JCU 101

About JCU

Founded in 1886, John Carroll University is a top-ranked, private liberal arts institution located in University Heights, Ohio. Committed to fostering intellectual growth, leadership, and service, JCU offers a transformative education that prepares students to be more and do more for the world.

Degree Programs

70+ majors, minors, concentrations, and accelerated graduate programs are available through John Carroll University's Boler College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Health.

Enrollment

Undergraduate students: 2,340
Graduate students: 510
Students from 30 States and 20 Countries
Average class size: 21
Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
25% First Generation Students (Class of 2028)

Alumni

45,000 alumni
500+ businesses in Northeast Ohio are owned or led by JCU alumni
43 alum work in the NFL
Alumni Mentoring Network: Undergraduate students are offered support through the award-winning John Carroll Mentoring Network –an online database with direct access to hundreds of alumni mentors from a wide range of career paths who are eager to offer their insight and experience

students on campus at unity night events

Student Life

100+ student clubs and organizations
13 club sports
6 on-campus dining locations
7 residence halls
91% of our students report that living on campus contributes to their sense of belonging
4 national sororities and 2 national fraternities
138,000+ service hours completed annually
Ranked #12 in the country for Community Engagement -The Princeton Review (2024)
13 multicultural student organizations
12 Carroll Faith Communities

Study Abroad

Approximately 100 students study abroad each year
45+ study abroad/exchange programs are offered each year
Experiences take place on five continents in locations such as France, England, Spain, Japan, and Italy

Athletics

24 NCAA Division III Varsity Teams
13 Club Sports
20 intramural sports leagues and tournaments
100+ DIII All-Americans
In 2025, JCU will join the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)

Professional Development

100% of students have access to professional development opportunities on campus
90% of students complete two or more high-impact experiences, which include internships, research, study abroad, service-learning, and student employment

The Cleveland Connection

Our campus is situated in University Heights, Ohio, an attractive residential suburb 10 miles east of downtown Cleveland. This location offers students the best of both worlds—a welcoming, safe, suburban campus with the vibrant cultural, professional, and social opportunities of a major city just a short drive away. Students at John Carroll enjoy the close-knit, supportive community on our campus while having easy access to internships, service opportunities, entertainment, and career-building experiences in Cleveland’s thriving business, healthcare, and arts sectors.

Booming Business

Cleveland is home to fast-rising startups, numerous Fortune 500 companies, government, academic, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations. JCU connects students to world-class research and internship experience in biomedical experimentation, healthcare, IT, educational outreach, marketing, and autism research. We also have a special partnership with the renowned Cleveland Clinic.

For and With Others

We coordinate opportunities for students to serve those in need, partnering with organizations that actively address issues of food and hunger, early childhood development, education, and domestic violence prevention.

Arts & Culture

Located on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland is the heart of a thriving metropolitan area. Home to the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, a number of theatre ensembles, including the Cleveland Play House and Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, dance companies, and a thriving film scene, Cleveland is a cultural magnet. Its lively theatre district at Playhouse Square is the country’s largest performing arts complex outside of New York City. Cleveland is also a sports town, with Major League Baseball (The Cleveland Guardians), NFL Football (the Cleveland Browns), and NBA Basketball (the Cleveland Cavaliers).

Parks & Recreation

Cleveland has a large city park system in the U.S. and offers picnicking, hiking, bike trails, horseback riding, winter sports, and more. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, located between Cleveland and Akron, features a wide variety of natural, cultural, and historical resources.

Active Alumni

"Every college will promise to prepare you for a career, and John Carroll definitely will too. But that’s where most of them stop. JCU, on the other hand, won’t just make you more employable; it will help you become a better person."

Spencer Furin ’17; B.S., Engineering Physics; Electrical Engineer, NASA Glenn Research Center

Angelica attributes the deep connections she developed with faculty, advisors, and coaches to her success while at John Carroll. Today she
works as a Program Manager in App Attribution with Google.

Angelica Bucci '16, Program Manager; Google

Joe's passion for sports and healthcare led him to pursue an Exercise Science degree from John Carroll. You can find him on the football field where he works as a Rehabilitation Coordinator and Physical Therapist for the Buffalo Bills.

Joseph Micca '10, Rehabilitation Coordinator; Buffalo Bills

While at John Carroll, Marcello played for the Men’s Soccer team and graduated with a degree in Entrepreneurship & Communication, with a concentration in TV & Screenwriting. In 2022 he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live and continues to perform stand-up comedy across the country.

Marcello Hernandez '19, Cast Member; Saturday Night Live

Rankings

Ranked as one of The Princeton Review’s Best 390 Colleges (2024)
The Wall Street Journal ranked JCU in the Top 7% of 4-Year Institutions in the US.
Fortune’s Best MBA Programs for 2025
- #1 in Northeast Ohio
- #4 in Ohio
- #77 in the Nation