Saint Francis University
Flash Facts, Rankings, and More
Saint Francis University
Flash Facts
- 600-acre campus in Loretto, Pennsylvania
- Catholic-Franciscan
- Private not-for-profit
- Carnegie Classification: Masters Colleges and Universities Larger Programs
Main Phone: 814-472-3000
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 600
(169 Lakeview Drive -package shipping)
Loretto, Pa 15940
Recent Accolades
- Saint Francis University celebrates 10 years of earning the College of Distinction honor for demonstrating hands-on learning, strong student-teacher relationships, a vibrant campus life, and successful outcomes.
- Saint Francis University Aviation Education Center launches its FAA-certified Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) program
- Saint Francis University Recognized in Washington Monthly 2024 College Guide for Value and Impact
- SFU Recognized as One of America’s Best Colleges 2025 by Wall Street Journal and College Pulse
Fall 2024: Institutional Data
- Enrollment: 1,962 (Fall 2024 undergraduate, graduate & adult degree)
- Graduation Rate: 73.40 %
- Average Time to a Degree: 4.1 years
- Retention Rate: 87.3%
- Early Career Earnings: $62,101
- Graduates earning more than peers with high school diploma: 84%
Sources: U.S. Government College Score Card & SFU Office of Institutional Research
Our Franciscan Identity
- oldest Franciscan college in the United States
- founded in 1847 by six friars from Ireland
- one of the first Catholic co-ed colleges in the nation
Governing Structure
- Sponsored by the Franciscans of the Third Order Regular
- President of the University Fr. Malachi Van Tassell, Ph.D., T.O.R.
- Governed by Board of Trustees
Academic Flash Facts
- 60+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies programs
- programs range from non-degree certificates through doctoral level programs
- face-to-face and online programs
Accreditation
Saint Francis University and its specialized programs are accredited by 12 accrediting bodies. Review accrediting details here.
Academic Structure
Academics at SFU fall under the scope of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Academic Homes:
Athletics
SFU is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the University's 22 men's and women's sports teams compete at the Division I level. The University is also a member of the Northeast Conference. The University's nickname is the Red Flash.
Athletics Fast Facts
- SFU has won 17 Conference Championships since 2016
- More CoSIDA/College Sports Communicators Academic All-America selections come from SFU than any other institution in the Northeast Conference
- Saint Francis became the first school in NEC history to garner both the Male and Female Team Student-Athlete of the Year award in the same academic year in 2023-24
- Saint Francis is the only NEC school to have at least one NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year every year since the inception of the award in 2003-04 and have amassed 86 winners in that span
- In 2023-24, 57 student-athletes were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team. In addition, two men’s volleyball players earned Academic All-America status
- The Red Flash softball team defeated Siena 1-0 in the Austin Regional for the program’s second NCAA Tournament win in program history in 2024