Let’s walk through it together, using the numbers that St Lawrence University reported to the federal government. Without selling you anything and without scaring you about anything. Just so that when you finish reading, you understand this part of the map well enough to decide whether it deserves a place on your child’s list.
What kind of school it is, and where it stands
St Lawrence University is a private, nonprofit, four-year baccalaureate college focused on arts and sciences. The system that classifies colleges in this country places it in the group of small, highly residential schools: at least half of its undergraduate students lived in institution-owned housing, and at least 8 out of every 10 attended full time. In the same system, it appears in the more selective admissions group. We will return to that word, “selective,” with specific numbers later, because the label alone does not tell you how many out of every hundred applicants get in. You will see that in the admissions section.
The school also reports offering master’s degrees, although most of what it does is at the bachelor’s level. That does not mean your child’s major has a connected undergraduate-to-graduate pathway within the same school. If that matters to you, ask about it directly.
One thing worth clarifying right away: St Lawrence University does not have any of three specific designations that exist in this country—it is not a historically Black college or university, it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this federal directory, 138 do have at least one of those three designations. The fact that St Lawrence does not have them says nothing about whom it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers and student organizations exist today, and better yet, talk with someone who already studies there.
Where exactly is it? In Canton, New York, in St. Lawrence County. The area around the campus is a remote town, not an urban area. If your family does not live nearby, this has a practical consequence that is not optional: you need to calculate separately where your child would live, how they would get to campus, and how often they could return home. This article does not do that calculation. Your family does.
A small community, and one figure worth stopping to examine
St Lawrence University had 2,089 enrolled students in the most recent official count. Of those, 2,060 were undergraduates and only 29 were graduate students. Above all, it is a bachelor’s-degree school. Compared with 941 similar selective, private, four-year schools, its size falls right in the middle: neither among the large schools nor among the small ones.
Among men and women, undergraduate enrollment is almost evenly divided—55 out of every 100 are women. Most first-time students, 36 out of every 100 with reported residence in New York, come from out of state. It is a community with more people from elsewhere than from the region.
And here is the figure I want you to look at directly, without embellishment: among undergraduate students, 5 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority. Compared with 941 similar selective private schools that report this figure, St Lawrence ranks in the bottom quarter—three out of every four schools in that group reported a higher proportion of Latino students.
I am not telling you this makes it a bad school. I am not telling you to ignore it either. I am telling you what it is: if your child will be one of the few, it is worth asking during the visit what Latino student group exists, whether there is a cultural center, and whether anyone in the admissions or student life office speaks Spanish. That number describes the entire school. Your child’s experience, within their major and their circle, may look different—but you confirm that by talking with people, not by reading a table.
How the academic year works and how broad the offerings are
The calendar follows semesters—two long terms of about 15 weeks. St Lawrence accepts credit for AP exams, but it did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience. Saying that it accepts AP does not mean it grants credit for every exam: we do not know what score it requires or whether those credits will count toward your child’s specific major. Request that in writing, with the transfer-credit evaluation in hand, before enrolling.
As for what students study: in the most recent reported year, the school awarded 538 bachelor’s degrees across 18 fields of study. The largest was social sciences, with 26 out of every 100 degrees—no other field surpassed it, but it does not account for the bulk either. The offerings are broad and distributed, rather than built around a single dominant major. Eighteen fields represented in the report do not mean exactly eighteen majors; each field groups multiple programs. If your child already knows what they want to study, verify the specific program, not just the general area.
Regarding the relationship between students and faculty: the official ratio is 11 students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with similar schools, it falls below the midpoint—a relatively low ratio. But be careful about what this does not say: this figure does not measure the actual size of first-year classes, and we do not know what method the school used to calculate it. It is an aggregate figure, useful as a reference, not a promise of individualized attention.
The institution also reports two structured academic opportunities: study abroad and cocurricular undergraduate research.
Admissions: not a sure thing, and not a lottery either
This is where many families feel the most anxiety, so let’s take it slowly and use exact numbers.
