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Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT 4,938 Undergrads 81.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$73,371
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$46,274
After Aid
Median Earnings
$88,794
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$46,274
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$88,794
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate81.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients7.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS89.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
45.0%
SAT Avg
1,323
SAT Reading
25th: 62065575th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 62065075th: 690
ACT Composite
25th: 292975th: 32
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$731k
+$335k
+$247k
Median Cost$46k/yr
+$565k
+$168k
+$80k
Full Cost$73k/yr
+$467k
+$71k
-$17k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$46k/yr
43
48%
Full Cost$73k/yr
Never
-7%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return79%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-41%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,633
Earnings (5yr)
$110,042
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,290
Earnings (5yr)
$85,315
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,731
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,919
Earnings (5yr)
$72,991
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$97,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,905
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,235
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$118,205
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$87,404
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,046
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$91,769
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,644
Earnings (5yr)
$88,933
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,620
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,140
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Sociology and Anthropology
BachCIP: 4513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$28,450
Earnings (5yr)
$114,150
Lifetime Value Added
+$476k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$66,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,737
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (2yr)
$54,435
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$139,948
Lifetime Value Added
+$695k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$28,105
Earnings (2yr)
$45,500
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Graduate Certificates
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Doctoral Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$77,946
Earnings (5yr)
$166,662
Lifetime Value Added
+$611k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.