College Profile: Fairfield University

I recently had the chance to visit Fairfield University and I was excited to discover an exciting community with strong academics and a tight-knit student body. I have been seeing this school pop up on a lot of “Top” lists for its amazing career and postgraduate outcomes, student favorability, and value for the cost. I was very impressed by the school. It was a lovely fall day and the students were out in full, showcasing the vibrant community.

History:

• Jesuit & Catholic roots - Fairfield is one of the roughly 30 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. 

• Mission-driven and student-focused - The school emphasizes values like “cura personalis” (care for the whole person), aiming to help students grow academically and personally. 

• At a great location - The campus offers a mix of “suburb + easy access to culture & coast.” It's just minutes from the beach and fairly close (about an hour) to New York City. So you get the feel of a scenic campus while still being close enough to major urban and cultural hubs.

  
  

Traditions & Campus Life:

• President's Ball (Pres Ball) - Each September, students gather on the lawn of the iconic Bellarmine Hall for a night of dancing, music, and celebration. It’s been a beloved back-to-school kickoff for years. 

• STAGiving Day - A day for the entire Fairfield community to come together and support scholarships, research, athletics, and more. It’s about giving back, and many students enjoy receiving special limited-edition Fairfield gear for participating. 

• Campus traditions & spirit - From the university mascot (a stag - more on that below) to festive events, Fairfield students often reflect that strong sense of belonging. For example:

  • The annual Snowball Dinner Dance - a winter semi-formal that has been around since the 1990s.

  • The quirky “Mock Wedding” - a playful, all-student waterfront “wedding” ceremony, started in the ’90s, purely for fun and camaraderie. 

  • The chance to join a vibrant arts & culture scene - the campus houses the Fairfield University Art Museum (with medieval, renaissance, non-Western art, even casts from Ancient Rome) and the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts for theatre, music, dance and more. 

    
    

Student Body:

• Size & Ratio

  • Undergraduate enrollment: ~ 4,938 students. 

  • Student-to-faculty ratio: about 12:1, which suggests relatively small classes and good access to professors. 

• Diversity & Demographics

  • Roughly 57% of undergraduates are female, and 43% male. 

  • Racial/ethnic composition: majority White, but includes Hispanic, Asian, Black/African American, multiracial, and others. 

  • Pell Grant recipients (often indicating students from lower-income backgrounds) make up a portion of students, and the school reports an “equity gap” in 6-year graduation rates of only about 2.1 points between Pell and non-Pell students, indicating relatively equitable outcomes. 

• Success Outcomes

  • Graduation (within six years): about 84%. 

  • First-year retention rate (i.e. percentage who return for sophomore year): ~ 91%. 

  • Nearly every graduate (over the last eight years) has either secured full-time employment or gone on to graduate/professional school. 

    
    

Fairfield could be a great place for you if you:

• Appreciate a close-knit, medium-sized school environment - not too small, not overwhelming big.

• Like a blend of academics and social/community life: you’ll get both intellectual engagement and fun traditions/events.

• Want a school that values social equity and supports students across economic backgrounds.

• Enjoy a coastal/suburban setting with access to arts, culture, and relatively easy travel to big cities.

  
  

If this sounds like the right place for you, I strongly encourage a visit in person. Be sure to check out the website at: https://www.fairfield.edu/.