Skip to content
College Path Hub

Canisius University

Buffalo, New York · Private nonprofit · 4-year · City

Compare this college

Official website

At a glance

Average net price
$17,940What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
72%
Graduation rate
69%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
1,685
In-state tuition
$34,500Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$34,500
SAT midpoint
1,150
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$60,681Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against private nonprofit 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$17,940

Better than 76% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1092 compared).

Completion

69%

Better than 72% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1063 compared).

Earnings

$60,681

Better than 69% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1087 compared).

Debt at graduation

$24,250

Better than 54% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1020 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$44,322

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$17,940

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?
Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Canisius University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time69%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return73%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$24,250
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$60,681

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Canisius University by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Economics$55,78628
Accounting and Related Services$53,06528
Finance and Financial Management Services$48,58753
Business Administration, Management and Operations$47,87513
Communication and Media Studies$35,2648
Journalism$34,76612
Criminal Justice and Corrections$33,84316
Political Science and Government$31,79721
Biology, General$29,39740
Research and Experimental Psychology$29,33344
Zoology/Animal Biology$26,39830
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$26,25448
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$25,1549
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$15,6817
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationNot reported17
Computer ScienceNot reported15
HistoryNot reported13
MarketingNot reported12
English Language and Literature, GeneralNot reported10
Special Education and TeachingNot reported8
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsNot reported6
International Relations and National Security StudiesNot reported6
PhilosophyNot reported5
International BusinessNot reported4
ChemistryNot reported4
Human Services, GeneralNot reported4
Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsNot reported3
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyNot reported3
StatisticsNot reported2
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesNot reported2
Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralNot reported2
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsNot reported1
SociologyNot reported1
Urban Studies/AffairsNot reported1
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported1
Religion/Religious StudiesNot reported1
Engineering, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasNot reportedNot reported
Area StudiesNot reportedNot reported
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesNot reportedNot reported
MusicNot reportedNot reported
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsNot reportedNot reported
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational BiologyNot reportedNot reported
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Social Sciences, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
PhysicsNot reportedNot reported
Management Information Systems and ServicesNot reportedNot reported
AnthropologyNot reportedNot reported
Fine and Studio ArtsNot reportedNot reported

All 50 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

Similar colleges