Reported Rapes Reach 8,227 at US Colleges in 2024
American colleges and universities recorded 8,227 reported rapes in 2024, according to federal and state crime data reviewed by the New York Post and published across multiple mastheads including news.com.au. The figures reveal widespread reports of sexual violence at institutions nationwide, with elite New York universities and large public campuses logging high numbers of accusations.
National Totals and University Rankings
The University of Utah recorded the highest number of reported rapes in the country for 2024. The 36,894-student public university in Salt Lake City logged 146 rape accusations, nearly double the count at any other institution, according to data from the US Department of Education. Out of those 146 accusations, 122 took place in residence halls, 18 occurred in other campus buildings, and six happened in off-campus properties managed by the school or student organisations.
The University of Colorado Boulder registered the second-highest count with 96 reported rapes in 2024. Ohio State University followed with 67 reported cases. Additional institutions appearing in the national top ten include Penn State University with 57 cases, UCLA with 52 cases, the University of California Santa Cruz with 46 cases, the University of California Santa Barbara and Indiana University with 43 cases each, the University of Kansas with 39 cases, and the University of Kentucky with 37 cases.
Sexual Violence Disclosures at New York Campuses
New York state reporting rules require colleges to track a broader combined tally that includes sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, alongside federal rape statistics. Columbia University logged 262 reported incidents of sexual violence in 2024, which included 21 reported campus rapes that all occurred in residence halls.
New York University reported 229 cases of sexual violence during the same year. SUNY Albany recorded 217 cases, SUNY Binghamton logged 198 cases, and Cornell University recorded 166 cases of sexual violence.
Disciplinary Actions and Historical Records at Columbia University
A New York Post analysis found that Columbia University had the most severe discrepancy between reported incidents and disciplinary follow-up among large New York schools. Out of 262 incidents reported to the university’s Title IX coordinator in 2024, only three were investigated, resulting in a single expulsion.
This pattern extended across a seven-year span from 2018 to 2024, during which Columbia investigated an average of 9 percent of its 1,202 total reported cases. Just 1 percent, equating to 17 cases over seven years, resulted in disciplinary action. The institution previously faced intense student activism, most notably when student Emma Sulkowicz carried a mattress across campus starting in 2012 to protest the university’s handling of her rape allegation against a classmate who was later cleared by an internal investigation.
Investigation Data at Cornell University and NYU
Cornell University handled 166 reported cases of sexual violence in 2024, a year that saw an alleged drug-fueled gang rape occur at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October. The university investigated 18 of its reported cases and took disciplinary action in 11 instances, issuing three expulsions and four suspensions. Two individuals accused in the Chi Phi gang rape were expelled, while two others received one-year suspensions.
At New York University, officials investigated 28 of 229 reported cases of sexual violence in 2024, leading to disciplinary action in 10 instances.
Context on Reporting Trends and False Allegations
Reported sex offenses on college campuses increased nearly fivefold over the decade leading up to 2024. Research indicates that false reports account for a small minority of cases, estimated between 2 percent and 10 percent.
The number should be taken seriously, while being understood for what it is: a count of reports, not the full picture,
psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert, author of Therapy Nation, told the New York Post. Reports aren’t convictions, and the figure can’t possibly tell us how many assaults went unreported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are New York college figures higher than federal rape totals?
Federal data specifically tracks rape, while New York state reporting mandates require institutions to log a broader combined tally that includes sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.
How many rape accusations were recorded at the University of Utah in 2024?
The University of Utah logged 146 rape accusations in 2024, representing the highest total among American colleges and universities tracked by the US Department of Education.
What disciplinary actions were taken in the 2024 Cornell University fraternity case?
Following an alleged October 2024 incident at the Chi Phi fraternity house, Cornell University expelled two accused individuals and suspended two others for one year.