About
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is a small college located in Syracuse, New York, with a focus on the study of the environment and the development of renewable technologies. The institution has a student body of over 2,000 scholars and is known for addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainability.
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 15.4-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 48 Title IV programs, 8 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 40 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing8 · 16.7%
- No Data40 · 83.3%
- 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.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Action history · 4
- Jun 2024Accreditation Reaffirmed: Warning RemovedMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Jun 2023Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: WarningMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Jun 2022Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Nov 2017Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
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, 578 students received $3.4M in Pell grants, alongside $8.2M 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 448 borrowers who entered repayment, 4 (0.8%) 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 ESF
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 · 7
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 campus3
Includes 2 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.
ESF vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions ESF 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectSUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | 66% | — | 2,757 | $18,952 | R2 Research |
| 82% | 38.6% | 18,816 | $21,620 | R1 Research | |
| 82% | 60.7% | 8,044 | $28,690 | R1 Research | |
| 68% | 92.4% | 7,403 | $14,182 | R2 Research | |
| 76% | 49.0% | 26,689 | $18,784 | R1 Research | |
| 55% | 81.3% | 2,733 | $14,164 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 58% | 76.1% | 10,511 | $14,246 | R2 Research | |
| 49% | 95.9% | 10,811 | $16,784 | R1 Research | |
| 61% | 69.1% | 17,560 | $17,167 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 74.2% | 31,903 | $20,995 | R1 Research | |
| 55% | 96.6% | 12,029 | $17,510 | R1 Research | |
| 83% | 59.7% | 31,726 | $22,383 | R1 Research | |
| 76% | 88.2% | 13,554 | $23,805 | R1 Research | |
| 79% | 65.3% | 14,476 | $19,343 | R2 Research | |
| 57% | 92.5% | 28,904 | $14,936 | R1 Research | |
| Peer group median | 68% | 75.2% | 13,554 | $18,784 |
Institutions like ESF
Explore the federal data for institutions in ESF's comparison group.
- R1 ResearchNew York
Binghamton University
Grad rate82%Admit rate38.6%Enrollment18,816Net price$21,620View data - R1 ResearchColorado
Colorado School of Mines
Grad rate82%Admit rate60.7%Enrollment8,044Net price$28,690View data - R2 ResearchMichigan
Michigan Technological University
Grad rate68%Admit rate92.4%Enrollment7,403Net price$14,182View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Stony Brook University
Grad rate76%Admit rate49.0%Enrollment26,689Net price$18,784View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsNew York
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Grad rate55%Admit rate81.3%Enrollment2,733Net price$14,164View data - R2 ResearchTennessee
Tennessee Technological University
Grad rate58%Admit rate76.1%Enrollment10,511Net price$14,246View data - R1 ResearchMontana
The University of Montana
Grad rate49%Admit rate95.9%Enrollment10,811Net price$16,784View data - R1 ResearchNew York
University at Albany
Grad rate61%Admit rate69.1%Enrollment17,560Net price$17,167View data - R1 ResearchNew York
University at Buffalo
Grad rate75%Admit rate74.2%Enrollment31,903Net price$20,995View data - R1 ResearchMaine
University of Maine
Grad rate55%Admit rate96.6%Enrollment12,029Net price$17,510View data - R1 ResearchMassachusetts
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Grad rate83%Admit rate59.7%Enrollment31,726Net price$22,383View data - R1 ResearchNew Hampshire
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Grad rate76%Admit rate88.2%Enrollment13,554Net price$23,805View data - R2 ResearchVermont
University of Vermont
Grad rate79%Admit rate65.3%Enrollment14,476Net price$19,343View data - R1 ResearchUtah
Utah State University
Grad rate57%Admit rate92.5%Enrollment28,904Net price$14,936View data
ESF Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research supports a collaborative effort among the campus community to maintain a drive for continuous improvement and provide a solid framework of data-based decision making that supports strategic planning and student success initiatives.
Visit IR office page- Jeremy HallInstitutional Research and Assessment Coordinator
Common Data Set
ESF's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Affordability & Value
Cost of attendance
GTotal sticker cost of attendance is $25,059 (2019-2020).
Sticker vs. net price
G+HSticker $25,059 → about $17,549 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($7,510); 70% of demonstrated need is met.
Where grant aid comes from
H144% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.
Graduate debt
H4/H568% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $26,679 on average.
Outcomes & Equity
Graduation & retention
B6-year graduation rate 74%; first-year retention 78%.
Equity: Pell graduation gap
B4Pell-grant recipients graduate 17 pts below the overall rate (57% vs 74%).
Academic Experience
Class-size distribution
I344% of classes have under 20 students; 10% have 50+.
Faculty profile
IKey faculty indicators.
Student Body & Diversity
Undergraduate race/ethnicity
B2Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.
International students
B23% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).
Undergrad vs graduate
B11,861 undergraduates and 395 graduate students.
Transfer Path
Transfer admissions
D1832 transfer applicants → 365 admitted (43.9%) → 248 enrolled
Source publications
Reports & documents (5)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionData GovernanceThe data governance framework at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry promotes cross-functional collaboration to enhance the institution's data infrastructure. It aims to maintain data integrity, security, and accessibility by establishing clear principles and guidelines. The Data Governance Committee, led by the Chief Information Data Officer, reviews and manages policies, ensuring data use is balanced with accessibility, usability, and security. Policies and guidelines encompass a variety of key areas, including roles, data element definitions, and sensitive information. The institution values transparency and documentation as part of its data strategy to support its strategic goals.esf.edu
- Data dictionaryData Governance2026Data Governance at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry facilitates cross-unit collaboration to enhance institutional data infrastructure by establishing data principles and guidelines. The governance framework ensures data integrity, security, and accessibility while balancing the need for accessibility and usability. The Data Governance Committee regularly reviews policies and procedures, overseeing data management to support ESF's strategic goals.esf.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookInstitutional Data2018This webpage from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry provides access to various institutional data, including the ESF Common Data Set for the years 2016-17 to 2018-19. The Institutional Research and Assessment office is responsible for this data. The page offers links to additional information such as consumer information, accreditation, and program reviews.esf.edu
- Strategic planSUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Strategic Plan2026In 2022, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry initiated a comprehensive strategic planning initiative to evaluate and update the College’s mission and goals. The plan serves as a roadmap for the next five years, setting goals, devising strategies, identifying metrics, and planning for contingencies. The strategic plan's structure includes overarching principles, with each pillar containing two themes, and each theme encompassing multiple goals.esf.edu
Frequently asked questions about SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about ESF.
What is the graduation rate at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry?
How many students attend SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry?
What is the average net price at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry?
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Who runs Institutional Research at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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