St. Lawrence: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Officially St Lawrence University · Canton, New York · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2025-2026

Admission at a glance

Common Data Set 2025-2026

  • Test-optional
  • Early Decision
  • Early Decision II
  • Early Action
5,229
Applicants
2,919
Admitted56%
418
Enrolled
14%
Yield rate

Selectivity

Moderately selective56% admitted
AccessibleHighly selective
Median SAT
1340
Mid 50: 1270–1380
In-state tuition
$69,460
per year, before aid (CDS 2025-2026)
Net price (avg)
$28,651
after aid, what families pay

Ranked #49 (tie) in National Liberal Arts Colleges; Economics #161 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027

Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by St Lawrence University (see the source), read on 2026-09-20. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.

Is St. Lawrence a reach, target or safety for your student?

Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places St. Lawrence against it in about a minute. No account needed.

Check your chances free
Quick answer

St. Lawrence is a private nonprofit university in Canton, New York that admits about 56% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $28,651 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business/Commerce, General, Economics and Psychology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 79% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 3.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.

St. Lawrence is a private institution located in Canton, New York with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, St. Lawrence admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 56%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1340 and an ACT composite around 31. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $28,651 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for St. Lawrence?

71% of enrolled students at St. Lawrence had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.62, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

Actual GPA distribution of admitted students
4.00
30.8%
3.75–3.99
17.3%
3.50–3.74
22.6%
3.25–3.49
11.1%
3.00–3.24
9.9%
2.50–2.99
7.7%
Below 2.50
0.7%
From the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by St Lawrence University.

Compare St. Lawrence with the other schools on your list

Open St. Lawrence in College Search to set it beside up to three other colleges on cost, admission odds and outcomes, and save it to a shortlist when you are ready.

Open in College Search

What does St. Lawrence weight in admissions?

St. Lawrence reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

Very Important

5
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Academic GPA
  • Application essay
  • Recommendations
  • Character/personal qualities

Important

1
  • Extracurricular activities

Considered

6
  • Standardized test scores
  • Interview
  • Talent/ability
  • Geographical residence
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience

Not Considered

6
  • Class rank
  • First generation status
  • Alumni/ae relation
  • State residency
  • Religious affiliation/commitment
  • Level of applicant's interest

SAT and ACT scores St. Lawrence typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 610–710, with an EBRW midpoint near 665. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–33. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.

SAT Composite
25th percentile1270
50th percentile1340
75th percentile1380
% submitting SAT14%
ACT Composite
25th percentile27
50th percentile30
75th percentile31
% submitting ACT3%
Current testing policy
  • • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
  • • Test scores optional.
  • • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on St. Lawrence's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

Top 10% of class33.3%
Top 25% of class65%
Top 50% of class90.6%
% submitting class rank28.1%

How much does St. Lawrence actually cost?

Published tuition is $65,900 for in-state students and $65,900 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,000 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $28,651 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 21% of students receive Pell Grants.

In-state tuition$69,460
Room and board$18,030
Average net price (after aid)$28,651
Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need91%
Average need-based grant$55,572
Average merit award, no financial need143 first-year students received one$36,691
Graduates who borrowed58%
Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed$36,426
Financial aid formsFAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list
Application fee$0

Application deadlines and early decision data for St. Lawrence

Regular admission
Regular deadline2/1
Notification date1-Jan (rolling)
Reply deadlineMay 1
Rolling admissionsYes
Early admission
Offers Early DecisionYes
ED deadlineNovember 2
Offers Early Decision IIYes
ED II deadlineFebruary 1
ED acceptance rate (all rounds)50%
Offers Early ActionYes
EA deadlineDecember 1

Will my child graduate from St. Lawrence?

These predict outcomes at St. Lawrence better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Freshman retention
90.3%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
69.2%
finished on time
6-year graduation
78.6%
finished within 6 years

Most popular majors at St. Lawrence

The most popular undergraduate programs at St. Lawrence, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business/Commerce, General, Economics and Psychology, General. Across all programs, St. Lawrence confers roughly 466 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business/Commerce, General program report a median income of about $86,492 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

MajorGraduates / yearMedian earnings (5 yrs out)
Business/Commerce, General89$86,492
Economics76$82,561
Psychology, General67$59,597
Communication and Media Studies55$69,299
Political Science and Government55$77,943
Natural Resources Conservation and Research47n/a
Biology, General40$66,283
English Language and Literature, General37$46,845
Bachelor's-degree completions from federal IPEDS data; earnings from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Is St. Lawrence safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), St. Lawrence disclosed 7 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 7 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

Total offenses
7
3.6 per 1,000 students
Violent crime
0
0.00 per 1,000
Sexual assault / VAWA
7
3.65 per 1,000
Burglary
0
reported incidents
Clery Act 2024, rates per 1,918 enrolled.

What is campus life like at St. Lawrence?

About 99% of undergraduates at St. Lawrence live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 11% of men join a fraternity and 24% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Live on campus
99%
of undergraduates
Classes under 20 students
68%
of course sections
Classes of 100 or more
0%
of course sections
In fraternities
11%
of men
In sororities
24%
of women
From the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by St Lawrence University.

Other colleges in New York parents ask about

Next steps for St. Lawrence

Common questions parents ask about St. Lawrence

What GPA do I need for St. Lawrence?

71% of enrolled students at St. Lawrence had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.62, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What SAT or ACT score does St. Lawrence typically admit?

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 610–710, with an EBRW midpoint near 665. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–33.

How much does St. Lawrence actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at St. Lawrence after grants and scholarships is $28,651 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $65,900. Budget against the net figure.

Is St. Lawrence realistic for my child?

St. Lawrence admits 56% of applicants, so 610–710 SAT Math is target range and below 610 is a reach. Then check the $28,651 average net price against what your family can carry.

What is the acceptance rate at St. Lawrence?

St. Lawrence accepts about 56% of applicants out of roughly 5,229 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.

Is St. Lawrence test-optional?

Yes. St. Lawrence is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.

What is the graduation rate at St. Lawrence?

About 79% of students at St. Lawrence graduate within six years, and 69% finish in four years. 90% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.

Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at St. Lawrence?

St. Lawrence's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 50%, compared with its overall rate of 56%. The ED rate is not materially higher here, so weigh the binding commitment carefully.

What does St. Lawrence look for in applicants?

St. Lawrence rates course rigor, GPA, the application essay and recommendations as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.

Is St. Lawrence a public or private school, and where is it located?

St. Lawrence is a private nonprofit institution located in Canton, New York.

What are the most popular majors at St. Lawrence?

The largest undergraduate majors at St. Lawrence by annual graduates are Business/Commerce, General, Economics and Psychology, General. The school awards about 466 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.

Is St. Lawrence safe? What is its campus crime rate?

St. Lawrence reported 7 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 3.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.

What is campus life like at St. Lawrence?

At St. Lawrence, 99% of undergraduates live on campus, 11% of men are in fraternities, 24% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.

Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by St Lawrence University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers