Back to Colleges

Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation Catholic (Jesuit)
Location Fairfield, CT
Population 900,000
Website https://fairfield.edu
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 105 (50%)
Sunshine Hours 2,535 (41%)
Days Without Precipitation 241 (40%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 5,462
Men / Women 42% / 58%
From State 13%
From Region 52%
Athletes 9.5%

Racial/Ethnic

White 79%
Hispanic 9%
Asian 2%
Black 2%
Mixed 2%
International 2%
Native American 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 37.5% 37.5% 2012 Men: 41.5% 41.5% 2013 Men: 38.5% 38.5% 2014 Men: 37.5% 37.5% 2015 Men: 39.3% 39.3% 2016 Men: 38.6% 38.6% 2017 Men: 41.2% 41.2% 2018 Men: 40.3% 40.3% 2019 Men: 40.6% 40.6% 2020 Men: 43.2% 43.2% 2021 Men: 43.6% 43.6% 2022 Men: 41.5% 41.5% 2023 Men: 42.3% 42.3% 2024 Men: 41.8% 41.8%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2012 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2013 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2014 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2015 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2016 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2017 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2018 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2019 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2020 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2021 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2023 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2024 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2011 Asian: 3.1% 3.1% 2012 Asian: 3.7% 3.7% 2013 Asian: 3.9% 3.9% 2014 Asian: 3.0% 3.0% 2015 Asian: 3.5% 3.5% 2016 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2017 Asian: 1.1% 1.1% 2018 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2019 Asian: 2.4% 2.4% 2020 Asian: 1.8% 1.8% 2021 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2022 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2023 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2024 Asian: 3.1% 3.1% 2011 Black: 1.2% 1.2% 2012 Black: 3.6% 3.6% 2013 Black: 3.3% 3.3% 2014 Black: 4.2% 4.2% 2015 Black: 3.2% 3.2% 2016 Black: 4.2% 4.2% 2017 Black: 3.1% 3.1% 2018 Black: 2.1% 2.1% 2019 Black: 1.7% 1.7% 2020 Black: 2.2% 2.2% 2021 Black: 2.9% 2.9% 2022 Black: 2.4% 2.4% 2023 Black: 1.7% 1.7% 2024 Black: 2.2% 2.2% 2011 Hispanic: 3.6% 3.6% 2012 Hispanic: 9.2% 9.2% 2013 Hispanic: 8.8% 8.8% 2014 Hispanic: 9.9% 9.9% 2015 Hispanic: 7.9% 7.9% 2016 Hispanic: 11.1% 11.1% 2017 Hispanic: 6.6% 6.6% 2018 Hispanic: 7.0% 7.0% 2019 Hispanic: 7.2% 7.2% 2020 Hispanic: 8.3% 8.3% 2021 Hispanic: 8.0% 8.0% 2022 Hispanic: 6.9% 6.9% 2023 Hispanic: 