Fairfield University
Fairfield, Connecticut
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
8% gap between the two groups
15% gap between the two groups
13% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $33,302 |
| $30k–$48k | $35,155 |
| $48k–$75k | $26,953 |
| $75k–$110k | $44,077 |
| $110k+ | $50,773 |
How Fairfield University compares
This college against the Connecticut and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Fairfield University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Fairfield University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's | $166,662 | $77,946 | +877% | Strong return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $118,205 | $27,000 | +590% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $110,042 | $26,633 | +514% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | $100,140 | $25,000 | +424% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $97,565 | $23,250 | +402% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Certificate | $139,948 | — | +394% | Strong return |
| Marketing | Associate's | $91,769 | $27,000 | +341% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $88,933 | $26,644 | +315% | Strong return |
| International Business | Associate's | $87,404 | $27,000 | +300% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $85,315 | $26,290 | +281% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $81,620 | $27,000 | +245% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Certificate | $114,150 | $28,450 | +241% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $80,731 | $25,000 | +239% | Strong return |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Associate's | $75,046 | $27,000 | +183% | Strong return |
| Mathematics | Associate's | $74,058 | $27,000 | +174% | Strong return |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's | $72,991 | $26,919 | +164% | Strong return |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | $66,585 | $26,000 | +104% | Strong return |
| English Language and Literature, General | Associate's | $63,905 | $27,000 | +78% | Strong return |
| History | Associate's | $60,119 | — | +57% | Break-even |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Associate's | $58,235 | — | +38% | Break-even |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Certificate | $64,472 | — | +1% | Break-even |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Fairfield University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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