St Lawrence University does not have open admissions. It reviews application components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marks five as required: high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum the university requires, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and an English proficiency exam when applicable. It also considers, though it does not require, the complete high school record, class rank, a portfolio or competency exam, and work experience.
Put simply: gathering paperwork is not enough here. The essay is required, so your child has to write—and should start during the summer, not the week of the deadline. The first draft is never the one that gets submitted.
One practical and welcome fact: the published undergraduate application fee is $0.
And how selective is it really? In the most recent cycle, 5,367 students applied for first-year admission. Of those, 3,138 received an offer of admission. That is 58 out of every 100.
| Out of every 100 applicants | |
|---|---|
| Received an offer of admission | 58 |
| Did not receive an offer | 42 |
Compared with 942 similar selective private schools, St Lawrence is on the more demanding side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, accept a higher percentage of their applicants. It is not a sure thing. It is not an impossible lottery either. The application is genuinely reviewed, and the essay carries weight.
Now, here is a distinction that changes how you should read everything above: being admitted is not the same as enrolling. Out of every 100 students St Lawrence admitted, only 17 ultimately enrolled. The other 83 had a place there and did not take it. Compared with similar schools, this figure falls right in the middle—it is not unusual; it is typical for this group of universities.
Do not read this as a mark against the school. The fact that most admitted students did not enroll does not mean the school is bad; the federal record does not explain why each person chose what they chose. What I am telling you is this: what others decided does not tell you what the school will offer your child. Wait for the letter showing the net price—that is what the year will actually cost—and, with that number in hand, decide whether this school stays on the list.
Regarding standardized tests: St Lawrence is test-optional. The SAT and ACT are not required; if submitted, they are considered. Among the students who enrolled, 19 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores, and among them the middle half scored between 630 and 710 in reading and writing, and between 625 and 700 in mathematics. Those ranges are for students who enrolled and submitted scores—not all applicants, and they do not prove that the score determined anything. That 630 is not a minimum. That 710 guarantees nothing.
Regarding transfers: among a cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 15 out of every 100 transferred without finishing there and enrolled at another school. Changing universities is not failing. It is still wise for your child to know in advance how to request the records needed to leave, should that ever become necessary.
The list price: $82,000, and what really matters
For the most recent academic year, St Lawrence University reported a total cost of attendance of $82,000 for first-time, full-time students living on campus. This figure is the same for New York residents and out-of-state students—there is no residency discount here.
Broken down: $63,870 for tuition and fees, $16,480 for housing and food, and $750 for books and materials. The rest is an estimate of other expenses—transportation, laundry, and things like that.
Compared with 888 similar schools, this cost of attendance is among the highest in the group.
Take a breath. This figure is the list price, not your family’s bill. Before ruling out the school because of this number, or accepting it without further thought, complete the FAFSA and request the financial aid letter in writing. Until you have it in hand, you do not know how much it will actually cost your family.
The net price: this is where the number becomes yours
At St Lawrence University, among 30 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $12,250. Among 41 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $21,671; among 160 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $40,029. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $27,779 between the average for the lowest-income band (30 students) and the average for the highest-income band (160 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $36,175.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, St Lawrence falls in the least expensive quarter for the lowest-income families, after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a figure that matters when you put together the list of schools to apply to.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial aid letter sent to you is what governs.
How it is paid for: grants, loans, and what each means
The news here is mostly good—with one clear limitation that needs to be stated directly.
97 out of every 100 degree-seeking students at St Lawrence receive some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something is the norm here, not the exception. Among those who receive it, the average was $44,044 for the year. That average is not your offer—it includes people who received much more and people who received much less. When your child’s letter arrives, what matters is how much your family would have to pay out of pocket, not the size of the “discount.”
The federal Pell Grant, for low-income families, went to 21 out of every 100 students.
Now for the part that needs to be said without softening it: 55 out of every 100 St Lawrence undergraduate students received a federal student loan. Financing an education with debt is common here, not the exception. Among those who borrowed, the average amount each received that year was $6,150. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years, the total would be around $24,600—before interest, and not counting anything parents might borrow separately through Parent PLUS loans, which this figure does not include.
