Acceptance Rate
54%
Avg. SAT
1420
75th percentile
“In New York's remote North Country, St. Lawrence forges resilient bonds between students, snowy wilderness, and intimate seminars amid the world's longest river.”
Canton, NY
Location
Town
Campus Setting
St. Lawrence University traces its roots to 1856, when Episcopal leaders founded it in Canton as a seminary that quickly evolved into one of America's earliest coeducational liberal arts colleges, admitting women alongside men from nearly the start. You'll thrive here if you're the type who embraces bone-chilling winters as a feature, not a bug—outdoorsy adventurers who ski the Adirondacks, skate the frozen St. Lawrence River, and build deep friendships in a tight-knit community of just over 2,300 undergrads. The school's personality radiates unpretentious grit: think flannel-clad professors leading field trips through 1,000 acres of university-owned woods, fostering a collaborative spirit where collaboration trumps competition. Canton, a speck of a town (pop. 6,500) hugged by forests and farmland, delivers stunning natural beauty but demands tradeoffs—no urban buzz, limited nightlife, and isolation that tests your self-reliance, especially during blizzards that bury the campus.
Photo Gallery
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
You'll dive into discussion-heavy seminars where your 11:1 student-faculty ratio means professors know your name and push you to connect geology fieldwork on the seaway with climate policy debates. Standouts include environmental studies, leveraging the North Country's rivers and forests for hands-on research at the Adirondack Field Station, alongside neuroscience and performance & communication arts that blend theater with tech innovation. Research opportunities abound early—half of juniors snag funded summer projects—but expect a broad liberal arts core that might frustrate hyper-specialized STEM seekers compared to bigger research universities.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
1,949 undergrad • 42 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
77%
Black / African American
2%
Hispanic / Latino
5%
Asian
2%
Other / Multi-racial
14%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Canton, NY
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week blends crisp morning classes with afternoons hitting the trails for Nordic skiing or joining 120 clubs, from ultimate frisbee to the Outing Club's weekend cabin trips. Residential life clusters you in cozy halls where 98% of students live on campus, fueling traditions like the raucous Winter Carnival with its massive ice sculptures and chariot races, or the universal "skating tradition" where everyone masters blades on the outdoor rink. The vibe skews wholesome and inclusive—think bonfire study breaks over frat-house ragers—with Division III hockey games packing the historic arena as social glue. Challenges hit hard in the brutal winters (sub-zero temps for months) and social dynamics that favor extroverted joiners over lone wolves, but the payoff is lifelong loyalty in a place where strangers become family.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Liberty League
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
Yes
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$13,108
$30K – $48K
$13,358
$48K – $75K
$21,150
$75K – $110K
$25,295
$110K+
$38,461
Apply for Financial Aid
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Costs shown are before financial aid. Most students receive some form of aid. Complete the FAFSA to see what you qualify for.
Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
91%
4 Years Graduation Rate
80%
6 Years Graduation Rate
85%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$67,258
91% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at St. Lawrence University and return in the fall. 80% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 85% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
80%
4-6 years
5%
Non-grad
15%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$61,600
Acceptance
54%
Undergrads
1,949
4-Year Grad Rate
80%
Endowment
$392M
Canton, NY 13617
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