7.3% 7.3% 2024 Hispanic: 6.7% 6.7% 2011 White: 78.9% 78.9% 2012 White: 68.5% 68.5% 2013 White: 73.5% 73.5% 2014 White: 59.7% 59.7% 2015 White: 63.7% 63.7% 2016 White: 68.1% 68.1% 2017 White: 74.7% 74.7% 2018 White: 77.5% 77.5% 2019 White: 75.5% 75.5% 2020 White: 80.4% 80.4% 2021 White: 79.2% 79.2% 2022 White: 77.5% 77.5% 2023 White: 78.9% 78.9% 2024 White: 76.6% 76.6% 2011 International: 0.5% 0.5% 2012 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 International: 0.5% 0.5% 2014 International: 0.9% 0.9% 2015 International: 1.8% 1.8% 2016 International: 1.5% 1.5% 2017 International: 1.0% 1.0% 2018 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2019 International: 2.7% 2.7% 2020 International: 2.7% 2.7% 2021 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2022 International: 3.7% 3.7% 2023 International: 3.3% 3.3% 2024 International: 4.7% 4.7%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2021 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2022 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2023 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2024 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2025 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2020 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2021 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2022 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2023 Asian: 2.2% 2.2% 2024 Asian: 2.0% 2.0% 2025 Asian: 1.8% 1.8% 2020 Black: 2.0% 2.0% 2021 Black: 1.7% 1.7% 2022 Black: 1.5% 1.5% 2023 Black: 1.2% 1.2% 2024 Black: 1.2% 1.2% 2025 Black: 1.5% 1.5% 2020 Hispanic: 6.8% 6.8% 2021 Hispanic: 7.0% 7.0% 2022 Hispanic: 6.7% 6.7% 2023 Hispanic: 6.7% 6.7% 2024 Hispanic: 7.6% 7.6% 2025 Hispanic: 9.0% 9.0% 2020 White: 77.1% 77.1% 2021 White: 77.9% 77.9% 2022 White: 78.3% 78.3% 2023 White: 80.7% 80.7% 2024 White: 81.1% 81.1% 2025 White: 78.9% 78.9% 2020 International: 4.0% 4.0% 2021 International: 3.1% 3.1% 2022 International: 2.8% 2.8% 2023 International: 2.1% 2.1% 2024 International: 2.0% 2.0% 2025 International: 1.9% 1.9%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Arts and Sciences 379 27% / 73% 3% $69,903 62 96%
Chemistry 5 — 20% / 80% 0% $69,441 61 —
Mathematics 9 +7 22% / 78% 11% $72,378 67 100%
Physics — +1 — — $77,622 76 —
Biochemistry 6 — 17% / 83% 0% $77,225 75 —
Biology 40 +2 35% / 65% 2% $82,813 82 93%
Neuroscience 12 — 17% / 83% 0% $75,851 73 —
Environmental Studies 7 — 57% / 43% 0% $65,359 51 —
Economics 14 +9 79% / 21% 0% $93,695 90 97%
Sports Management 4 +4 75% / 25% 0% $64,624 49 —
American Studies 1 +1 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Communication Studies 72 +3 21% / 79% 3% $70,660 63 95%
English 16 +4 12% / 88% 0% $62,150 41 98%
