MA
Suffolk University
1.42 incidents / 1,000 students
Boston, MA · Clery Act 2024 · Private Nonprofit
Suffolk University
Across 2022–2024, Suffolk University reported 17 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count fell over that span (largest filed category: Fondling). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Salem State University.
- 1.42
- Incidents / 1k students
- #801
- Rank of 2,072
- #34
- MA rank
- 6,356
- Enrolled students
1.42 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Suffolk University reports 1.42 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 62% below Marist University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Marist University (4.41/1k); Bowie State University (9.92/1k); Kalamazoo Valley Community College (0.32/1k); Western Illinois University (3.63/1k); Virginia Western Community College (0.47/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Salem State University (4.82/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Fondling.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 1.42
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #801
- safer than ranked campuses its size
- 61%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 5
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 168005 · Suffolk University 1.42/1k score rate · #801/2,072
RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO
- RATE-LOW 1.42/1k
- RANK-MID #801/2,072
- ST-MID #34 in state
- ABOVE-PEER Virginia Western Community College · +0.94
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-DOWN ↓ 37%
- CAT-LEAD Fondling
- ENR-MID 6,356
- FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed
Nearest enrollment peer: Virginia Western Community College (-0.94/1k)
Suffolk University sheet RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO · peer Virginia Western Community College. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is Virginia Western Community College (-0.94/1k). National rank #801 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Suffolk University reports 1.42 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 62% below Marist University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Marist University (4.41/1k); Bowie State University (9.92/1k); Kalamazoo Valley Community College (0.32/1k); Western Illinois University (3.63/1k); Virginia Western Community College (0.47/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Salem State University (4.82/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Fondling.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Suffolk University
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Suffolk on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Kalamazoo Valley Community College · lowest peer 0.32
Kalamazoo Valley Community College — lowest peer
0.32 per 1,000 students
- Virginia Western Community College · near 0.47
Virginia Western Community College — near
0.47 per 1,000 students
- Suffolk University · this campus 1.42
Suffolk University — this campus
1.42 per 1,000 students
- Western Illinois University · near 3.63
Western Illinois University — near
3.63 per 1,000 students
- Bowie State University · highest peer
Bowie State University — highest peer
9.92 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Suffolk University's 1.42/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Suffolk University increased from 4 to 5 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 MA 4-year peers in this comparison, Suffolk University is larger than 89% and safer-reporting than 83% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 100
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Suffolk University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 1,989 | 3.02 | 0 | 47 |
| Curry College | 1,994 | 4.51 | 3 | 28 |
| Hult International Business School | 2,008 | 3.98 | 6 | 33 |
| American International College | 2,037 | 5.89 | 8 | 19 |
| Assumption University | 2,037 | 6.87 | 8 | 11 |
| Williams College | 2,164 | 9.24 | 14 | 6 |
| Mount Holyoke College | 2,275 | 1.76 | 17 | 75 |
| Wellesley College | 2,407 | 2.49 | 19 | 50 |
| Regis College | 2,517 | 0.40 | 22 | 94 |
| Lesley University | 2,557 | 1.96 | 25 | 64 |
| Springfield College | 2,599 | 9.23 | 28 | 8 |
| Suffolk University (this campus) | 6,356 | 1.42 | 89 | 83 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Suffolk University rose from 4 to 5 (+25%). The increase shows up in Burglary (1 to 2) and Robbery (0 to 1). Falling over the same period: Fondling (2 to 1).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Suffolk University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 6 Clery Act categories here: Fondling, Rape, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Motor Vehicle Theft and Robbery.
The remaining 5 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Arson, Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter and Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlySuffolk University: Criminal Offenses by year
Declining 37% (8 → 5 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fondling | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Rape | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Aggravated Assault | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Burglary | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Robbery | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 5 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 1 | 110 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 2 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 8 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 114 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 14 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 111 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 1 |
Suffolk University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
NY
Marist University
4.41 incidents / 1,000 students
MD
Bowie State University
9.92 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Suffolk University sits on price and outcomes
At $29,618, Suffolk University's reported average net price is cheaper than 73% among 117 Massachusetts colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $24,402.
