Facts & Recognition

1924

FOUNDING
Nazareth University was founded with a strong commitment to experience-based learning and community engagement

150

ACRES
Nazareth sits on 150 scenic acres of beautiful lawns & wooded groves near Rochester, NY.

2,300+

STUDENTS
1,800+ undergrad and 500+ grad students, plus nearly 37,000 alumni across 50 states and 56 countries

25

TEAMS
Nazareth's 25 intercollegiate teams compete at the NCAA Division III level

Academic Structure

Nazareth's administrative units work together to provide students with professional programs built on a solid liberal arts foundation:

College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education

School of Music

Degree Programs

Bachelor's degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music
Master's degrees: Master of Arts, Master of Music, Master of Public Health, Master of Science, Master of Science in Education, Master of Social Work
Doctoral degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy

To see all of Nazareth's majors, minors, certification, and graduate programs, see Academics.

Rankings & Recognition »

160+

Programs
60+ undergrad majors, 70+ minors, and 30+ graduate degrees and certificates

500+

Faculty
175 full-time and 327 part-time faculty; student to faculty classroom ratio of 10-to-1 (fall 2024)

1,600+

Experiences
The most recent undergrad class completed 1,631 high-impact experiential learning experiences

Enrollment (fall 2024)

Undergraduate students (full-time and part-time): 1,882
Graduate students (full-time and part-time): 519
Student-faculty ratio: 10:1
Racial/ethnic diversity: 19% of undergraduate students and 15% of graduate students are Black, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, or multi-race
Undergraduate students come from 34 states / districts / territories and 14 countries
Graduate students come from 17 states and 4 countries.
Average class size: 16 for undergraduate students and 14 for graduate students
Gender: 71% female (undergraduate); 80% female (graduate)

President

Elizabeth Paul, Ph.D., started July 1, 2020 as Nazareth's 10th president with a commitment to support advancing a just and healthy community, strengthen communication and connection, and to continue Nazareth's history of embracing change and choosing opportunity.

Learn more about the President's Office.

Global Focus

study abroad opportunities
Fulbright awards to other countries
international students on campus
language houses on campus
majors that build international expertise
the option to live with international students on campus

Community Engagement

Nazareth is one of the few universities to have an on-campus office — Weider Community Engagement — providing oversight to community engagement inside and outside of the classroom, including locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Each year, Nazareth collaborates with over 100 community organizations, connecting our students with local innovators and changemakers working together to address social challenges.
94% of students participating in our high-impact experiences demonstrate growth in their abilities to advance a just/equitable society — part of developing as a changemaker.
98% of students report that they built connections with others who support their community work and personal wellness, identifying networks that promote a sense of purpose and belonging.

Nazareth is home to the only Bonner Leader Scholarship program in western New York.

100%

Supported
100% of undergraduate students receive financial aid

99%

Employed/Grad School
99% of alumni are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.

37,000

Alumni
Nazareth has nearly 37,000 alumni across 50 states and 56 countries

Alumni

Our latest outcomes data show that Nazareth prepares students well for careers and/or continued study through rigorous academic programs, global and cross-cultural experiences, and hands-on career experience while in college.
58% of Nazareth alumni live in the Rochester area; 76% live in New York state.

Alumni engagement »

Tuition & Expenses

Tuition & Aid Costs webpage has an at-a-glance summary of annual student costs.
Detailed costs by program are on the Office of Student Accounts webpage.

97

Championships
85 conference championships, 8 individual national championships, and 4 team NCAA Championships