General Studies 6 — 50% / 50% 17% $60,292 36 —
History 9 — 67% / 33% 0% $57,963 29 94%
International Studies 9 +10 22% / 78% 33% $72,069 66 94%
Italian — +1 — — $62,183 42 —
Journalism 2 +2 0% / 100% 0% $65,050 50 —
Liberal Arts and Sciences 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $60,883 38 —
Philosophy — +2 — — $61,504 40 —
Political Science 23 +7 48% / 52% 0% $78,383 77 97%
Psychology 94 +2 13% / 87% 3% $63,513 45 96%
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 13 +1 0% / 100% 0% $75,391 72 —
Religious Studies — — — — $60,928 38 —
Sociology 9 — 11% / 89% 0% $62,669 43 —
Sociology and Anthropology 3 +2 33% / 67% 33% $62,969 44 —
Spanish — +5 — — $62,122 41 —
Sports Communication 8 — 75% / 25% 0% $67,996 57 —
Art History 3 +2 0% / 100% 0% $48,929 9 —
Art History and Criticism 3 +1 33% / 67% 0% $49,036 10 —
Music 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $49,077 10 —
Visual and Media Arts 8 +2 62% / 38% 0% $56,523 25 91%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Dolan School of Business 527 59% / 41% 2% $101,484 94 96%
Accounting 97 +20 57% / 43% 0% $105,980 96 94%
Business Administration 39 +23 44% / 56% 3% $77,751 76 96%
Business Analytics 23 +43 52% / 48% 13% $89,292 87 —
Finance 221 +43 80% / 20% 1% $113,841 98 98%
International Business 9 +6 67% / 33% 22% $84,177 83 100%
Management Information Systems 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $91,491 89 100%
Marketing 121 +25 36% / 64% 2% $88,381 86 96%
Marketing Communications 16 — 6% / 94% 0% $88,381 86 96%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies 230 9% / 91% 1% $94,596 91 99%
Nursing 214 — 9% / 91% 1% $96,563 92 99%
Public Health 9 +1 0% / 100% 0% $73,936 70 —
Social Work 7 — 14% / 86% 14% $61,034 38 —
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
School of Engineering 71 85% / 15% 0% $94,319 91 96%
Biomedical Engineering 11 — 64% / 36% 0% $90,868 88 —
Electrical Engineering 8 — 100% / 0% 0% $96,047 92 —
Mechanical Engineering 22 — 100% / 0% 0% $86,054 85 96%
Computer Science 30 +2 77% / 23% 0% $101,185 94 —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $62,434
ROI Percentile 87th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 91%
4-Year Graduation Rate 82%
6-Year Graduation Rate 84%
Transfer-Out Rate 12%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 81.7% 81.7% 2012 Graduated: 80.8% 80.8% 2013 Graduated: 82.1% 82.1% 2014 Graduated: 80.0% 80.0% 2015 Graduated: 81.6% 81.6% 2016 Graduated: 82.2% 82.2% 2017 Graduated: 80.9% 80.9% 2018 Graduated: 80.5% 80.5% 2019 Graduated: 83.3% 83.3% 2020 Graduated: 82.4% 82.4% 2021 Graduated: 83.9% 83.9% 2022 Graduated: 84.2% 84.2% 2023 Graduated: 83.8% 83.8% 2024 Graduated: 84.3% 