Syracuse University
About
Syracuse University is a private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920. Located in the city's University Hill neighborhood, east and southeast of downtown Syracuse, the large campus features an eclectic mix of architecture, ranging from nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival to contemporary buildings. Syracuse University is organized into 13 schools and colleges and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
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 3.0-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 258 Title IV programs, 76 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 181 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing76 · 29.5%
- No Data181 · 70.2%
- Failing1 · 0.4%
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 · 18
Action history · 20
- Aug 2024Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary WithdrawalAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
- Apr 2024Renewal of AccreditationAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
- Jan 2024Approved for Distance EducationAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIET) - Coordinated Program in Dietetics
- Jan 2024Approved for Distance EducationAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
- Jan 2024Approved for Distance EducationAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics
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, 3,212 students received $19.4M in Pell grants, alongside $154.0M 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 3,905 borrowers who entered repayment, 44 (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 Syracuse
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 · 11
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 campus59
- Non-campus10
- Public property6
Includes 25 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- National origin2
- Religion1
- Sexual orientation1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- South Campus 291 fireCookingDamage $1,000-$9,999
- Lawrinson1 fireOpen flamesDamage $0-$99
- Watson1 fireDamage $100-$999
Data quality: 3 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Syracuse vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Syracuse 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectSyracuse University | 84% | — | 22,589 | $41,026 | R1 Research |
Boston College | 91% | 16.4% | 15,432 | $39,866 | R1 Research |
Boston University | 89% | 11.1% | 37,737 | $26,996 | R1 Research |
Carnegie Mellon University | 94% | 11.7% | 15,888 | $31,671 | R1 Research |
Clemson University | 87% | 38.3% | 29,077 | $22,112 | R1 Research |
Drexel University | 78% | 79.4% | 21,153 | $38,428 | R1 Research |
George Washington University | 84% | 47.1% | 25,374 | $37,454 | R1 Research |
Georgetown University | 95% | 12.9% | 20,031 | $39,433 | R1 Research |
Northeastern University | 91% | 5.2% | 32,553 | $32,116 | R1 Research |
Stony Brook University | 76% | 49.0% | 26,689 | $18,430 | R1 Research |
Tufts University | 94% | 11.5% | 13,599 | $35,435 | R1 Research |
Tulane University of Louisiana | 86% | 14.0% | 13,310 | $43,939 | R1 Research |
University at Buffalo | 75% | 74.2% | 31,903 | $20,470 | R1 Research |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 83% | 59.7% | 31,726 | $23,691 | R1 Research |
University of Miami | 84% | 18.9% | 19,852 | $36,803 | R1 Research |
University of Notre Dame | 95% | 11.3% | 13,042 | $27,823 | R1 Research |
University of Rochester | 85% | 40.1% | 11,946 | $30,248 | R1 Research |
| Peer group median | 86% | 17.7% | 21,153 | $32,116 |
Syracuse Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Institutional Research team conducts research, provides analysis, and makes recommendations to inform policy and planning decisions around institutional priorities, particularly undergraduate student success.
Visit IR office page- Laura A. HarringtonDirector of Institutional Effectiveness
- Amy K. GardinerAssociate Director
- Amanda Johnson SanguilianoAssociate Director of Institutional Effectiveness
- Melissa LowryAssociate Director
- A’yla JamesAdministrative Assistant
- Fresenai AfeworkiAssessment Associate
- Patrick SchnobrichFunctional Business Analyst
- Nicole MenendezResearch Associate I
- Yunzhao (Rae) GaoResearch Associate I
- Julie HallData Analytics Project Specialist
- George PuthusseryFunctional Business Analyst
- Timothy H. WassermanAssistant Director
Reports & documents (3)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardivmf.syracuse.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookFacts and Figures - Syracuse University2024Syracuse University is a private research institution established in 1870, located in Central New York. It offers over 200 majors, minors, and 200 advanced degree programs. The university is known for its strong academic and research programs, as well as a vibrant campus life. Key metrics include a total enrollment of over 22,000 students, a student to faculty ratio of 15:1, and a significant portion of students receiving financial support. Syracuse is noted for its top-ranked programs in public relations, public affairs, and broadcast journalism, among others. It is also recognized for its commitment to veterans and military-connected students.syracuse.edu
Notable alumni of Syracuse (29)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Joe BidenLaw and public service
- Joyce Carol OatesArts and letters
- Aaron SorkinEntertainment and performing arts
- Jim BrownSports
- Vanessa WilliamsEntertainment and performing arts
- Donald NewhouseMedia and communications
- Dave BingSports
- Vera FarmigaEntertainment and performing arts
- Lou ReedEntertainment and performing arts
- Shirley JacksonArts and letters
- Jim BoeheimSports
- Michael CrowEducation
Frequently asked questions about Syracuse University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Syracuse.
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