jcu front of campus sign

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 BusinessCollege of Arts and Sciences, and College of Health.

college of health nursing student
jcu students on st ignatius hall steps

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
josh mcdaniels jcu alum in nfl
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
jcu in rome 2024
jcu football player in game

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
Mastrontoni Success Center

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.

cleveland clinic main campus
living the mission t shirt

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).

jcu students at cleveland guardians
jcu shaker hike

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

Rankings

jcu college rankings from WSJ and Princeton Review
  • 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