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Colleges in and near Canton

Canton is a college town: 51 of every 100 residents are students

St Lawrence University (2,089 students on campus) and SUNY College of Technology at Canton (1,668) are inside the village. Across New York, 7 of every 100 residents are enrolled in college.

College town51% of residents are studentsSt Lawrence UniversitySUNY College of Technology at Canton

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Canton. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
4
9,398 students on campus
Nearest college
0.7 mi
St Lawrence University
Residents in college
51%
Above NY (7%)
Nearest community college
55.2 mi
North Country · $6,682 tuition
Nearest public university
0.9 mi
SUNY College of Technology at Canton · $8,742 in-state
Students on campus in Canton
3,757
next to 6,894 residents

What stands out about college in Canton

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

A college town51 of every 100 Canton residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.Two colleges within 0.9 milesSt Lawrence University admits 54% of applicants; SUNY College of Technology at Canton admits 92%. Together they have 3,757 students on campus.In-state price at SUNY College of Technology at CantonLiving in New York, SUNY College of Technology at Canton charges $8,742 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $13,572. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.A community college 55.2 miles awayNorth Country Community College in Saranac Lake: tuition and fees $6,682 a year for New York residents.
Town & gown

What it’s like to live in Canton

How much the colleges shape the town, from the Census Bureau’s survey of residents.

51 of every 100 Canton residents are in college (NY: 7).

3,757students on campus at Canton’s 2 colleges, next to 6,894 residents (dorm students count as residents)
216college students live in Canton households rather than dorms
21.9median age · NY 39.8
54%of homes rented · NY 46%
$796median rent · 51% below the state
CantonCanton, NY
Cost of living$796/mo median rentC+SafetyCrime reported to the FBIAHealthCDC estimatesA−Jobs & incomeIncome, jobs, getting aroundDHandbookTrash day, parking, who to call

How students change Canton’s other numbers

Read the town’s other grades with this in mind. How TownRatings handles college towns →

Jobs & income D

Students who live off campus count in the Census poverty figures: 19.9% of Canton residents are below the poverty line, 18.0% when college students are left out (that estimate could be off by 10 points either way). 48% of the students themselves are below the line. In college towns, the Jobs & income grade uses the rate without students and leaves unemployment out.

Cost of living C+

The Cost grade leaves out the share of renters paying 30% or more of income on rent wherever students are a quarter of residents or more (51% here): it would mostly measure student incomes.

Health A−

CDC’s estimates follow each place’s age mix, and Canton’s median age is 21.9 (New York 39.8), so the adult figures describe a young population.

Safety A

Crime is counted per resident, and students who live here count as residents. A college with its own police department reports its incidents under that department, not the city.

Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Canton

Two private colleges within 9.3 miles, and two public colleges within 10.4 miles.

5 mi10 mi15 miClarkson UniversitySUNY College at PotsdamSt Lawrence UniversityCanton
University or collegeCommunity college
St Lawrence UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,089 on campus · In Canton54%admitted$29knet price79%graduate$67kearningsSUNY College of Technology at CantonUniversity or college · Public · 1,668 on campus · In Canton92%admitted$15knet price38%graduate$48kearningsClarkson UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 3,323 on campus · 9.3 mi · Potsdam77%admitted$30knet price75%graduate$90kearningsSUNY College at PotsdamUniversity or college · Public · 2,318 on campus · 10.4 mi · Potsdam78%admitted$14knet price45%graduate$48kearnings

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $48–75k, where Canton’s median household income ($62,054) falls.

SUNY College at Potsdam10.4 mi · Potsdam · sticker $25,083$14,524a year
SUNY College of Technology at CantonIn Canton · sticker $24,906$17,700a year
St Lawrence UniversityIn Canton · sticker $82,000$19,401a year
Clarkson University9.3 mi · Potsdam · sticker $79,022$23,321a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Canton: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k$100k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →St Lawrence UniversitySUNY College of Technology at CantonClarkson UniversitySUNY College at Potsdam
Clarkson University75% graduate$90k earnings$26k typical debt
SUNY College at Potsdam45% graduate$48k earnings$24k typical debt
St Lawrence University79% graduate$67k earnings$27k typical debt
SUNY College of Technology at Canton38% graduate$48k earnings$20k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid.

Majors

What students study in Canton

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across Canton’s 2 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Health professions 14%Social sciences 9%Psychology 9%Computer science 7%Business 6%Biology 6%Everything else 49%

Biggest programs

Business/Commerce, GeneralSt Lawrence University · 96 graduates a year
$82k4 yrs out
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesSUNY College of Technology at Canton · 78 graduates a year
$60k4 yrs out
Psychology, GeneralSt Lawrence University · 74 graduates a year
$62k4 yrs out
EconomicsSt Lawrence University · 71 graduates a year
$96k4 yrs out
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsSUNY College of Technology at Canton · 57 graduates a year
$54k4 yrs out
Political Science and GovernmentSt Lawrence University · 50 graduates a year
$75k4 yrs out
Communication and Media StudiesSt Lawrence University · 47 graduates a year
$73k4 yrs out
Biology, GeneralSt Lawrence University · 39 graduates a year
$69k4 yrs out

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.

Questions about college in Canton

Is Canton a college town?

Yes. 51 of every 100 Canton residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), against 7 across New York. St Lawrence University has 2,089 students on campus, next to 6,894 residents.

What colleges are in Canton?

St Lawrence University and SUNY College of Technology at Canton are inside the village. North Country Community College is 55.2 miles away in Saranac Lake.

Why is Canton’s poverty rate so high?

Students who live off campus count in the Census figures. 19.9% of residents are below the poverty line; leaving college students out, 18.0% are (ACS 2020–24, give or take 10 points).

What is the closest community college to Canton, and what does it cost?

North Country Community College in Saranac Lake, 55.2 miles away. Tuition and fees are $6,682 a year for New York residents; the federal net price, $11,868, counts housing and food at full cost.

How hard is it to get into St Lawrence University?

St Lawrence University admitted 54% of applicants in the Scorecard’s latest year; the middle half of admitted students scored 1,255–1,420 on the SAT.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Canton. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →