Fairfield: the complete school report for parents
Fairfield rates 5 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and the essay. A second tier of extracurricular activities, personal qualities and talent carries real weight too. With a 25.1% admit rate and 50% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Applying Early Decision changes the odds sharply here: 82.1% of ED applicants were admitted against 25.1% overall.
Fairfield is officially Fairfield University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
Is Fairfield a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Fairfield against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Fairfield actually weigh in admissions?
Fairfield rates 5 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, the essay, recommendations, demonstrated interest. It does not consider 2 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Fairfield's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Fairfield rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Very Important |
| personal qualities | Important |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Very Important |
| the interview | Important |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Not Considered |
| volunteer work | Important |
| work experience | Important |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Fairfield consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Fairfield consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Fairfield consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Fairfield consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does Fairfield consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Fairfield consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Fairfield consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Fairfield consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Fairfield consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Fairfield consider demonstrated interest?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. Visits, emails and opened mail are tracked and counted, so engage early.
Does Fairfield consider an interview?
Yes. It is an important factor. Offer to interview if invited; it carries real weight here.
Does Fairfield consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Fairfield consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Fairfield consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Fairfield consider state residency?
No. Fairfield does not consider it.
Does Fairfield consider volunteer work?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Fairfield consider work experience?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Fairfield consider religious affiliation?
No. Fairfield does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
50% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. , reported for 99% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 28% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 22% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 21% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 15% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 8% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 5% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 1% |
What is the Fairfield waitlist really like?
Fairfield offered a place on its waiting list to 10,741 applicants and 2,963 accepted one. 15 were ultimately admitted. That is 0.5% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Fairfield admitted 8.0% of 515 transfer applicants, against 25.1% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 82.1% of ED applicants were admitted against 25.1% overall, a gap of 57 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.
| Regular application deadline | January 15 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | April 1 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 15 |
| Early Decision II offered | Yes |
| Early Decision II deadline | January 15 |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $65 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Fairfield requires 16 academic units and recommends 20. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| Science | 3 years | 4 years |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 4 years |
| History | 2 years | Not stated |
What will Fairfield actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $48,095 a year at Fairfield after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $59,460. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 75.5% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 937 merit awards averaging $22,587 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
64% of Fairfield graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $36,776 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $276 a month in repayment. Fairfield’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Fairfield pay off?
Graduates earn a median $88,794 ten years after entering, and $73,693 at six years. 93% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 82% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$118,205 to $58,235, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Fairfield:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $118,205 | 183 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $110,042 | 121 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $100,140 | 213 |
| Economics | $97,565 | 42 |
| Marketing | $91,769 | 148 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,933 | 26 |
| International Business | $87,404 | 18 |
| Biology, General | $85,315 | 42 |
| Political Science and Government | $81,620 | 29 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $63,905 | 23 |
| History | $60,119 | 11 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $58,235 | 5 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
91% of first-years return for a second year. 83% graduate within four years and 85% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 80.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 86.0% of everyone else, a gap of 6.0 points.
How big are the classes?
36% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 12:1, and 100% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at Fairfield like?
5,671 undergraduates, 86% of first-years from out of state. 97% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 74% across all undergraduates. 17% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $93,458.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Fairfield recommends 20 academic units.
- 50% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Early Decision is worth 57 points of admit rate, but it is binding and removes any ability to compare aid offers.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 15 of 2,963 who waited were admitted, about 1%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $118,205 five years out against $58,235 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Fairfield
What GPA do you need for Fairfield?
50% of enrolled students at Fairfield had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Does the Fairfield waitlist move?
2,963 students accepted a place on the Fairfield waiting list and 15 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Fairfield graduates earn?
Fairfield graduates earn a median $88,794 ten years after entering, and 93% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Fairfield
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Fairfield’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.