- $29,618
- average net price
- $24,402
- Massachusetts median
- 2.1×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $11,519
- reported income-bracket spread
Net price moves with income here, but not sharply: $24,745 for families reporting under $30,000 against $36,264 above $110,000, a difference of $11,519. Aid narrows the gap without closing it, so the $29,618 average sits reasonably close to what most brackets report.
Six-year median earnings of $55,856 run about 1.9 times the annual net price. The margin is real but narrow, so how many years of price a student actually pays matters a great deal here.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $47,550
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $47,550
- Avg Net Price
- $29,618
- Median Debt
- $26,889
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 30%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 82%
- SAT Average
- 1216
- SAT Math Range
- 540-630
- ACT Average
- 26
- ACT Range
- 24-28
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 60%
- Retention Rate
- 75%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $55,856
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $67,506
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 78%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 996 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Marist University
Poughkeepsie, NY · 6,356 enrolled
Safety Score 4.41
Bowie State University
Bowie, MD · 6,353 enrolled
Safety Score 9.92
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Kalamazoo, MI · 6,334 enrolled
Safety Score 0.32
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL · 6,332 enrolled
Safety Score 3.63
Virginia Western Community College
Roanoke, VA · 6,332 enrolled
Safety Score 0.47
Closest by National Rank
Suffolk University (national rank #801) sits near Iowa Central Community College (#800) and Dickinson State University (#802) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge, IA
National Rank #800
Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND
National Rank #802
Miles Community College
Miles City, MT
National Rank #799
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
National Rank #803
Mercer County Community College
West Windsor, NJ
National Rank #798
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Suffolk University, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
Marist University
Poughkeepsie, NY · 6,356 enrolled
Safety score 4.41
Bowie State University
Bowie, MD · 6,353 enrolled
Safety score 9.92
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL · 6,332 enrolled
Safety score 3.63
High Point University
High Point, NC · 6,331 enrolled
Safety score 6.79
Jackson State University
Jackson, MS · 6,326 enrolled
Safety score 3.95
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Platteville, WI · 6,389 enrolled
Safety score 2.50
Cedarville University
Cedarville, OH · 6,318 enrolled
Safety score 0.63
Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN · 6,310 enrolled
Safety score 1.90
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND · 1,410 enrolled
Safety score 1.42
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA · 104,327 enrolled
Safety score 1.42
Strayer University-South Carolina
Greenville, SC · 2,110 enrolled
Safety score 1.42
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS · 23,150 enrolled
Safety score 1.43
Daytona State College
Daytona Beach, FL · 12,820 enrolled
Safety score 1.40
Lindsey Wilson College
Columbia, KY · 4,193 enrolled
Safety score 1.43
Universidad Central de Bayamon
Bayamã³N, PR · 698 enrolled
Safety score 1.43
University of Hawaii Maui College
Kahului, HI · 2,792 enrolled
Safety score 1.43
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Suffolk University safe?
Suffolk University has a safety score of 1.42 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #801 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Marist University (4.41/1k). Same-state same-level set: Salem State University (4.82/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k).
What crimes are reported at Suffolk University?
For calendar year 2024, Suffolk University reported Burglary (2), Fondling (1), Rape (1) and Robbery (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Suffolk University compare to similar schools?
Suffolk University reports 62% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Marist University. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Marist University (4.41/1k); Bowie State University (9.92/1k); Kalamazoo Valley Community College (0.32/1k); Western Illinois University (3.63/1k); Virginia Western Community College (0.47/1k). Same-state same-level set: Salem State University (4.82/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k).
Does Suffolk University have fire safety data?
Yes. Suffolk University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. No fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.