Fordham University

Fordham University holds rank 85 in the 2027 U.S. News rankings, improving after dropping to rank 97 in 2026. Admissions remain moderately accessible rather than highly selective. In 2025, the university admitted 59.3% of applicants, an acceptance rate higher than 47% of peer schools among similarly ranked private research universities. However, Fordham experiences a very modest draw among admitted students. Its 2025 yield rate stood at 9.7%, which is higher than only 10% of peer schools in that group. This low yield indicates that an overwhelming majority of admitted students choose to enroll elsewhere. For prospective applicants, these patterns suggest that gaining admission is achievable for a wide range of students, as the university accepts more than half of those who apply. Candidates with solid academic profiles can approach Fordham with confidence, knowing the institution actively admits candidates to fill its classes against strong competition from other colleges.

Gaining admission to Fordham University requires a solid academic record, though standardized testing represents just a portion of an applicant's overall profile. For the class entering in 2025, enrolled students achieved a median SAT score of 1410, reflecting strong academic preparation across the student body. For international candidates evaluating their chances, applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway, which are not official data, show that admitted students held a median unweighted GPA of 3.7 and a median SAT score of 1300. These figures suggest that successful applicants typically demonstrate consistent classroom achievement alongside solid testing performance. Prospective students should focus their efforts on maintaining strong secondary school grades in rigorous classes throughout high school. Presenting an academic profile that aligns with or exceeds these typical benchmarks will position an applicant well during the admissions evaluation process.

Fordham University offers diverse undergraduate and graduate curricula, with noticeable academic strength and student interest centered on commerce and quantitative fields. In 2025, the university awarded 2,601 bachelor's degrees. Undergraduates are relatively dispersed across various academic departments, as the top three undergraduate majors represented only 26.5% of all bachelor's degrees conferred. The largest undergraduate major was Financial Mathematics, followed by general Psychology and Business Administration and Management. Fordham's top-ranked programs closely align with its popular business offerings; in the 2027 U.S. News rankings, undergraduate International Business ranked 13th and undergraduate Finance ranked 14th nationally. These specialty programs also yield strong compensation for alumni entering the workforce. According to 2023 earnings data, graduates in Finance and Financial Management Services reported median first-year earnings of $91,218. For prospective applicants, Fordham's strongest combination of academic reputation and starting compensation lies clearly within its finance and commerce programs, supported by its proximity to the New York business sector.

In 2025, Fordham University enrolled an overall student body of 16,150 across its various undergraduate and advanced degree divisions. Female students constitute a consistent majority throughout the institution, representing more than six in ten students at both levels. The student population features varied ethnic and geographic backgrounds. Among incoming first-year undergraduates, Asian students accounted for 308 individuals, while international freshmen totaled 205 students. Domestic Hispanic and white students make up the largest overall demographic segments on campus. At the post-baccalaureate level, the global presence increases substantially, as Fordham enrolled 995 international graduate students across its professional and research programs, alongside several hundred Asian graduate scholars. For prospective applicants considering campus life, these metrics describe an urban university community marked by a substantial female majority, diverse domestic enrollment, and an international population that is especially visible in graduate programs.

Fordham University's undergraduate student body follows a traditional age path, whereas its graduate community consists primarily of early-career adults. In 2025, students aged 18 to 19 made up 43.1% of all undergraduates, and those aged 20 to 21 accounted for 42.0%. Only a small fraction of undergraduates are 22 or older, pointing to a standard four-year college experience where campus activities, residential life, and extracurricular programming center around students progressing directly from high school. In contrast, the graduate division is defined by young professionals. Students aged 25 to 29 represent the largest graduate demographic at 32.1%, followed closely by those aged 22 to 24 at 29.2%. This profile indicates that graduate coursework and evening seminars cater largely to individuals pursuing advanced degrees shortly after launching their careers.

International student enrollment at Fordham University displays contrasting trends between undergraduate and graduate programs. At the undergraduate level, international representation has grown gradually over the past decade, with international students making up 7.7% of undergraduates in 2025. In contrast, the graduate division saw a contraction over the same period, as the international share declined to 17.9%. When looking at degree conferrals, international students are far more concentrated in advanced degree programs than in the college. In 2025, international graduates accounted for 6.8% of all bachelor's recipients, compared with 25.7% of master's degree recipients. Geographically diverse undergraduates gravitated most heavily toward International Business and Financial Mathematics. In the master's division, international students constituted large shares of enrollment in Business Analytics, quantitative management methods, and specialized legal studies. For prospective international applicants, these patterns demonstrate that while undergraduate cohorts are primarily domestic, Fordham maintains substantial international communities in its graduate business and law curricula.

Applicants exploring Fordham University can evaluate several prominent postsecondary institutions located within the New York metropolitan area. Just 2.5 kilometers away, Yeshiva University is a private research institution ranked 90th among National Universities in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. Across northern Manhattan, Columbia University in the City of New York is an Ivy League research institution situated 5.4 kilometers from Fordham, holding the 12th position among National Universities. Directly adjacent to Columbia at the same distance of 5.4 kilometers is Barnard College, an independent women's liberal arts college ranked 19th among National Liberal Arts Colleges. Further south in Manhattan, New York University sits 10.8 kilometers away and holds the 31st spot nationally, offering another large private university setting in the city center.

Campus safety indicators at Fordham University reflect a downward trend in overall incidents over recent years. Forward Pathway's weighted crime rate per 1,000 students dropped from 11.2 in 2016 to 7.4 in 2025. The vast majority of recorded infractions on campus involve student conduct and substance policies rather than violent offenses. During the three-year period from 2023 through 2025, the university recorded 901 disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations, making alcohol enforcement by far the most frequent issue handled by campus authorities. Disciplinary referrals for drug law violations were the second most common category over those same three years, totaling 232 incidents. More serious criminal offenses took place in substantially smaller numbers; between 2023 and 2025, reports included a small number of rapes, robberies, vehicle thefts, and burglaries. For prospective students and families reviewing campus safety, Fordham's safety record is largely defined by institutional enforcement of alcohol regulations rather than widespread violent crime.