St. John’s University and St. John’s College are different, unrelated schools. St. John’s University is a large private Catholic university in Queens, New York City, founded in 1870 by the Vincentian Fathers, with 19,389 students. St. John’s College is a tiny secular liberal arts college with campuses in Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, chartered in 1784, that teaches a single Great Books curriculum to about 1,000 students across both campuses.
Here is how they compare, using fall 2024 figures from the federal College Navigator database.
St. John’s University vs St. John’s College at a Glance
| Item | St. John’s University | St. John’s College |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Queens, New York City (plus Manhattan and campuses abroad) | Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Founded | 1870 | Chartered 1784; roots in King William’s School, 1696 |
| Type | Private Catholic university | Private secular liberal arts college |
| Enrollment (fall 2024) | 19,389 (15,640 undergraduate) | Annapolis 583; Santa Fe 467 |
| Admitted (fall 2024) | 83% | Annapolis 55%; Santa Fe 53% |
| Tuition and fees (2024-2025) | $53,020 | Annapolis $40,684; Santa Fe $40,504 |
| Average net price (2023-2024) | $29,656 | Annapolis $30,930; Santa Fe $25,209 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 16 to 1 | 8 to 1 at both campuses |
| Degrees | More than 100 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs | One bachelor’s degree, plus three master’s degrees |
| Accreditor | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States (Annapolis); Higher Learning Commission (Santa Fe) |
What Is St. John’s University?
St. John’s University is a private Catholic university founded in 1870 by the Congregation of the Mission, the Vincentian Fathers, to give the youth of New York a Catholic university education. It began in Brooklyn and moved its flagship campus to Queens in the 1950s; it also has a Manhattan campus and international campuses in Rome, Paris and Limerick, and its Staten Island campus closed in May 2024. It is organized into five undergraduate and six graduate schools offering more than 100 degree programs, and it is the third-largest Catholic university in the United States by enrollment. It admitted 83% of applicants for fall 2024, and 66% of the fall 2018 cohort graduated within six years.
What Is St. John’s College?
St. John’s College is a private liberal arts college with two campuses, in Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It descends from King William’s School, founded in 1696, and received its collegiate charter from Maryland in 1784; the Santa Fe campus opened for classes in 1964. Since 1937 it has taught a Great Books curriculum, in which every student reads and discusses the same works from the Western canon in philosophy, religion, history, mathematics, science and literature. It grants a single bachelor’s degree in philosophy, literature and natural science, plus master’s degrees through its graduate institute, including one in Eastern Classics offered only in Santa Fe. Each campus has fewer than 600 students and an 8 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Why People Mix Them Up
- The name. “St. John’s” is one of the most common names for schools, churches and hospitals, and there are other St. John’s colleges and universities besides these two.
- Both are private and on the East Coast (the Annapolis campus is about 200 miles from Queens).
- Search results. A search for “St. John’s” often mixes the university’s sports news with the college’s admissions pages.
The quick tell: the University is the big Catholic school in Queens with 100-plus majors; the College is the small Great Books school in Annapolis and Santa Fe with one major.
Who Each School Suits
St. John’s University suits students who want a large, career-oriented Catholic university in New York City with a wide choice of majors, professional and graduate schools and accessible admission (83% admitted).
St. John’s College suits students who want to read the great works of the Western tradition in small seminars, do not need to choose a major, and prefer a tiny campus community. It is not the place for a business, nursing or pharmacy degree, because it offers none.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is St. John’s College part of St. John’s University? No. They are separate institutions with no connection.
- Which is older? St. John’s College, chartered in 1784. St. John’s University was founded in 1870.
- Is St. John’s College Catholic? No. College Navigator lists no religious affiliation. St. John’s University is Roman Catholic.
- Which is bigger? St. John’s University, with 19,389 students, against fewer than 600 at each St. John’s College campus.