400+

Events
Nazareth held over 400 activities & events for students last year alone

50+

Clubs
Nazareth offers more than 50 students clubs, plus 17 music ensembles

Athletics

Nazareth has 25 intercollegiate teams that compete at the NCAA Division III level. In addition, Nazareth has three professionally-coached teams in rowing, dance, and rugby.
Nazareth competes in the Empire 8 Conference for most sports, with Alfred, Brockport, Elmira, Geneseo, Hartwick, Houghton, Keuka, SUNY Poly, Russell Sage, St. John Fisher, and Utica. The men's volleyball team competes in the United Volleyball Conference and the hockey teams compete in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference.
In 2023-4, Nazareth won six Empire 8 championships in women's soccer, women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track and field, women's swimming and diving, and women's outdoor track and field. The women's hockey team won its third straight United Collegiate Hockey Conference in 2023-24. In addition, Nazareth student-athletes excelled in the classroom and community, with countless Academic and Scholar All-America selections. In the spring semester of 2024, 498 Nazareth student-athletes combined for a 3.48 GPA.
In 2023-24, Nazareth had all-Americans in women's volleyball, women's hockey, men's and women's track and field, men's volleyball, men's lacrosse, and women's swimming and diving.
Nazareth's men's lacrosse team won the NCAA Division III national championship in 1992, 1996, and 1997 and reached the national title game in 1995, 1998, and 2004. Nazareth also won the Molten Division III national title in men's volleyball in 2011 and was runner-up in 2013.
Nazareth's latest gem is the Golisano Training Center, a 108,000-square-foot facility that houses an indoor track, tennis and basketball courts, and an artificial turf practice field. A short walk from the GTC is the 2,200-seat Golden Flyer Stadium, which includes a grass game field and a 400-meter track.
Nazareth is scheduled to host the 2025 NCAA men's and women's indoor track and field championships.
29% of full-time Naz undergrad students participated in organized athletics (2024). Student-athletes consistently earn high grade point averages.

For more: Athletics website

Campus

150 acres of beautiful lawns and wooded groves
Two dozen buildings, including 11 residence halls.
Golisano Training Center (opened 2019) is a first-of-its kind collaboration with Special Olympics and a national model of "wellness for all." Includes an indoor track, field, courts, training facilities, Cafe NINE, and fitness center and recreation opportunities for Nazareth students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Also used as a training and competition space for Special Olympic athletes, while Nazareth students in health and human service fields such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy gain experience working with people of different abilities.
Glazer Music Performance Center (550-seat performance hall and education center) opened in 2018.
Peckham Hall features multi-purpose research spaces (including state-of-the-art labs and classrooms), a range of support services, and a variety of student centers. Peckham Hall is the first building on campus and in the town of Pittsford, N.Y., to achieve a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)-certified green building rating.
The Nazareth Arts Center houses the departments of theatre arts, music, and art and hosts performances in multiple theatres and art exhibits in multiple galleries, all open to the public.
The on-campus York Wellness and Rehabilitation Institute serves the Rochester area community and provides extensive opportunities for students studying health or human service fields to gain practical, supervised experience with clients/patients.
Nazareth University continues to invest in campus improvements — including recently in Millie's Cafe, academic buildings, and residence halls — to support excellence in student learning, belonging, and comfort, and to expand accessibility.

Rankings & Recognition

Among the country's best institutions for undergraduate education — Princeton Review's Best 390 Colleges, 2025 Edition
A 2025 Hidden Gem — College Raptor
America's Best Colleges — Money Magazine 2024, based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, alumni salaries, and more.
Ranked nationally on the 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. — Wall Street Journal/College Pulse
A Best Value School, among the Best Regional Universities (North), among the highest ranked for veterans, and a top performer for helping economically disadvantaged students earn degrees.— U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Colleges
Best Master's Universities, based on contributions to social mobility, research, and public service, and Best Bang for the Buck — Northeast for helping non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. — Washington Monthly 2024
World Best Value for international students wanting to study abroad — Study Abroad Aide 2024, based on affordability and academic reputation.
A 2023 Best for Vets College — Military Times
#14 among the 2025 Best Campuses in New York state — Niche
#1 Most beautiful campus in New York state — TheTravel.com

Nazareth is among a select group of top colleges and universities across the country hand-picked to earn a College of Distinction designation for its commitment to engaged, experiential education.

Financial Stability

Nazareth's endowment reached $100 million as the University celebrated its centennial year in 2024–25, to advance the mission of education through action and empower generations of leaders and changemakers.

Accreditation recognition

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) officially and fully reaffirmed Nazareth University’s accreditation in 2025, with no additional actions required. Multiple Nazareth programs hold specialized accreditations.

What students say

In its latest profile of Nazareth, The Princeton Review praises the school for the "strength of the faculty" and quotes Nazareth students:

"Anyone who has been at Naz can attest to the caring and personable faculty and staff," says one student. These "interesting, insightful, and approachable" professors "want to see every student succeed" and "make time to see students outside of the classroom if they need extra help," fostering "a positive self-image to learn and achieve in all of their students."

Nazareth encourages interdisciplinary exploration and tries to structure courses that connect "different fields of study to benefit the students' interests and allow them to pursue fields which would typically not accept differing opinions."