National university
#15 Best colleges for social work in AmericaFairfield University
Fairfield, CT · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $48,095 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
Virtual Tour of the Fairfield University Archives · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for social work in America#15 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#28 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#32 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#40 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#31 of 834
- Best colleges for finance in America#33 of 744
Show 22 more
- Best colleges for business in America#76 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#71 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#67 of 1,238
- Best colleges in America#128 of 1,829
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#138 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#107 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#114 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#109 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#109 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#112 of 1,247
- Best mid-size colleges in America#61 of 667
- Best colleges for art and design in America#109 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#113 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#112 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#112 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#107 of 1,063
- Best colleges for engineering in America#85 of 749
- Best colleges in the New York area#13 of 103
- Best colleges for economics in America#110 of 788
- Most selective colleges in America#105 of 683
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#62 of 367
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#165 of 693
In Connecticut
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Connecticut#1 of 19
- Best colleges for accounting in Connecticut#1 of 17
- Best colleges for nursing in Connecticut#1 of 17
- Best colleges for finance in Connecticut#1 of 16
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Connecticut#1 of 16
- Best colleges for marketing in Connecticut#1 of 14
Show 16 more
- Best colleges for social work in Connecticut#1 of 13
- Best colleges for business in Connecticut#2 of 22
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Connecticut#4 of 26
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Connecticut#4 of 21
- Best colleges for psychology in Connecticut#5 of 24
- Best colleges for education in Connecticut#4 of 19
- Best colleges in Connecticut#6 of 26
- Best colleges for art and design in Connecticut#5 of 21
- Best colleges for English in Connecticut#5 of 21
- Best colleges for mathematics in Connecticut#5 of 21
- Best colleges for history in Connecticut#5 of 20
- Best colleges for chemistry in Connecticut#5 of 19
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Connecticut#6 of 22
- Best colleges for economics in Connecticut#5 of 18
- Best colleges for music in Connecticut#5 of 18
- Best mid-size colleges in Connecticut#4 of 14
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.91%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,335 · ACT 30.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$15,558
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $76,074 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 4,968 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 42% · Women 58% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 17% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 85% |
| Total students | 6,289 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $48,095 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $76,074 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 84% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 76% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 81% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 82% |
| First-year retention | 91% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $88,794 |
| Admission rate | 33% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $60 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 7% |
| Average SAT | 1335 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 630–700 |
| SAT math | 630–690 |
| ACT composite | 29–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Economics | |
| Accounting | |
| Finance | |
| Nursing | |
| International business | |
| Management information systems | |
| International relations | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Marketing | |
| Business administration | |
| Mathematics | |
| Political science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Psychology | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer engineering, Computing and information science, Data Analytics, Electrical engineering, Film and video, Fine arts, German, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Journalism, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Management science, Manufacturing Engineering, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Public health, Public relations, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social work, Sociology, Sociology and Anthropology, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Communication | |
| Psychology | |
| Social sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,838 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 35%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $65,302IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 80% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)About 20 miles away |
| Nearest major airport | LaGuardia Airport (LGA)About 42 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New YorkAbout 49 miles away |
| Typical weather | 31°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Bridgeport Sikorsky Mem Airport, CT, about 7 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.10 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.05 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Fairfield University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 8% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Fairfield University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $48,095 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Fairfield University?
- Fairfield University admitted 33% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Fairfield University’s graduates do?
- 84% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $88,794; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 129242
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
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Colleges like this one
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