University Seal

History and Facts

University Facts

General Information

Founded1870, by the Vincentian Community
CharacterA private, coeducational Roman Catholic university (Vincentian Community)
LocationsQueens, NY
Manhattan, NY
Rome, Italy
Paris, France
Limerick, Ireland
Undergraduate Colleges
 
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
College of Professional Studies
St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
The Peter J. Tobin College of Business
The School of Education
Faculty1,410 full- and part-time faculty
92% of full-time faculty hold their doctorate or other terminal degree.
Unique ProgramsOver 100 programs of study in Business, Education, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Professional Studies.
Accelerated three-year bachelor’s degrees, five-year bachelor’s/ master’s degrees through our graduate schools, a six-year bachelor’s/J.D. through our top-tier School of Law are available, and a six-year Pharm.D. Program.
Undergraduate Programswww.stjohns.edu/majors
Graduate Programswww.stjohns.edu/gradmajors
InternshipsMake professional connections and intern in New York City. St. John’s students have interned at a wide range of organizations, including Madison Square Garden, US Secret Service, Estee Lauder, Morgan Stanley, MTV, New York Mets, SONY, and Time Inc.

Enrollment (Fall 2022)

  • Undergraduate 15,652
  • Graduate 4,011
  • Freshman 3,135
  • Undergraduate Transfer 268
  • Student-Faculty Ratio 16:1

Total enrollment represents 45 states, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and 118 countries.

Tuition and Financial Aid

St. John's University students receive financial assistance through scholarships, loans, grants and work/study programs. Find out more by visiting www.stjohns.edu/financialaid, www.stjohns.edu/tuition, and www.stjohns.edu/scholarships.

Residences

  • Queens Campus: High-tech residence halls with Wi-Fi, lounges, study rooms, computer centers, 24-hour security, and dining halls. Townhouses are available for upperclassmen.
  • International Locations: Rome and Paris locations offer outstanding academic and residential resources and are situated near Vatican City and the heart of Paris.

Alumni

St. John's has a network that includes 198,000+ living alumni, with more than 80 percent living in the New York metropolitan area. The University offers a wide range of alumni associations and chapters, receptions and outings, giving societies, and opportunities to mentor or volunteer. You can always find a way to connect and give back to the St. John’s family! Visit our Alumni & Friends page for more information. 

Athletics

As a BIG EAST university with a proud athletic tradition, St. John’s has 17 NCAA Division I teams, including Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Soccer, Fencing, Tennis and Golf, Men’s Lacrosse and Baseball, and Women’s Softball, Volleyball, Track and Field, and Cross Country. Find out more by visiting www.stjohns.edu/athletics.

  • Team Name: Red Storm
  • Conference: BIG EAST

University Crest

The redesigned crest restores the original blue and red, liturgical colors evoking the “Blessed Virgin and the Humanity of Her Divine Son.” The white cross at its center further identifies Christ as the foundation and model for a moral, ethical character, as does the motto Ecce Agnus (“Behold the Lamb of God”), recalling St. John the Baptist’s testimony to the divinity of Christ. The fleur-de-lis symbolizes France, homeland of St. Vincent de Paul. The heart represents his commitment to charity. The escalloped shell—an ancient symbol of the sacrament of baptism—signifies St. James the Greater, titular of the cathedral of the Diocese of Brooklyn, where the University was founded. The shell also recalls a Native American name for Long Island: “Sewanhacky” (“Island of Shells”).

Especially prominent is the banner encircling the lower half of the crest. It bears the motto “Educatio Christiana Animae Perfectio” (“Christian education perfects the soul”), a testament to the ethos that guides St. John's University.

Historical Milestones

Most Rev John Loughlin Headshot

The Most Rev. John Loughlin, the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn, NY, reaches out to the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians) to establish “a day College where the youth of the City might find advantages of a solid education.”

Farmhouse in Black and White

The Vincentian founders purchase three former farms in north-central Brooklyn to serve as the future site of St. John’s College.

Black and White drawing of Lewis Avenue Campus in Brooklyn

St. John’s College is founded with 47 students and six faculty on Lewis Avenue in Brooklyn.

