College ROI

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Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT 5,373 Undergrads 83.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$76,074
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$48,095
After Aid
Median Earnings
$91,378
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$48,095
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$91,378
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$88,794
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate83.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients6.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS89.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
33.3%
SAT Avg
1,335
SAT Reading
25th: 63065575th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 63065075th: 690
ACT Composite
25th: 292975th: 32

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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
+$777k
+$310k
+$293k
Median Cost$48k/yr
+$604k
+$137k
+$120k
Full Cost$76k/yr
+$503k
+$37k
+$19k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$48k/yr
39
69%
Full Cost$76k/yr
57
7%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return104%

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-34%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,633
Earnings (4yr)
$110,586
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,290
Earnings (5yr)
$85,315
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,962
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,919
Earnings (4yr)
$78,081
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$120,303
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,527
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,235
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$106,663
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,119
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$101,411
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$94,347
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,937
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,740
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,078
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Median Debt
$26,644
Earnings (4yr)
$91,633
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,709
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,211
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$101,831
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,337
Natl Median: $46,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$28,450
Earnings (4yr)
$117,339
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$112,565
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,998
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,737
Natl Median: $107,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$74,031
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,250
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$398k
Median Debt
$28,105
Earnings (4yr)
$54,424
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$253k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,472
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
$28,717
Earnings (4yr)
$60,277
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$77,946
Earnings (4yr)
$163,093
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$386k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.