
- Eric GaleArts and entertainment
- Jim HuttonArts and entertainment
- Peter MakuckArts and entertainment
- Becky O'DonohueArts and entertainment
- Jessie O'DonohueArts and entertainment
- Michele RagusaArts and entertainment
- Alfred F. BeiterGovernment
Frequently asked questions about Niagara University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Niagara.
What is the graduation rate at Niagara University?
How many students attend Niagara University?
What is the average net price at Niagara University?
What is the yield rate at Niagara University?
Where is Niagara University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Niagara University?
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