“A health-professions powerhouse in suburban Buffalo where personalized education and real-world practice converge.”
Daemen University—formerly Rosary Hill College and then Daemen College—earned university status in March 2022 when the New York State Board of Regents recognized the breadth and depth of its graduate offerings. Situated on a compact, walkable 46.5-acre campus in Amherst, a safe and prosperous suburb roughly ten miles northeast of downtown Buffalo, Daemen combines the intimate atmosphere of a small liberal-arts college with the professional-program rigor of a health-sciences university. The institution traces its roots to 1947, when the Sisters of St. Francis founded Rosary Hill College; it became coeducational in the 1960s, transitioned to secular independence in 1976, and was renamed in honor of Mother Magdalene Daemen, foundress of the Sisters of St. Francis. Today it holds regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and specialized accreditations across nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, social work, and business. Academically, Daemen is organized into three colleges: the College of Arts, Science and Education; the College of Health, Human Sciences and Business; and the Scott Bieler College of Health Professions. Across these colleges the university offers 65 undergraduate majors and an expanding suite of graduate programs. Standout offerings include the only American Bar Association-approved paralegal program in Western New York and the state's first approved applied behavior analysis graduate program. The physician assistant, physical therapy, and nursing programs enjoy strong regional reputations and consistently achieve competitive board-exam pass rates. With a rolling admissions policy and a test-optional stance, Daemen makes access a priority: 95 percent of undergraduates receive some form of grant or scholarship aid. Life at Daemen revolves around close faculty-student relationships—average class sizes are small—and a vibrant campus community anchored by the Yurtchuk Student Center, the Wildcat Den social lounge, and suite-style residence halls. The 47-item Tradition Keeper program encourages students to experience everything from Late-Night Breakfast and SpringFest to walking the campus labyrinth and finding the historic Founder's Bell. Buffalo and the surrounding Niagara region offer professional sports (Bills, Sabres), renowned cultural institutions (Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Shea's Performing Arts Center), and an increasingly dynamic restaurant and brewery scene—all within easy reach at an affordable cost of living.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceRolling Admissions (General)
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
Physician Assistant Program Priority
November 1 deadline for first-round PA interview consideration; later applications accepted space permitting
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$35,854 – $37,994
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
The flagship professional college at Daemen, housing the university's most competitive and accredited health-science programs. Graduates are prepared for licensure in demanding clinical fields with strong board-exam outcomes.
A broad liberal-arts and sciences college encompassing education, the humanities, social sciences, visual and performing arts, and the natural sciences. Home to teacher-licensure pathways and pre-professional tracks.
Combines professional business programs with social-science and public-health disciplines. Hosts the only ABA-approved paralegal program in Western New York and an AACSB-pursuing business curriculum.
2 years
One of Daemen's most sought-after programs, leading directly to PA licensure. The curriculum integrates rigorous didactic coursework with supervised clinical rotations across multiple healthcare settings in the Buffalo–Niagara region.
3 years
A CAPTE-accredited entry-level doctoral program that prepares graduates for immediate clinical practice. Strong clinical-placement network in Western New York hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
4 years
An ACEN-accredited nursing program with early clinical immersion, simulation labs, and partnerships with major Buffalo-area healthcare systems. Consistently strong NCLEX pass rates.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $35,218
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
