Suffolk University

Private · Moderately Selective · MA

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationMA · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads4,268

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate48.8%

6-yr grad rate60.9%

Drop-out rate24.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$48k

Out-of-state tuition$48k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity50.6%

Gender diversity64.3%

International11.9%

Identity—

Overview

Suffolk University sits in the middle of downtown Boston, a short walk from the State House, and has built its identity around using the city itself as an extension of the classroom. Internships, co-ops, and evening class options are woven into much of the undergraduate curriculum rather than treated as optional extras.

Academics

The Sawyer Business School is the university's largest undergraduate draw, with business, finance, and related programs benefiting directly from proximity to Boston's financial and corporate sectors. Government and legal studies are also well established, feeding into one of the region's larger law schools, and political science students benefit from genuine walking-distance access to Massachusetts state government.

Campus & student life

Suffolk has no traditional quad or enclosed campus; its buildings are scattered through downtown Boston blocks, so student life is urban by necessity rather than residential-campus-centered. Students looking for internships, part-time work, or simply access to a major city during college tend to be drawn to this arrangement specifically.

Getting in

Suffolk's application process is fairly standard for a mid-size private university, with less emphasis on extensive extracurricular record than at more selective private schools, and demonstrated interest in the university's urban, career-focused identity often factors into essays.

Worth knowing

The lack of a conventional enclosed campus is a real trade-off: students gain constant access to Boston internships and city life but should not expect the quad-and-dorm experience of a traditional residential college.

suffolk.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate82.3%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1090–1300 · ACT 24–28

Test policyoptional

Rec letters1

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 15

Regular decisionFeb 15

Applying