Syracuse University

#148 / #52
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#1450
Most Desirable School
Private university in Syracuse, New York, United States

Syracuse University Featured Rankings

About Syracuse University

By James Barham, PhD

Syracuse University traces its roots to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, which was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1831 in Lima, a small town south of Rochester, in the western part of New York state.

In 1850, the scope of the seminary’s mission was enlarged, and the institution was renamed Genesee College.

In 1869, a dispute broke out between two factions among the Methodist ministers who comprised the school’s administration. One group wanted to relocate the college to Syracuse, about 86 miles to the east, to take advantage of new railway connections, while the other group wanted to remain in Lima.

The New York state legislature approved the petition of the faction wishing to move to Syracuse. However, the losing side filed a lawsuit to block the impending relocation of the college.

The group wishing to move went ahead with its plans anyway, which it was able to do legally by changing the school’s name to Syracuse University. In 1870, most of the professors and students then moved from Lima to Syracuse.

The split was a severe blow for the remnant of Genesee College still based in Lima; a few years later, the original college closed its doors.

After World War II, Syracuse began its transformation into a modern, secular, private research university. Today, Syracuse is organized into 13 schools and colleges, with a total student enrollment approaching 23,000. It is especially known for its programs in information studies and library science, communications, business administration, engineering, and several other fields.

Among many prominent Syracuse-connected individuals, we may mention the following:

  • Poet and short fiction writer, Stephen Crane
  • New York Times founder, Henry Jarvis Raymond
  • Journalist and radio broadcaster, Dorothy Thompson
  • Novelists, Joyce Carol Oates, George Saunders & Alice Sebold
  • TV journalists, Ted Koppel & Megyn Kelly
  • Radio and TV personality, Dick Clark
  • Singer and actor, Vanessa Williams
  • Actors, Peter Falk, Vera Farmiga, Neal McDonough, Riki Lindhome & Jessie Mueller
  • Playwright and screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin
  • Comedians, Jerry Stiller & Lisa Lampanelli
  • Artist, Sol LeWitt
  • Poet, singer, and songwriter, Lou Reed
  • Mathematician and physicist, Joel Lebowitz
  • Astronomers, Rainer Sachs & Martin Pomerantz
  • Astrophysicist, Joan Feynman
  • Physicists, Pierre Ramond, Ezra Newman, Albert Baez, Joshua Goldberg & Christina Marchetti
  • Chemist, Jean M.J. Fréchet
  • Nanotechnology pioneer, James Tour
  • Geologist, Alexander Winchell
  • Molecular biologist, Nina Fedoroff
  • Taxonomist, George E. Fox
  • Botanist, William Ralph Maxon
  • Current US Representative, Donna Shalala
  • Former US Vice President and 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidate, Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

According to Wikipedia, Syracuse University is a private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Located in the city's University Hill neighborhood, east and southeast of Downtown Syracuse, the large campus features an eclectic mix of architecture, ranging from nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival to contemporary buildings.

Syracuse University's Online Degrees

MBA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
  • Accounting
  • Business Analytics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • Marketing Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Required Credits: 54
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Business Analytics
  • Required Credits: 36
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Entrepreneurship
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Professional Accounting
  • Required Credits: 30-48
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Supply Chain Management
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
JD - MBA in Juris Doctor and Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
  • Dual Degree
  • Required Credits: 114
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
BPS in Creative Leadership
  • Required Credits: 120
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
BPS in Knowledge Management
  • Required Credits: 120
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in Creative Leadership
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in Knowledge Management
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MPA in Executive MPA
Degree Concentrations
  • Public Administration
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in Conflict and Collaboration
  • Required Credits: 12
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Applied Data Science
  • Required Credits: 36
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Information Management for Executives
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Information Management
  • Required Credits: 42
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in Data Science
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Computer Science
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Cybersecurity
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
BPS in Cybersecurity Administration
  • Required Credits: 120
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in Information Security Management
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
JD in Juris Doctor
  • Required Credits: 87
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in Designing Digital Instruction
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Library and Information Science
Degree Concentrations
  • School Media Specialization
  • Required Credits: 36
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Communications
Degree Concentrations
  • Journalism Innovation
  • Advertising
  • Public Relations
  • Required Credits: 33
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in Disability Studies
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Certificate in School Media
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
AA in Liberal Arts
  • Required Credits: 60
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
BA in Liberal Arts
  • Required Credits: 120
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MA in Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Required Credits: 60
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Engineering Management
  • Required Credits: 33
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Computer Engineering
  • Required Credits: 36
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported

Syracuse University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceGraduation Rate
39,68259%82%

How Much Does Syracuse University Cost To Attend?

Tuition (in-state)
$57,591
Price by Family Income
IncomeAverage Net Cost
0 - 30K$17,250
30K - 48K$19,737
48K - 75K$23,533
75K - 110K$28,653
110K+$47,284

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

How Much Do Syracuse University Graduates Make?

If you graduate from Syracuse University, then you can expect to earn an average of $69,200 per year. You also have a 93% chance of being employed after 10 years.

Syracuse University's Demographics

Demographic data is for full-time, on-campus students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
21,63317,0994,534

Where is Syracuse University?

Syracuse University is located at 900 South Crouse Ave., Syracuse NY 13244

How Safe is Syracuse University?

Syracuse has a violent crime rate of less than .01% and a property crime rate of less than .01%.

What Is Syracuse University Known For?

Syracuse University is known for it's academic work in the following disciplines:

Syracuse University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Who Are Syracuse University's Most Influential Alumni?

Syracuse University's most influential alumni faculty include professors and professionals in the fields of Communications, Social Work, and Business. Here are some of Syracuse University's most famous alumni:

Clement Greenberg
Clement Greenberg
An American essayist and visual art critic .
William Safire
William Safire
An American journalist .
Bob Costas
An American sportscaster.
Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates
An American author.
Ted Koppel
Ted Koppel
A British-born American broadcast journalist.
Ernest Becker
An American cultural anthropologist.
Joanna Macy
Joanna Macy
An American activist.
Sol LeWitt
Sol LeWitt
An American artist .
George Saunders
George Saunders
An American writer .
Story Musgrave
Story Musgrave
An American physician and NASA astronaut.
Roy Kerr
Roy Kerr
A New Zealand mathematician and bridge player.
Edward Soja
Edward Soja
An American urban planner.

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