About

Simmons University encompasses the many benefits of a small university in the nation's best "college town."

The Simmons academic campus

Learn why students love it here

Located in the heart of Boston, Simmons University is a private university, home to a respected women’s undergraduate program, as well as coeducational graduate programs in nursing and health sciences, liberal arts, business, communications, social work, public health, and library and information science.

Simmons has established a model of higher education that only today other colleges and universities are beginning to adapt: the combination of education for leadership in high-demand professional fields with the intellectual foundation of the liberal arts. The result is a Simmons graduate prepared not only to work, but to lead in professional, civic, and personal life — a vision of empowerment that Simmons calls preparation for life’s work.

The Simmons story is one of growth, innovation, and a solid foundation — fueled by on-the-ground and online enrollment, and investments in its campus and technology.

Simmons at a glance

  • Simmons is a four-year, private, non-profit, non-sectarian university
  • Simmons is home to 1,690 undergraduate students and 4,620 graduate students 
  • 9:1 student to faculty ratio
  • Simmons offers over 60 majors and programs
  • Our students can participate in over 70 clubs and organizations
  • We have 225 full-time faculty, 74% are women
  • Our average undergraduate class size is 13
  • 92% of Simmons undergraduates are employed or in graduate schoolwithin 6 months of graduation
  • 34% of undergraduate students self-identify as ALANA
  • 32 countries and 50 states are represented in our study body

*Numbers as of fall 2021 unless otherwise noted

See our Common Data Set for more information about Simmons University.

Learn more

Since its founding in 1899, Simmons’ raison d’etre has been to expand opportunities for women, forging fields that advance equity and justice locally and globally.

Close-up of "Simmons" etched into the Main College Building

Our Mission & History

For more than 100 years, Simmons has put the needs of our students first. Through an education that combines intellectual leadership with professional preparation, we help students lead meaningful lives and build successful careers for the 21st Century.

A rendering of the Simmons University campus

Our Future

At Simmons, innovating and adapting to the needs of the modern world is key to our history, and our future. Simmons is a small university and a diverse urban university at a time when the landscape of higher education is constantly evolving. We're committed to enhancing Simmons by building on our strengths, preserving our Mission, and creating a sustainable structure for the future.

Ninth President Lynn Perry Wooten

University Leadership

Accessible and accountable, our administration leads by example. And we hold firm to one purpose: to work for you.

The Simmons cupola against a blue sky

Awards and Accolades

Simmons continues to be named among the best colleges and universities in the nation.

Awards and accolades
A group of Simmons employees sitting together

Work at Simmons

You’ll find that people who work here are truly committed to our mission of preparing students to become champions of social justice and leaders in their professions and their communities.

Work at Simmons

Campus & Community

Main Campus Quad of Simmons

Retired professor Dr. Susan Sampson '09EE, a longtime, dedicated member of the Simmons community, passed away on May 25, 2023. Dr. Sampson contributed immensely to the University through her passion, scholarship, and leadership. She served as the Endowed Chair of...

UG Graduate Mortarboards - Class of 2023

On Friday, May 19, 2023, Simmons University celebrated the 118th Commencement Ceremony at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway. The many accomplishments of the Class of 2023 were celebrated at the annual undergraduate and graduate ceremonies. Simmons awarded 400 baccalaureate...

Archives Table

This academic year, undergraduate students in the History 380 class have undertaken The Simmons Memory Project, exploring the importance of the residence campus in the university's past, and its meaning to the Simmons community today. Guided by Professor Laura R...

Photo of Jason Wood

The Simmons Alumnae/i Association is proud to announce that the recipient of the 2023 Priscilla McKee Award for Faculty and Staff is Simmons University Archivist & Deputy Director Jason Wood '01MS, '11MS. Jason received multiple nominations for this award, as...

Resources

Paul Revere statue in the Boston Common

Experience Boston

Simmons draws on many of the city’s cultural, historical, economic, scientific, and educational resources to offer an unparalleled student experience.

Students gathered in the Linda K Paresky Center at Simmons

Community engagement

For more than 100 years, Simmons University has inspired its students to combine learning with action for a more just and equitable world. 

Student sitting in class

Your Simmons

Our commitment to the success of our students guides our vision and is clear in our values.