Saint John Fisher College

Gaining admission to Saint John Fisher College is moderately competitive, with the college accepting about two-thirds of its applicant pool. In 2025, the overall acceptance rate stood at 66.4%, which was higher than 42% of private research universities. Meanwhile, the college's standing in the US News National University Rankings has drifted downward over the past decade, shifting from 146th in 2017 to 192nd in 2026. Despite this change in standing, the college demonstrates respectable appeal among admitted students. Its yield rate reached 20.3% in 2025, which is higher than 65% of peer institutions. This shows that students who receive offer letters commit to enrolling at rates above the private university norm, bringing an entering class of several hundred undergraduates to campus. For prospective applicants, the data indicates that admission is realistic for solid candidates, and the steady enrollment yield underscores that the college retains a loyal following among families who view it as a primary option.

Admissions at Saint John Fisher College are accessible to students presenting solid high school credentials and midrange standardized test results. For entering students in 2025, ACT composite scores typically spanned between 23 and 28 for the middle 50 percent of enrolled test-takers. The institution's median SAT score of 1210 was higher than 36% of peer schools among private comprehensive universities. Standardized test reporting has become optional for many applicants, and only 23% of enrolling freshmen chose to submit SAT results in 2025. The college reviews applications holistically, considering secondary school course rigor, cumulative performance, and personal background. Prospective applicants targeting competitive fields such as undergraduate nursing should aim for test scores near or above the upper end of these reported ranges alongside strong marks in college-preparatory math and natural science coursework.

Undergraduate degree completions at Saint John Fisher College are concentrated in healthcare, with the top three majors making up 43.1% of all bachelor's degrees in 2025. Registered Nursing is by far the largest undergraduate program, producing 185 graduates, followed by biology and psychology. The college's primary academic strengths align directly with its largest disciplines: in US News rankings, the graduate nursing school ranked 50th and pharmacy ranked 82nd for 2026. Clinical fields also yield the strongest financial outcomes; according to 2023 earnings data, registered nursing graduates earned median first-year compensation of $85,194, easily topping the college's business and teaching disciplines. However, international enrollment across these programs remains minimal, with international students comprising just 0.3% of bachelor's degree recipients in 2025. For applicants focused on nursing and allied health professions, the institution provides established credentialing pipelines and strong post-college compensation, though international applicants should note the very small peer representation.

The student community at Saint John Fisher College is primarily domestic and regional, totaling 3,693 students across undergraduate and graduate levels in 2025. White students constitute the largest ethnic group throughout all academic divisions, accounting for over three-quarters of the freshman class and roughly two-thirds of graduate students. Asian students represent a smaller component of campus, including 23 freshman students, who make up 3.4% of that cohort, and 87 graduate students, representing 7.8% of the graduate division. International student enrollment is minimal across degree programs, comprising only 3 freshmen and 1 graduate student. Female enrollment exceeds male enrollment by a clear margin, making up a majority of undergraduates and more than three-quarters of the graduate student body. Overall, the college's student body is characterized by regional enrollment with modest racial diversity and very few students from overseas.

Undergraduate education at Saint John Fisher College is defined almost entirely by traditional college-aged students. In 2025, 45.9% of undergraduates were aged 18 to 19, and 40.2% were aged 20 to 21. Students older than 24 comprise only a small fraction of degree seekers. This concentrated age bracket means undergraduate life revolves around traditional campus routines, housing, and social activities. Conversely, the graduate student population is older and more distributed across professional stages: 29.3% of graduate students are aged 25 to 29, followed by those in their early twenties and early thirties. This profile establishes a clear separation between a youthful, residential undergraduate environment and a career-oriented graduate student cohort.

International student enrollment at Saint John Fisher College represents a minimal fraction of the campus community and has trended downward across all academic levels. In 2025, international students made up just 0.2% of the undergraduate student body, a share higher than only 6% of peer schools among private comprehensive universities. At the graduate level, the international share declined over the decade to 0.1% in 2025. Across the entire institution, degree conferrals reflect this scarcity: out of hundreds of degrees awarded in 2025, international students received merely two bachelor's degrees, one master's degree, and zero doctoral degrees. The lone master's credential was awarded in Mental Health Counseling, while the largest undergraduate health and science majors had no international graduates. Prospective international applicants should recognize that the institution serves an overwhelmingly domestic regional population.

Several higher education institutions are located within convenient reach of Rochester, New York. Just 6 kilometers away is the University of Rochester, which ranked 49th among National Universities in 2027. Also nearby is the Rochester Institute of Technology, located 8.4 kilometers away and ranked 95th in the same national category. For applicants considering a liberal arts setting, Hobart William Smith Colleges is situated 32.1 kilometers away and placed 60th among National Liberal Arts Colleges in 2027.

Campus safety data at Saint John Fisher College demonstrates a significant overall decline in security incidents over the past decade. The crime rate per 1,000 students dropped to 6.5 in 2025, down from earlier years. From 2023 through 2025, the vast majority of recorded campus incidents were disciplinary violations related to substance policies rather than violent crimes. Over that three-year period, the campus documented 237 disciplinary referrals for alcohol violations, representing the primary driver of reported infractions. In contrast, violent or predatory offenses were rare: the college reported 6 dating violence incidents and 5 rape cases across those same three years, alongside negligible numbers of vehicle thefts and drug violations. For incoming students, official records show a low-crime campus environment characterized primarily by residence hall alcohol enforcement.