Facts & Figures

A Jesuit Catholic university located in the city of Philadelphia and the Main Line, Saint Joseph’s provides a demanding, yet supportive, educational experience with a philosophy that has endured since 1851. Our mission is to prepare you for personal excellence, professional success and engaged citizenship.

220+

Academic programs, including 130+ undergraduate majors and minors to choose from.

100

Percent of our tenure-track faculty who hold terminal degrees. They're not just experienced in their fields — they are leading them.

$15M

In government research funding, driving knowledge and innovation in numerous fields — from the biomedical sciences to the humanities.

95k+

Proud alumni across the world, who root for and give back to our community.

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SJU Rankings

Saint Joseph's is among the best regional universities in the North (Top 10 in 2023), according to U.S. News & World Report. This is the fourth consecutive year the University has been ranked in the top 10 in its category by U.S. News, a recognized leader in college rankings.

Other highlights include:

Saint Joseph's has also been recognized in the following rankings:

Traditions

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The University Seal

The University crest is an emblem, which references the history and founding of the Jesuit order (the Society of Jesus) by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. It also contains iconography symbolic of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the University. This crest is featured in the official University seal. It was originally designed in 1903 and was recently adjusted. The graphic icons in the image, rendered in shapes and lines, were simplified to give the seal a crisp appearance in small-scale reproductions.

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The Hawk Mascot

Saint Joseph's mascot, the Hawk, has been flapping its wings since 1956 as one of the most decorated mascots in college sports. Recognized over the years by ESPN College Basketball Magazine, Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News as a top college mascot, the Hawk represents the University battle cry "The Hawk Will Never Die," by flapping its wings nonstop (even during halftime) throughout every basketball game.

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Crimson & Gray

According to tradition, Saint Joseph's University's colors, crimson and gray, were adopted in the 1890s when a young seminarian leading a pep rally saw the two colors on a book he was holding in his hand and, thinking they looked attractive together, announced that they would be the school colors. Today, crimson and gray signify our vibrancy, passion and steadfast tradition.

The University At a Glance

 

Undergraduate stats (2021-2022):

First-year acceptance rate 83%
First-year to sophomore retention rate 89% (10% higher than the national average)
Six-year undergraduate graduation rate 83% (19% above national average)
Student representation 46 states, 57 nations