84.3%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 80.5% 80.5% 2012 Men: 79.3% 79.3% 2013 Men: 82.7% 82.7% 2014 Men: 76.5% 76.5% 2015 Men: 78.9% 78.9% 2016 Men: 78.6% 78.6% 2017 Men: 80.6% 80.6% 2018 Men: 80.1% 80.1% 2019 Men: 83.6% 83.6% 2020 Men: 84.6% 84.6% 2021 Men: 82.8% 82.8% 2022 Men: 81.9% 81.9% 2023 Men: 80.7% 80.7% 2024 Men: 81.8% 81.8% 2011 Women: 82.6% 82.6% 2012 Women: 81.8% 81.8% 2013 Women: 81.7% 81.7% 2014 Women: 82.3% 82.3% 2015 Women: 83.7% 83.7% 2016 Women: 84.4% 84.4% 2017 Women: 81.2% 81.2% 2018 Women: 80.8% 80.8% 2019 Women: 83.0% 83.0% 2020 Women: 81.1% 81.1% 2021 Women: 84.6% 84.6% 2022 Women: 85.6% 85.6% 2023 Women: 85.9% 85.9% 2024 Women: 86.0% 86.0%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Asian Black Hispanic White
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Asian: 75.9% 75.9% 2012 Asian: 90.9% 90.9% 2013 Asian: 75.8% 75.8% 2014 Asian: 70.4% 70.4% 2015 Asian: 73.3% 73.3% 2016 Asian: 84.0% 84.0% 2017 Asian: 90.0% 90.0% 2018 Asian: 85.7% 85.7% 2019 Asian: 82.6% 82.6% 2020 Asian: 73.7% 73.7% 2021 Asian: 70.0% 70.0% 2022 Asian: 89.7% 89.7% 2023 Asian: 85.2% 85.2% 2024 Asian: 85.3% 85.3% 2011 Black: 54.5% 54.5% 2012 Black: 78.1% 78.1% 2013 Black: 78.6% 78.6% 2014 Black: 81.6% 81.6% 2015 Black: 88.9% 88.9% 2016 Black: 71.8% 71.8% 2017 Black: 60.7% 60.7% 2018 Black: 71.4% 71.4% 2019 Black: 81.2% 81.2% 2020 Black: 78.3% 78.3% 2021 Black: 71.4% 71.4% 2022 Black: 72.0% 72.0% 2023 Black: 88.2% 88.2% 2024 Black: 41.7% 41.7% 2011 Hispanic: 82.4% 82.4% 2012 Hispanic: 75.6% 75.6% 2013 Hispanic: 73.0% 73.0% 2014 Hispanic: 79.8% 79.8% 2015 Hispanic: 83.6% 83.6% 2016 Hispanic: 89.2% 89.2% 2017 Hispanic: 75.0% 75.0% 2018 Hispanic: 71.0% 71.0% 2019 Hispanic: 85.5% 85.5% 2020 Hispanic: 79.5% 79.5% 2021 Hispanic: 87.0% 87.0% 2022 Hispanic: 76.7% 76.7% 2023 Hispanic: 81.9% 81.9% 2024 Hispanic: 69.9% 69.9% 2011 White: 82.2% 82.2% 2012 White: 81.4% 81.4% 2013 White: 84.5% 84.5% 2014 White: 78.9% 78.9% 2015 White: 83.0% 83.0% 2016 White: 81.8% 81.8% 2017 White: 82.6% 82.6% 2018 White: 82.4% 82.4% 2019 White: 84.0% 84.0% 2020 White: 83.8% 83.8% 2021 White: 85.3% 85.3% 2022 White: 85.5% 85.5% 2023 White: 84.5% 84.5% 2024 White: 86.6% 86.6%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Business & Economics 45.2% 545 60% / 40% 2% $101,014 94 96%
Humanities & Social Sciences 22.7% 274 22% / 78% 4% $67,191 56 96%
Health Sciences 18.5% 223 9% / 91% 1% $95,650 91 99%
Life & Natural Sciences 4.8% 58 29% / 71% 2% $80,795 80 93%
Engineering 3.4% 41 90% / 10% 0% $89,295 87 96%
Computer Science 2.5% 30 77% / 23% 0% $101,185 94 —
Arts 1.2% 15 47% / 53% 0% $53,010 16 91%
Physical Sciences & Math 1.2% 14 21% / 79% 7% $71,329 65 100%
Agriculture & Food Science 0.6% 7 57% / 43% 0% $65,359 51 —

