John Jay vs. Syracuse

Should I go to CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice or Syracuse University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if John Jay or Syracuse is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice vs. Syracuse University comparison
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Syracuse University College 3 College 4
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Syracuse University
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Overview

John Jay Syracuse
Location New York, NY Syracuse, NY
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 13,510 22,948
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #556 #160
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuny.edu syr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

John Jay Syracuse
Tuition (In State) $6,930 $61,310
Tuition (Out of State) $14,880 $61,310
Room & Board $21,788 $18,444
Avg Net Price $4,141 $51,520
Avg Grant Aid $9,284 $29,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 82%

Admission

John Jay Syracuse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,921 42,089
Admitted 10,255 17,545
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 41.7%
Enrolled % 19.8% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.69
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32
SAT Range 1000/1250 1260/1430
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026

Academics

John Jay Syracuse
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (54%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Legal Professions (5%)
  • Human Services (3%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

John Jay Syracuse
Graduation Rate 39% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,900 $65,900
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $10,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $103 $279

Diversity

John Jay Syracuse
% Men 4% 14%
% Women 9% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 18% 55%
% Black 17% 8%
% Hispanic 48% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

John Jay Syracuse
% In-State 90% 32%
% Out-of-State 0% 57%

Campus

John Jay Syracuse
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Syracuse University is larger than than John Jay based on total student enrollment (22,948 students vs. 13,510 students)

John Jay vs. Syracuse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, John Jay or Syracuse?

  • Syracuse University is 784.7% more expensive to attend than John Jay for in-state tuition ($61,310.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 312% higher at Syracuse than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($61,310.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than Syracuse ($4,141 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Syracuse University are 18.1% lower than costs at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($18,444 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than Syracuse University (87% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 213.6% larger than aid received CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($29,110 vs. $9,284)

John Jay vs. Syracuse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, John Jay or Syracuse? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Syracuse or John Jay .

  • The average SAT score at Syracuse University (1195) is 220 points higher than at John Jay (975)
  • Accepted freshman Syracuse students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at John Jay (3.24)
  • John Jay has a higher acceptance rate (57.2%) than Syracuse (41.7%)

John Jay vs. Syracuse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, John Jay or Syracuse? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Syracuse and John Jay.

  • The graduation rate at Syracuse is higher than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (80% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn on average $18,000 more per year than John Jay graduates after ten years. ($65,900 vs. $47,900)
  • CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice students graduate with a $17,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($10,000 vs. $27,000)
  • John Jay graduates are paying $176 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($103 vs. $279)
  • More Syracuse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former John Jay students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/