Roberts Wesleyan University

Private · Moderately Selective · NY

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads1,149

Student:faculty7:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate57.5%

6-yr grad rate66.7%

Drop-out rate16.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$39k

Out-of-state tuition$39k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity35.1%

Gender diversity66.1%

International3.3%

IdentityFree Methodist

Overview

Roberts Wesleyan University, in Chili just outside Rochester, is a Christian university rooted in the Free Methodist Church — the denomination's first educational institution. It blends evangelical faith commitments with practical professional training, drawing students toward careers in nursing, teaching, and social services. The campus is small enough that faculty know students by name, and religious life is woven into the curriculum rather than kept separate from it.

Academics

Nursing is the best-known program, with clinical placements that draw on Rochester's hospital systems, and the university also has respected education and social work departments that place graduates in regional schools and agencies. Class sizes are small, and professional programs emphasize supervised fieldwork alongside classroom instruction. The core curriculum incorporates biblical and theological study regardless of major.

Campus & student life

The campus is suburban and compact, a short drive from downtown Rochester for internships, entertainment, and off-campus jobs. Chapel services and campus ministry programming are part of the regular schedule, and student life reflects the university's Wesleyan-holiness heritage — expectations around conduct and community life are more explicit than at a secular college of similar size.

Worth knowing

The Free Methodist affiliation shapes daily life, from chapel expectations to a lifestyle covenant many students sign. The university functions as a smaller, faith-centered alternative to Rochester's larger secular institutions, appealing especially to students who want their religious commitments reinforced rather than set aside during college.

roberts.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate70.6%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 990–1305

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying