Fairfield University

fairfield.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$52,070

3.01% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$44,723

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.227%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

55.8%

25,348 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

11,652

86.7% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

83.9%

1,620 Graduates

About

Fairfield University is a higher education institution located in Fairfield County, CT. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Fairfield University were Registered Nursing (188 degrees awarded), General Finance (165 degrees), and General Marketing & Marketing Management (115 degrees).

In 2021, 1,517 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Fairfield University. 61.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 38.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,160 degrees), 9.28 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (125 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Fairfield University is $52,070, which is $28,886 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Fairfield University is $52,070, which is $28,886 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $44,723.

In 2021, 89% of undergraduate students attending Fairfield University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 51% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$52,070

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Fairfield University was $52,070. The cost of tuition at Fairfield University is $28,886 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Fairfield University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$44,723

2021 Value

3.59%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Fairfield University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $44,723. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Fairfield University grew by 3.59%.

This chart compares the average net price of Fairfield University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,318

Room and Board

$1,150

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Fairfield University was of $15,318 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 1.11% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,150. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Fairfield University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

89%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

51%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

89% of undergraduate students at Fairfield University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 2.3% with respect to 2020, when 87% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Fairfield University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.227%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Fairfield University was 0.227%, which represents 2 out of the 880 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Fairfield University received 25,348 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 0.699% annual growth. Out of those 25,348 applicants, 14,146 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 55.8% acceptance rate.

There were 11,652 students enrolled at Fairfield University in 2021. 24% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Fairfield University has an overall enrollment yield of 17.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

55.8%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

14,146

Accepted Out of 25,348

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Fairfield University was 55.8% (14,146 admissions from 25,348 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 56.1%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 0.699%, while admissions grew by 0.113%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Fairfield University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

24%

Submission Percentage (2021)

592

Scores Submitted (2021)

24% of enrolled first-time students at Fairfield University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Fairfield University had a total enrollment of 11,652 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Fairfield University is 10,106 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,546. This means that 86.7% of students enrolled at Fairfield University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Fairfield University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 75.1% White, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian, 2.49% Black or African American, 1.54% Two or More Races, 0.0515% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0343% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Fairfield University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (46.3%), followed by White Male (32.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (42.3%), followed by White Male (23.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.64%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

86.7%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Fairfield University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 11,652 students. The full-time enrollment at Fairfield University is 10,106 and the part-time enrollment is 1,546. This means that 86.7% of students enrolled at Fairfield University are enrolled full-time compared with 68.3% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Fairfield University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

89%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Fairfield University was 89%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Fairfield University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Fairfield University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
8,746 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
862 enrolled students
Asian
338 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Fairfield University is 75.1% White, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian, 2.49% Black or African American, 1.54% Two or More Races, 0.0515% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0343% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 52% White, 16.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.8% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 790 students (6.78%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 359 more women than men received degrees from Fairfield University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Fairfield University is white (1,160 degrees awarded). There were 9.28 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (125 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Fairfield University is Registered Nursing (188 degrees awarded), followed by General Finance (165 degrees) and General Marketing & Marketing Management (115 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Fairfield University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are English (48 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (43 degrees), and Communications (88 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Accountants & auditors

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Fairfield University are Accountants & auditors (1,084,434 people), Other managers (887,464 people), Financial managers (519,724 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (459,617 people), and Chief executives & legislators (445,725 people).

The most specialized majors at Fairfield University in 2021 are English (48 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (43 degrees), Communications (88 degrees), Business (569 degrees), and Psychology (100 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Fairfield University are Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Nurse anesthetists

The most specialized majors at Fairfield University are English (48 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (43 degrees), Communications (88 degrees), Business (569 degrees), and Psychology (100 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Fairfield University are Elementary & secondary schools (1,183,080 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (758,244 people), Computer Systems Design (681,118 people), Banking & related activities (560,193 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (552,013 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Fairfield University.

Most Common (2021)

Registered Nursing
188 degree-majors awarded
General Finance
165 degree-majors awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
115 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Fairfield University was Registered Nursing with 188 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Fairfield University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

579

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

938

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 579 degrees were awarded to men at Fairfield University, which is 0.617 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (938).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Fairfield University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 122 degrees were awarded to men at Fairfield University in General Finance, which is 2.84 times more than the 43 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 182 degrees were awarded to men at Fairfield University in Registered Nursing, which is 15.2 times more than the 12 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

80%

100% Completion Time

83%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 80% of students graduating from Fairfield University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 83% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 83% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Hispanic or Latino Male

Highest Graduation Rate (88.2%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Fairfield University is Male and Hispanic or Latino (88.2% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 3.58% of graduates (58 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,160 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
125 degrees awarded
Black or African American
50 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Fairfield University is white (1,160 degrees awarded). There were 9.28 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (125 degrees).

4.35% of degree recipients (66 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
744 degrees awarded
White Male
416 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
67 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Fairfield University is white female (744 degrees awarded). There were 1.79 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (416 degrees).

Operations

Fairfield University has an endowment valued at nearly $411M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 237M (57.7%) compared to the 13.1% average return (6.61M on 50.4M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2021, Fairfield University had a total salary expenditure of 222M. Fairfield University employs 220 Assistant professors, 198 Associate professors and 166 Professors. Most academics at Fairfield University are Female Assistant professor (126), Female Associate professor (110), and Male Assistant professor (94).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Fairfield University are: Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 256 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 208 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 170 employees.

Endowment

$411M

2021 Endowment

29.6%

growth from 2020

Fairfield University has an endowment valued at about $411M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Fairfield University grew 29.6% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $361M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Fairfield University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$94.5M

2021 Salaries

5.33%

growth from 2020

In 2021, Fairfield University paid a median of $94.5M in salaries, which represents 42.5% of their overall expenditure ($222M) and a 5.33% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 35.1M (41.3% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$71M

Instructional Salaries

646

Number of Employees

In 2021, Fairfield University paid a total of $71M to 646 employees working as instructors, which represents 37.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $21.9M (62.5%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

220 Employees

Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

256 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Fairfield University were Assistant professor with 220 employees, Associate professor with 198 employees, and Professor with 166 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Fairfield University were Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 256 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 208 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 170 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Female Assistant professor
Female Associate professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Fairfield University was Female Assistant professor with 126 employees, Female Associate professor with 110 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 94 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Fairfield University.