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Suffolk University: Aerial view of Suffolk University
Photo: Suffolk University, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

College · Catholic life on campus

Suffolk University

  • LocationBoston, MA
  • Type and sizePrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 6,697 students
Official website

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

The university's Interfaith/Religious Life pages list a Christian Life program titled 'Questioning Catholics?' without naming its sponsor, and they list the Paulist Center on Park Street among nearby places of worship.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Suffolk University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches0.5 mi1 mi2 miSt. Anthony Shrine: 0.3 mi1Saint Josephs Catholic Church: 0.4 mi2St. James Church: 0.5 mi3Sacred Heart Catholic Church: 0.6 mi4Our Lady of Good Voyage Chapel: 0.7 mi5St. Mary's: 1.1 mi6Suffolk University (campus)N0.5 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. St. Anthony Shrine — 0.3 mi · 100 Arch Street, Boston
  2. Saint Josephs Catholic Church — 0.4 mi · 68 William Cardinal O'Connell Way, Boston
  3. St. James Church — 0.5 mi · 125 Harrison Avenue, Boston
  4. Sacred Heart Catholic Church — 0.6 mi · 2 Sun Court Street, Boston
  5. Our Lady of Good Voyage Chapel — 0.7 mi · 51 Seaport Boulevard, Boston
  6. St. Mary's — 1.1 mi

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.

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Academic Excellence

CAcademic Excellence: Mixed (grade C): 55 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
67 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.61%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.75%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,216 · ACT 26
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.15 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$11,805

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)
4,484
Total students6,697
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$29,618
Cost of attendance (per year)$65,281
Median federal debt at graduation$26,889
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
61%
First-year retention75%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$67,506
Admission rate82%
Students receiving Pell grants30%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1216
SAT reading & writing550–670
SAT math540–630
ACT composite24–28
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 47 / 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 Suffolk University a Catholic college?
No. Suffolk University is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead.

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