That calculation should be made before the first signature, not at the end. And that figure of 55 out of every 100 refers to other families in other years, not yours. The amount your child would need to borrow comes from their own financial aid letter. Wait for it before ruling out the school and before committing to it.
The institution also offers a prepaid tuition plan and an installment payment plan for those who prefer to organize the cost differently.
Campus life: housing, athletics, the library, and support services
St Lawrence has institution-controlled housing with a reported capacity of 2,362 students. It does not require all first-time students to live there—but that does not mean no program has such a requirement. It also offers meal plans with a fixed number of meals per week in the largest plan. Before removing room and board from the budget on the assumption that your child will live off campus, request the exact rule for their program and year in writing, along with whether they are guaranteed a place or placed on a waiting list.
ROTC opportunities are available in two branches: Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked. Being marked does not mean the program is taught on this specific campus—ask about it by name before building a plan around it.
St Lawrence competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. The membership belongs to the school, not to your child—if they are interested, contact the coach for that sport directly and ask in writing whether there is a place available, which division they compete in, and whether that sport offers scholarships.
The school reports offering distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but in the most recent count, zero out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load at a distance. All took at least one in-person class. And in the specific question about complete distance programs, St Lawrence reported that it does not offer any in which all required courses can be completed that way. If this matters to your family, confirm it in writing for the exact major.
The library operates with hired staff, has physical and digital collections, and offers interlibrary loan. The school also reports combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, participation in Yellow Ribbon, and a published website address for services for students with disabilities.
Persistence and graduation: what happened to other cohorts
Here we reach the question that matters most to many families: if your child enrolls, will they stay? Will they graduate?
Of the cohort that entered in the fall of 2022, 86 out of every 100 were still enrolled there or had already graduated one year later. Compared with similar schools, St Lawrence ranks in the upper part of that group. This figure does not distinguish between those still studying and those who had already finished, and it does not reveal what happened to the rest.
Regarding graduation: of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, comprising 693 students in total, 552 had a degree in hand six years later. That is 80 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 71 out of every 100—a difference of nine points between waiting four years and waiting six. Compared with similar schools, St Lawrence ranks in the top quarter: three out of every four schools in that group reported an equal or lower proportion.
| Time frame | Graduates out of every 100 |
|---|---|
| 4 years | 71 |
| 6 years | 80 |
Of the remainder of that cohort of 693: 101 transferred to another school without finishing there, 3 were still enrolled without having finished, and 37 were classified as “no longer enrolled”—a category that does not state the reason and may include those who graduated after the measured period.
A high figure is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to the cohort that entered in 2017. What is within your family’s control is making sure your child enters with their credits in order and knows, from the first semester, who their advisor is and when registration takes place for courses in their major.
Looking further ahead, at eight years: among a cohort that entered between 2015 and 2016, 82 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from St Lawrence by the August 2023 cutoff. Among those who received a Pell Grant, that figure was 74 out of every 100—11 points below the group that did not receive Pell. If your family would qualify for Pell today, it is worth asking the school directly what specifically exists for those students: an assigned advisor, emergency aid, and whether institutional grant aid is renewed each year. And have them answer you in writing.
What you already know, and what comes next
You now know St Lawrence University through real numbers, not impressions. You know it is small, selective, expensive on paper, and generous in practice for many families. You know it is far from almost everything, that most of the students it admits ultimately do not enroll there, and that those who do enroll tend to stay and graduate at high rates compared with similar schools.
You also know who is responsible for what. The university is responsible for admitting, offering aid, and finally stating clearly how much it will really cost. Your child is responsible for writing their essay, choosing their major, maintaining their grades, and building their life there if they decide to attend. You are responsible for reading the financial aid letter carefully, comparing the final number across schools, asking the uncomfortable questions before signing, and supporting your child without carrying the entire process alone.
This piece is one part of the map, not the whole map. Combine it with what your child wants to study, what they have already built in high school, and what your family can and is willing to pay. A plan comes from that combination, not from a single article.
Source note: the information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, using data from the most recent cycles available for each indicator. Best College Aid does not represent St Lawrence University or the United States government; this article does not replace the admission letter or financial aid letter that the university provides directly to your family.