Research

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Humanities & Social Sciences $1.9M #259 0% $0 — — — —
Business & Economics $1.4M #186 0% $0 — — — —
Physical Sciences & Math $0.7M #400 15% $0 — — — —
Engineering $0.6M #312 8% $0 — — — —
Computer Science $0.4M #285 22% $0 — — — —
Health Sciences $0.4M #314 0% $0 — — — —
Education $0.3M #328 0% $0 — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences $0.2M #459 2% $0 — — — —
Agriculture & Food Science $0 #318 — $0 — — — —
Total $5.8M #364 4% $0 — — — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 21%
Yield (Unbound) 17%
Early Decision 1 Nov 1
Early Action Nov 1
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 20% 20% 20%
Early Decision 95% 95% 95%

Early Action and Restrictive Early Action applicants are reported at the regular-decision rate.

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 71.5% 71.5% 2012 Acceptance: 69.4% 69.4% 2013 Acceptance: 71.2% 71.2% 2014 Acceptance: 71.5% 71.5% 2015 Acceptance: 65.0% 65.0% 2016 Acceptance: 61.5% 61.5% 2017 Acceptance: 60.6% 60.6% 2018 Acceptance: 60.3% 60.3% 2019 Acceptance: 57.1% 57.1% 2020 Acceptance: 56.1% 56.1% 2021 Acceptance: 55.8% 55.8% 2022 Acceptance: 52.2% 52.2% 2023 Acceptance: 45.0% 45.0% 2024 Acceptance: 33.3% 33.3% 2011 Yield: 15.3% 15.3% 2012 Yield: 15.4% 15.4% 2013 Yield: 15.0% 15.0% 2014 Yield: 14.8% 14.8% 2015 Yield: 13.8% 13.8% 2016 Yield: 15.5% 15.5% 2017 Yield: 14.6% 14.6% 2018 Yield: 15.9% 15.9% 2019 Yield: 16.7% 16.7% 2020 Yield: 15.8% 15.8% 2021 Yield: 17.8% 17.8% 2022 Yield: 19.1% 19.1% 2023 Yield: 20.6% 20.6% 2024 Yield: 23.7% 23.7%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 8,420 8,420 2012 Applicants: 8,486 8,486 2013 Applicants: 9,254 9,254 2014 Applicants: 9,978 9,978 2015 Applicants: 10,767 10,767 2016 Applicants: 11,055 11,055 2017 Applicants: 11,218 11,218 2018 Applicants: 11,361 11,361 2019 Applicants: 12,315 12,315 2020 Applicants: 12,586 12,586 2021 Applicants: 12,674 12,674 2022 Applicants: 13,359 13,359 2023 Applicants: 15,463 15,463 2024 Applicants: 18,509 18,509 2011 Admitted: 6,024 6,024 2012 Admitted: 5,892 5,892 2013 Admitted: 6,585 6,585 2014 Admitted: 7,137 7,137 2015 Admitted: 6,995 6,995 2016 Admitted: 6,795 6,795 2017 Admitted: 6,794 6,794 2018 Admitted: 6,851 6,851 2019 Admitted: 7,035 7,035 2020 Admitted: 7,065 7,065 2021 Admitted: 7,073 7,073 2022 Admitted: 6,971 6,971 2023 Admitted: 6,956 6,956 2024 Admitted: 6,162 6,162 2011 Enrolled: 922 922 2012 Enrolled: 909 909 2013 Enrolled: 990 990 2014 Enrolled: 1,056 1,056 2015 Enrolled: 966 966 2016 Enrolled: 1,056 1,056 2017 Enrolled: 994 994 2018 Enrolled: 1,091 1,091 2019 Enrolled: 1,176 1,176 2020 Enrolled: 1,118 1,118 2021 Enrolled: 1,256 1,256 2022 Enrolled: 1,328 1,328 2023 Enrolled: 1,436 1,436 2024 Enrolled: 1,461 1,461

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 19%
SAT Range 1260 – 1390
SAT Math Range 630 – 690
SAT RW Range 630 – 700

SAT Composite

25th 75th
1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2019 25th: 1210 1210 2020 25th: 1190 1190 2021 25th: 1230 1230 2022 25th: 1240 1240 2023 25th: 1240 1240 2024 25th: 1260 1260 2019 75th: 1350 1350 2020 75th: 1340 1340 2021 75th: 1380 1380 2022 75th: 1370 1370 2023 75th: 1380 1380 2024 75th: 1390 1390

SAT Math

25th 75th
550 600 650 700 750 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2019 25th: 600 600 2020 25th: 590 590 2021 25th: 610 610 2022 25th: 620 620 2023 25th: 620 620 2024 25th: 630 630 2019 75th: 680 680 2020 75th: 670 670 2021 75th: 690 690 2022 75th: 690 690 2023 75th: 690 690 2024 75th: 690 690

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
600 625 650 675 700 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2019 25th: 610 610 2020 25th: 600 600 2021 25th: 620 620 2022 25th: 620 620 2023 25th: 620 620 2024 25th: 630 630 2019 75th: 670 670 2020 75th: 670 670 2021 75th: 690 690 2022 75th: 680 680 2023 75th: 690 690 2024 75th: 700 700

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2019 Submitted: 74.0% 74.0% 2020 Submitted: 65.0% 65.0% 2021 Submitted: 31.0% 31.0% 2022 Submitted: 33.0% 33.0% 2023 Submitted: 26.0% 26.0% 2024 Submitted: 19.0% 19.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.