Students from 1880 sitting at table studying

St. John’s awards its first scholarships.

St. Johns Queens Campus Gate

A New York State charter grants St. John’s the powers of a University.

1908 Basketball Team

The men’s basketball team makes its first appearance.

The School of Pedagogy is founded, admitting men and women.

Students from the School of Education in the 1950s

The School of Pedagogy is renamed the College Extension.

St. John's College Announces the Opening of A Law Department in 1925

The School of Law is founded.

Students sitting at desks in the 1900s using typewriters

The School of Accounting, Commerce, and Finance is established.

Schermerhorn Street building in downtown Brooklyn.

To accommodate growing enrollment, construction begins on the Schermerhorn Street building in downtown Brooklyn, NY.

School of Pharmacy Class of 1932 Class Photos

The School of Pharmacy is established.

St. John's University Doorway with people walking out onto the sidewalk

The name officially changes from St. John’s College to St. John’s University, Brooklyn.

The School of Accounting, Commerce and Finance is renamed the School of Commerce.

The School of Pharmacy is renamed the College of Pharmacy.

University Seal

The College Extension is renamed Teachers College.

Hillcrest golf course

The Vincentians purchase the Hillcrest Golf Course, the future Queens, NY, campus, for the relocation of the University.

College of nursing students standing infront of desk for photo.

The Department of Nursing is established at Teachers College.

Female faculty member infront of classroom in 1958

The Department of Nursing becomes a separate School of Nursing Education.

Teachers College separates its undergraduate and graduate divisions.

Construction trucks clearing land in 1954

The name officially changes to St. John’s University, New York.

Construction begins on the Queens campus with St. John Hall.

School of Education Crest Logo

Teachers College is renamed The School of Education.

Alumni Hall 1961

Alumni Hall is formally dedicated.

The School of Commerce is renamed the College of Business Administration.

University Seal

The Junior College is established.

Black and White image of St. Augustine Hall

St. Augustine Hall, the University’s hallmark building, is constructed.

University Seal

The Junior College is renamed the School of General Studies.

Rosati Hall on Staten Island

The University acquires its Staten Island, NY, campus, formerly Notre Dame College.

The School of General Studies is renamed the College of General Studies.

University Seal

The College of General Studies becomes St. Vincent’s College.

The College of Pharmacy is renamed the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.

Exterior shot of tulips outside the School of Education

The School of Education is renamed the School of Education and Human Services.

Sculpture of the Globe during the sunset

The first study abroad program, College Europa, launches in Budapest, Hungary.

Student in Rome

St. John’s establishes a graduate campus in Rome, Italy, marking the beginning of the University’s global presence.

Students at outdoor basketball courts next to Residence buildings

The first residence halls are completed on the Queens campus.

St. Vincent’s College is renamed the College of Professional Studies.

student_walking_down_stairs_infront_of_the_peter_j_tobin_college_of_business

The College of Business Administration is renamed The Peter J. Tobin College of Business.

101 Murray Street Building

The University acquires The College of Insurance, which is renamed the School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science, as well as its Manhattan campus at 101 Murray Street.

The School of Education and Human Services resumes its former title of The School of Education.

St. Thomas More Church 1600x900

St. Thomas More Church, the first free-standing church on the Queens campus, is dedicated.

Alumni Hall is renamed Carnesecca Arena.

Paris Campus

The Paris, France, location is established.

D'Angelo Center Building

The D’Angelo Center, the hub of Queens campus student life, opens.

Pharmacy Student Microscope

The College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions is renamed the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Exterior of 101 Astor Place building

The Manhattan, NY, campus relocates to 101 Astor Place.

Top of St. Augustine Building

The College of Professional Studies relocates to its new home following office renovations in St. Augustine Hall.

Peter J. Tobin College of Business

Renovations for The Peter J. Tobin College of Business are completed.

St. John’s University Receives Historic Gift from Lesley H. and William L. Collins

The College of Professional Studies is renamed The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies.

School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science

The School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science is renamed the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science.