St. John's University was founded in Brooklyn in 1870 by the Congregation of the Mission, whose members are commonly called Vincentians. Its original purpose was to expand access to higher education for the children of immigrants. That history remains central to the university's Catholic and Vincentian identity.
Founded as St. John's College, the institution later became a university and expanded beyond its original Brooklyn site. Its Queens campus opened in 1955 and is now its principal campus. The university's development into a multi-school institution - including professional education in business, health, education, and law - helps explain why applicants encounter a wider range of programs than its original liberal-arts college offered.
St. John's organizes its academic programs across several colleges and schools rather than one undergraduate faculty. They include St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Peter J. Tobin College of Business, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, the School of Education, the Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, and the School of Law.
Undergraduates can explore fields such as biology, psychology, accounting, finance, communications, computer science, criminal justice, education, and health-related disciplines. The university also offers master's, doctoral, and professional programs, including the Doctor of Pharmacy and law degrees. Program location, admission standards, required clinical or fieldwork, and time to completion can differ considerably; applicants should evaluate the requirements of their intended degree, not just university-wide admissions information.
The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 15 to 1. That institutional measure is not a promise about class size or access to a particular professor: introductory courses, laboratories, seminars, and professional programs can operate differently.
St. John's main campus is in Queens, New York, at 8000 Utopia Parkway in the Jamaica area. It offers a campus setting within New York City rather than in a separate college town. Students can draw on the city's employers, museums, and community organizations, but commuting time and transportation costs deserve attention when comparing enrollment options.
Public transit generally involves connecting local buses with the subway or Long Island Rail Road; the campus is not immediately beside a subway station. Students who expect to commute should test the route from their own neighborhood at the times they would attend classes. LaGuardia is a nearby airport for students traveling from outside the region, though airport proximity has little bearing on most daily trips.
St. John's also has programs and facilities beyond Queens. Applicants should confirm where their particular courses, placements, and student services are delivered rather than assuming every university offering meets on the main campus.
St. John's describes its mission in Catholic and Vincentian terms: providing education while emphasizing service, respect for human dignity, and attention to people facing poverty or exclusion. Its stated educational approach connects intellectual development with ethical reflection and engagement beyond the classroom.
That affiliation has practical expressions in service activities and campus ministry, but it does not mean every student follows the Catholic faith. Prospective students can assess how the university's stated values appear in the curriculum, service expectations of a particular program, and opportunities to participate - or not participate - in religious activities. Mission statements describe institutional aims; they do not, by themselves, establish a student's experience or outcomes.
Name of the institution
St. John's University-New YorkLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
10,000 - 19,999Religious affiliation
Catholic (Roman Catholic Church)School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1870St. John's University-New York is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.