National university
#3 Best colleges for criminal justice in ConnecticutSacred Heart University
Fairfield, CT · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $46,174 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Transfer Campus Tour & Info SessionOctober 21, 2026 · 9:30 AM · Fairfield, CT campusMore about Transfer Campus Tour & Info SessionAdd to calendar
- Open House: Arts & Sciences, Business & Technology, EducationOctober 25, 2026 · 9:00 AM · On campusMore about Open House: Arts & Sciences, Business & Technology, EducationAdd to calendar
- School of Computing & Engineering Information SessionOctober 30, 2026 · 12:00 PM · On campusMore about School of Computing & Engineering Information SessionAdd to calendar
- Welch College of Business & Technology Information SessionOctober 30, 2026 · 12:00 PM · On campusMore about Welch College of Business & Technology Information SessionAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events (4 more) · From the college's admissions website.
Campus tour
Sacred Heart University Campus Tour · 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 criminal justice in America#160 of 1,046
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#307 of 1,829
- Best colleges for social work in America#122 of 605
- Best colleges for accounting in America#254 of 1,132
- Best colleges for nursing in America#241 of 1,068
- Best colleges for business in America#372 of 1,563
Show 2 more
In Connecticut
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Connecticut#4 of 19
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Connecticut#3 of 14
- Best colleges for accounting in Connecticut#4 of 17
- Best colleges for finance in Connecticut#4 of 16
- Best colleges for business in Connecticut#6 of 22
- Best colleges for marketing 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.73%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.83%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.15 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,979
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: $69,289 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) | 6,960 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 36% · Women 64% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 23% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 78% |
| Total students | 11,179 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $46,174 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $69,289 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 73% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 57% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 60% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 74% |
| First-year retention | 83% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $75,059 |
| Admission rate | 65% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $50 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 16% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Finance | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Accounting | |
| Economics | |
| Allied health | |
| Business administration | |
| Marketing | |
| Biology | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Political science | |
| Fine arts | |
| Psychology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Social work | |
| Criminal justice | |
| English | |
| Sociology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Biochemistry, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Chemistry, Computer engineering, Design, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Electrical engineering, Experimental psychology, General studies, Global studies, History, Hospitality management, Mathematics, Music, Neuroscience, Other communication, journalism, and related programs, Philosophy, Physiology and pathology, Public relations, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Security science, Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations, Speech-language pathology, 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 | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 5% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 4% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,140 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Northeast Conference |
| ROTC | Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 15 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 33%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $27,243Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 52% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)About 19 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New YorkAbout 53 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 31°F1991–2020 normal, from BRIDGEPORT SIKORSKY MEM AP, CT US, about 7 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 76°F1991–2020 normal, from BRIDGEPORT SIKORSKY MEM AP, CT US, about 7 miles away (NOAA) |
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 | 0.09 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.02 | 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 Sacred Heart University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 28% 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 Sacred Heart University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $46,174 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 Sacred Heart University?
- Sacred Heart University admitted 65% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Sacred Heart University’s graduates do?
- 73% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $75,059; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 130253
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
- Report an error or a newer source
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Colleges like this one
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