The invention discloses a method for synthesizing sec-butyl alcohol. In the method, sec-butyl acetate and methyl alcohol are used as raw materials, sec-butyl alcohol is produced by ester exchange, and the by-product is methyl acetate. The yield of sec-butyl alcohol is 50-90%. Compared with the method for preparing sec-butyl alcohol by n-butene hydration, the method is high in reaction speed, high in conversion rate and selectivity, mild in reaction conditions and less in corrosion for equipment; and the by-product methyl acetate is also an important industrial raw material.