Fordham University
Fordham University is a private Jesuit research university spread across the leafy Rose Hill campus in the Bronx and the Lincoln Center campus in Manhattan, giving students a residential Gothic quad and the resources of New York City at once. Admission is moderately selective: Fordham admitted about 59% of more than 43,000 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years posted an average high school GPA near 3.63 with middle-50% SAT scores of 1340–1470. The social sciences, business, and mathematics & statistics are among the most-conferred fields, reflecting Fordham's strengths in the liberal arts and the Gabelli School of Business. Fordham is test-optional and offers both binding Early Decision and non-restrictive Early Action.
See how Fordham compares
Pick up to two rivals — or search any school.
Fordham admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Decision
Fordham offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~0.9× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized Tests
Fordham is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Fordham's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 22.9% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Fordham does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Fordham weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Fordham's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
Writing your Fordham application essay?
Esslo gives you line-by-line feedback on your Common App and supplemental essays — so your application stands out at Fordham and beyond.
Frequently asked questions about Fordham admissions
Is it hard to get into Fordham?＋
Fordham is moderately selective, admitting about 59% of applicants in its most recent reported cycle — roughly 25,700 offers out of more than 43,000 applications. Admission is holistic: the rigor of your high school record and your academic GPA are weighed as very important, while the application essay, recommendations, and extracurriculars are each rated important.
What GPA do you need to get into Fordham?＋
Enrolled first-year students at Fordham report an average high school GPA of about 3.63. There is no hard cutoff, but academic GPA and the rigor of your course load are both treated as very important factors. Among the roughly 23% of enrolled students who reported a class rank, about 34% were in the top tenth and 70% in the top quarter of their graduating class.
Does Fordham require the SAT or ACT?＋
No — Fordham is test-optional, so you can apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores and standardized tests are only 'considered' in the review. Among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1340–1470 on the SAT and 30–33 on the ACT, with about 86% of SAT submitters scoring 1400 or above.
Is a 1450 SAT good enough for Fordham?＋
Yes — a 1450 is competitive for Fordham, sitting comfortably inside the middle-50% range of 1340–1470 for enrolled students and just below the 75th-percentile score of 1470. Because Fordham is test-optional and scores are only 'considered,' a strong 1450 helps your application but is not required to apply.
What is Fordham's Early Decision vs. Early Action acceptance rate?＋
Fordham offers both a binding Early Decision plan and a non-binding, non-restrictive Early Action plan. In the most recent cycle, Early Decision received 595 applications and admitted 307, an Early Decision admit rate of about 52% — modestly below the roughly 59% overall rate, with the tradeoff that ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
How much does Fordham cost, and is financial aid available?＋
Annual tuition and required fees run about $67,897, and the total cost of attendance rises once on-campus housing and food (about $25,200) are added. Roughly 68% of first-years receive need-based scholarship or grant aid, the average aid package is near $51,559, and Fordham meets about 76% of demonstrated need on average.
What are the most popular majors at Fordham?＋
The social sciences are the single most popular area at about 18% of bachelor's degrees, followed by business and marketing (16%) and mathematics & statistics (13%). Communication and journalism, psychology, and the visual and performing arts round out the most-conferred fields, reflecting Fordham's liberal-arts core and its Gabelli School of Business in New York City.
Does the application essay matter at Fordham?＋
Yes. Fordham rates the application essay as an important factor in its holistic review — below the very important academics (GPA and course rigor) but on par with recommendations and extracurriculars, and above standardized test scores, which are only 'considered.' A specific, well-revised essay is a real place to stand out in a moderately selective pool.
Source: Fordham University Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-08. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Fordham. Banner photo by Chriscobar, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).