Over 8,000 Rapes Reported at U.S. Colleges in 2024, Review Finds
Analysis of federal and state data reveals high numbers at institutions nationwide, including prominent New York schools, with concerns raised about investigation and disciplinary actions.
A review of federal and state crime data has revealed that 8,227 rapes were reported at American colleges and universities in 2024. The findings indicate that prominent New York institutions, including Columbia, Cornell, and NYU, were not exempt from the widespread issue of sexual violence on campuses.
The University of Utah reported the highest number of rapes nationally, with 146 accusations, nearly double that of the next highest schools. The majority of these incidents, 122, occurred in dormitories, with an additional 18 in other campus buildings and six on off-campus property managed by the school or student organizations.
Following the University of Utah, the University of Colorado Boulder recorded 96 reported rapes in 2024, with Ohio State University reporting 67. Other universities in the top 10 nationally included Penn State University (57), UCLA (52), the University of California Santa Cruz (46), the University of California Santa Barbara (43), Indiana University (43), the University of Kansas (39), and the University of Kentucky (37).
In New York, Columbia University reported 262 incidents of sexual violence. Under New York's state reporting rules, which require a broader tally of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, the university logged 21 reported rapes on campus, all within residence halls. However, the review found that Columbia had a low rate of investigation and disciplinary action. Out of 262 incidents reported to its Title IX coordinator in 2024, only three were investigated, resulting in a single expulsion.
Over the period from 2018 to 2024, Columbia consistently showed a low rate of action among New York colleges, with an average of only 9% of its 1,202 reported cases being investigated and just 1% resulting in disciplinary action.
Columbia student Emma Sulkowicz's high-profile protest in 2015, where she carried a mattress she alleged was used during a sexual assault, highlighted concerns about the university's response to such cases. Her accused assailant was cleared by a university investigation.
NYU reported 229 cases of sexual violence in 2024, with 28 investigated and 10 leading to disciplinary action. SUNY Albany followed with 217 cases and SUNY Binghamton with 198.
Cornell University, which is currently facing scrutiny over a drug-fueled gang rape scandal in October 2024 at the Chi Phi fraternity house, reported 166 cases of sexual violence that year. The university stated that 18 cases were investigated, resulting in disciplinary action in 11 instances, including three expulsions and four suspensions. Two students accused in the fraternity incident were expelled, and two others received one-year suspensions.
Reports of sex offenses on college campuses have significantly increased over the past decade. Experts note that while these numbers reflect reported incidents, they do not capture the full scope of sexual assaults, as many cases go unreported due to various factors, including potential social repercussions for victims.