Admit rate has ranged 42%–63% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
St. Lawrence University is a small, tight-knit liberal arts college in upstate New York where students embrace both academic rigor and outdoor adventure. With a 54% acceptance rate and a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, SLU fosters a community where 99% of students live on campus and alumni networks are famously loyal. Its location near the Adirondacks means hiking boots are as common as textbooks.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
1,918
In-state tuition
$65,900
Out-of-state tuition
$65,900
Location
Canton, NY
Notable Fact
#1 Alumni Network (Princeton Review)
Campus Housing
99% live on-campus
Acceptance Rate
54%
6-Year Grad Rate
79%
Avg Financial Aid Package
$59,478
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$67,258
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.3×
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
79%
First-year retention
91%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
85%
Pell (lower-income) share
38%
First-generation share
13%
Endowment / student
$217,327
Financial health
2.4 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Economics$48,600
Business/Commerce, General$47,846
Mathematics$42,682
Communication and Media Studies$39,729
Political Science and Government$36,490
History$36,134
International/Globalization Studies
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
5
Per 1,000 students
2.61
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
85
Summer high
78°F
Winter low
15°F
Annual rain
47.2"
Annual snow
53.3"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Low
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
101
Scholarly works
2,187
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
2.1%
Bottom → top quintile
34%
From bottom quintile
6%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at St Lawrence University?
St Lawrence University's acceptance rate is approximately 54% (Canton, NY), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for St Lawrence University?
Admitted students at St Lawrence University typically score 1255–1420 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does St Lawrence University cost?
At St Lawrence University, the average net price (after aid) is about $28,651 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend St Lawrence University?
St Lawrence University enrolls approximately 1,918 undergraduate students.
Where is St Lawrence University located?
St Lawrence University is located in Canton, NY.
Admissions
St. Lawrence maintains a moderately selective admissions process with a 54% acceptance rate (sources vary slightly between 42-54%). The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1285–1385 on the SAT or 30–33 on the ACT. Applications are due February 1 for regular decision. Notably, 57.2% of students receive financial aid, with average aid packages totaling $59,478—a significant draw for this private institution where the sticker price exceeds $67k.
SLU offers 47 majors and 41 minors, with particularly strong programs in the and . The curriculum encourages interdisciplinary combinations like anthropology-African studies, reflecting a philosophy of collaborative learning. Students describe the environment as with small class sizes (the CDS reports 60% of classes have fewer than 20 students). Over half of students study abroad, leveraging SLU’s own programs in Kenya, London, and elsewhere.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$35,060
Social Sciences, Other$33,459
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
This is a residential campus through and through—99% of students live on campus, creating an intense community vibe. Traditions like the annual Winter Carnival (a must in snowy Canton) and Outing Club trips to the Adirondacks define the experience. The Instagram feed (#StLawrenceU) showcases everything from hockey games (Division I Saints) to activism events. Students praise the ‘passionate’ club scene, with 100+ organizations ranging from a cappella groups to sustainability coalitions.
SLU’s 6-year graduation rate is 79% (well above the 64% national average for private colleges), with 68% finishing in four years. Alumni earn $66,273 mid-career (per College Scorecard), outperforming typical liberal arts grads. The university emphasizes that 94% of graduates are employed or in grad school within a year—though some Quora posters note the strong alumni network is key for job placements in competitive fields.
The sticker price is steep ($67,427/year), but the average student pays $36,175 after aid. SLU meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students, with 57% receiving aid packages averaging nearly $60k. The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. Calculator shows families earning under $40k may pay as little as $5,500 annually. Merit scholarships are competitive but substantial—a necessity given Canton’s limited off-campus work opportunities.
SLU’s magic lies in its ‘small college, big outdoors’ ethos. Where else can you debate political theory in a 19th-century lecture hall by day and summit Adirondack peaks by weekend? The alumni network—ranked #1 nationally by The Princeton Review—opens doors from Wall Street to National Geographic. It’s not for everyone (winters are brutal, and the nearest city is Ottawa), but for students craving close mentorship and a tight community, it’s a powerhouse.
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