Fairfield University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 33%, Fairfield University is a selective private college in Connecticut. Because it admits a minority of applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what Fairfield University weighs, where it ranks among Connecticut schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1310, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Fairfield University?
In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, Fairfield University admitted 82.1% of Early Decision applicants (566 of 689), against about 23.1% of everyone else. Its overall rate that year was 25.1%.
Source: Fairfield University Common Data Set 2024-25, IPEDS admissions survey, fall 2023. Updated October 30, 2026.
Fairfield University application deadlines, 2026-27 · Fairfield University supplemental essays, 2026-27
What do students study at Fairfield University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Fairfield University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Fairfield University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Fairfield University?
Fairfield University admits roughly 33% of applicants, but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Fairfield University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Fairfield University hard to get into?
Fairfield University is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 33% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into Fairfield University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Fairfield University, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Fairfield University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Fairfield University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Fairfield University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Fairfield University with a 3.7 GPA and a 1330 SAT?
About 57% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.7 unweighted GPA and a 1330 SAT, the middle of Fairfield University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.9 GPA with a 1390 SAT comes out near 69%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/fairfield-university.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at Fairfield University
From Fairfield University's own 2024-25 Common Data Set (fall 2024 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Fairfield University?
82.1%. Fairfield University admitted 566 of 689 Early Decision applicants for fall 2024, against 25.1% of all 21,299 first-year applicants (Fairfield University's 2024-25 Common Data Set).
Does applying early decision help at Fairfield University?
On the raw numbers, yes: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 82.1% versus about 23.1% for everyone who applied another way, 3.6x the rate, and Early Decision filled 10.6% of the admitted class. Part of that gap is who applies early (recruited athletes and legacy applicants often do), so it is not all the round itself. Early Decision is binding: apply only if Fairfield University is your clear first choice and the family can commit without comparing aid offers.
How many students get off the waitlist at Fairfield University?
15 for fall 2024. Fairfield University offered 10,741 applicants a waitlist spot, 2,963 accepted one, and 15 were admitted from it: 0.5% of those who stayed on (Fairfield University's 2024-25 Common Data Set).
What is the transfer acceptance rate at Fairfield University?
8%: 41 of 515 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2024 (Fairfield University's 2024-25 Common Data Set).
Source: Fairfield University Common Data Set 2024-25. Every figure appears verbatim in the document. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into Fairfield University
Built from Fairfield University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Here is how to get into Fairfield University, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Fairfield University carries about a 3.64 core GPA and a 1340 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Landing at or above it makes you competitive; the rest of the file decides.
The admitted middle 50% is 1260 to 1390 SAT (29 to 32 ACT). Submit a score at 1325 or higher; below 1260, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Fairfield University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Selective private colleges admit a larger share of their class in binding Early Decision; if Fairfield University is your clear first choice and the net price works, ED is the single biggest lever an applicant controls. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Fairfield University's exact dates at fairfield.edu.
How many students apply to Fairfield University, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, Fairfield University received 15,463 applications and admitted 6,956, an acceptance rate of 45%. 1,436 enrolled. Only about 21% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Fairfield University enrolls about 5,373 undergraduates in total, 58% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Fairfield University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Fairfield University scored between 1260 and 1390 on the SAT (average 1335). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 29 to 32. A score above 1390 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1260 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Fairfield University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Fairfield University looks for
What Fairfield University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, Fairfield University leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Fairfield University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Fairfield University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Fairfield University cost after financial aid?
Fairfield University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $76,074 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $58,350. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $48,095 a year, and it ranges from $33,302 for families earning under $30,000 to $50,773 for families earning over $110,000. 7% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Fairfield University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Fairfield University student who received federal aid earns $88,794 a year, up from $73,693 at six years. 84% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 91% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $26,000; 43% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Fairfield University compares in Connecticut
Fairfield University ranks #4 most selective of 13 schools in Connecticut in our database.
Among the 13 Connecticut schools we track, Fairfield University ranks #4 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Yale University (4%) and Wesleyan University (16%) sit nearby, which makes Connecticut a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Fairfield University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around Fairfield University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Hope International University, Oberlin College, and Brescia University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Fairfield University's acceptance rate?
Fairfield University admitted 6,956 of 15,463 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 45% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 21% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Fairfield University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1260 to 1390 on the SAT and 29 to 32 on the ACT. A score above 1390 is in the top quarter of admits. Fairfield University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Fairfield University test-optional?
Yes. Fairfield University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Fairfield University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Fairfield University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $48,095 a year against a sticker price of about $76,074. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $33,302 on average.
What do Fairfield University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Fairfield University are $88,794 a year among students who received federal aid, and 84% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Fairfield University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Fairfield University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Fairfield University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Fairfield University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Fairfield University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Fairfield University specifically.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.