Syracuse University

Private · Selective · NY

Photo: John Marino (CC BY 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads15,477

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate72.6%

6-yr grad rate83.6%

Drop-out rate9.9%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$66k

Out-of-state tuition$66k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity43.5%

Gender diversity55.8%

International9.1%

Identity—

Overview

Syracuse is a private research university on a hilltop in central New York, best known nationally for the Newhouse School of Public Communications, one of the country's leading journalism and media schools with a reputation that draws students from across the country specifically for it. It also carries respected programs in business, architecture, and information studies, and its identity blends a spirited, close-knit student culture with famously snowy winters that become a defining part of the college experience itself.

Academics

Newhouse is the standout program, with strong alumni placement across journalism, broadcasting, sports media, and public relations, and the school's production facilities and industry connections give students hands-on experience and internship access that few communications programs elsewhere can match. Architecture and information studies are also well regarded, the latter benefiting from Syracuse's early and sustained investment in library and information science as a field. The College of Visual and Performing Arts, including its drama and music programs, has a strong reputation of its own. The university offers both large research-oriented departments in the arts and sciences and smaller, more specialized professional schools, giving students real choice in the kind of undergraduate experience they want.

Campus & student life

Syracuse's hilltop campus has a close-knit, spirited feel, with the JMA Wireless Dome serving as the hub for football and basketball games that draw large, enthusiastic crowds, especially for a basketball program with a long history of deep NCAA tournament runs. Winters are genuinely snowy, often dramatically so, and are a defining part of the student experience rather than an occasional inconvenience, shaping everything from footwear choices to how students socialize indoors. The city of Syracuse offers a modest urban complement to campus life, though it is not the primary draw of attending.

Getting in

Syracuse's process is holistic, and students applying to specialized schools like Newhouse, the architecture program, or the College of Visual and Performing Arts often face additional portfolio, audition, or supplemental requirements beyond the general application. Demonstrated interest and a clear sense of program fit matter more here than at large public flagships, since the university's identity is built substantially around its distinct professional schools.

After graduation

Newhouse graduates have an unusually strong pipeline into national media, broadcasting, and sports journalism careers, and the alumni network is particularly visible and active in those fields, often serving as a direct source of internships and job leads for current students. Business and architecture graduates also place well regionally and nationally, and the university's overall alumni network is large and geographically spread across major media and business markets.

Worth knowing

Prospective students should know that Syracuse's winters are a real part of daily life, not an exaggeration, and that the university's strength in specific professional schools like Newhouse makes program choice unusually consequential for the overall experience. Students who enroll in the arts and sciences without a clear program focus may find the university's identity feels less singular than it does for students in one of the named schools.

syracuse.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate45.9%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1270–1440 · ACT 29–32

Test policyoptional

Rec letters2

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 1

Early decisionNov 1

Regular decisionJan 5

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Coalition (Scoir).

Early decision IIJan 5

Early Decision I and II are binding commitments to enroll if admitted, while Early Action is non-binding and shares the November 1 deadline with Early Decision I.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