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Simmons University: 2018 Simmons University, Boston
Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

College · Catholic life on campus

Simmons University

  • LocationBoston, MA
  • Type and sizePrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 5,053 students

All-female

Official website

Simmons University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

No current official page names a Catholic campus ministry for Simmons. The archdiocese's February 2025 list named the Catholic Center at 68 Saint Stephen Street (Northeastern) for Simmons; that list predates the current and previous school years, and no Catholic student group appears on the university's clubs list.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Simmons University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches0.25 mi0.5 mi1 miBasilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Hope: 0.4 mi1Saint Clement Eucharistic Shrine: 0.7 mi2BU Catholic Center: 0.8 mi3Saint Cecilia Parish: 0.9 mi4Saint Francis Chapel: 1.0 mi5Saint Marys Church of the Assumption Parish: 1.0 mi6Simmons University (campus)N0.5 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Hope — 0.4 mi · 1545 Tremont Street, Boston
  2. Saint Clement Eucharistic Shrine — 0.7 mi · 1105 Boylston Street, Boston
  3. BU Catholic Center — 0.8 mi
  4. Saint Cecilia Parish — 0.9 mi · 14-18;18 Belvidere Street, Boston
  5. Saint Francis Chapel — 1.0 mi · 800 Boylston Street, Boston
  6. Saint Marys Church of the Assumption Parish — 1.0 mi · 5 Linden Place

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

N/ACatholic life on campus: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Catholic life on campus

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 1 mile of campusComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adorationNot enough information: no verified Mass times are recorded.

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

Catholic campus ministry

Sources (2)
  1. College and University Campus Ministers (2025) | Archdiocese of Bostonfiles.ecatholic.com/32494/documents/2025/2/CampusMinisters2025-Web.pdf?t=1739221308000 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Simmons College Brother Jason Zink, BH Missionary 68 Saint Stephen Street Boston MA 02115 617-373-8964”
    The Archdiocese of Boston's list of college campus ministers names Simmons College with the Catholic Center at 68 Saint Stephen Street.
  2. Contact | Catholic Centernucatholics.sites.northeastern.edu/contact · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “The Catholic Center 68 Saint Stephen St. Boston, MA 02115”
    The Catholic Center is located at 68 Saint Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115.

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Academic Excellence

AAcademic Excellence: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
85 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.72%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.85%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,316 · ACT 30
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$16,715

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Value and outcomes
Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
1,760
Total students5,053
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$25,265
Cost of attendance (per year)$63,460
Median federal debt at graduation$24,840
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
72%
First-year retention85%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$63,494
Admission rate70%
Students receiving Pell grants33%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1316
SAT reading & writing620–700
SAT math600–690
ACT composite26–34
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 58 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Archdiocese of Boston

The Most Reverend Richard G. Henning, Archbishop of Boston

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Source: usccb.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

Questions families ask

Is Simmons University a Catholic college?
No. Simmons University is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by the Catholic Center (Serving Colleges of Boston), a ministry of the Archdiocese of Boston.

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