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Fairfield, CT · Private · 5,373 undergraduates · suburban

Fairfield University

Selective

Fairfield uses a tiered Jesuit Core to keep professional majors tied to sustained humanistic and interdisciplinary study throughout the undergraduate degree.

Zeete / CC BY-SA 4.0

Institutional profile

Highly regarded Exceptional in student experience, and strong in career outcomes.
Academic Strong Affordability Emerging Career Strong Mobility Emerging Experience Exceptional
Academic standing Strong
Affordability Emerging
Career outcomes Strong
Mobility Emerging
Student experience Exceptional
Admission
45% admitted

15,463 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Varies across five income ranges

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
83.6%

$88,794 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets Fairfield University apart

Academic design

The Magis Core moves from disciplinary foundations toward interdisciplinary integration, with requirements spanning writing, humanities, sciences, mathematics, social sciences, philosophy, and theology.

Campus pattern

The suburban Connecticut campus sits near Long Island Sound, while Fairfield's rail station provides direct access toward Stamford and New York City.

A signature opportunity

The Magis Core deliberately integrates Jesuit humanistic study with undergraduate programs in business, nursing, engineering, education, and liberal arts.

Can I get in?

45% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

15,463

About 45 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 45%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%1240–1380
11401480
ACT middle 50%29–32
2734

Of admitted students, 21% submitted an SAT, and 5% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.

Entered with a 4.0 GPA32.6%

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for Fairfield University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What Fairfield University weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

The Magis Core moves from disciplinary foundations toward interdisciplinary integration, with requirements spanning writing, humanities, sciences, mathematics, social sciences, philosophy, and theology.

02

Make institutional fit specific

Fairfield uses a tiered Jesuit Core to keep professional majors tied to sustained humanistic and interdisciplinary study throughout the undergraduate degree.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Early DecisionNov 15
Early Decision IIJan 15
Early ActionNov 1
Regular DecisionJan 15
Fee and waiver$65 application fee

Fee waiver: accepted

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$84,545
Average annual cost after aid$48,000
Affordability profileEmerging

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

Fairfield University publishes one merit award, the largest reaching $20,000 a year or more. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application.

Automatic consideration An award reaching $20,000 a year or more

Open across the university · Merit

In the season card

This award, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at Fairfield University

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years83.6%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one90.5%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$88,794

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Finance and Financial Management Services

Recent graduates254
Median earnings$106,663

Admits separately

Marketing

Recent graduates157
Median earnings$86,740

Admits separately

Accounting and Related Services

Recent graduates115
Median earnings$110,586

Admits separately

Psychology, General

Recent graduates75
Median earnings$70,211

What is campus life like?

Fairfield University beyond the classroom

The suburban Connecticut campus sits near Long Island Sound, while Fairfield's rail station provides direct access toward Stamford and New York City.

Academics

A defining academic feature

The Magis Core moves from disciplinary foundations toward interdisciplinary integration, with requirements spanning writing, humanities, sciences, mathematics, social sciences, philosophy, and theology.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

The suburban Connecticut campus sits near Long Island Sound, while Fairfield's rail station provides direct access toward Stamford and New York City.

Signature opportunity

A reason to look closer

The Magis Core deliberately integrates Jesuit humanistic study with undergraduate programs in business, nursing, engineering, education, and liberal arts.

5,373 undergraduatesNew Englandsuburban setting98% of first-year students live on campus