Sacred Heart University
#7 Best Nursing Colleges in Connecticut- Graduation Rate
- 74% B
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $75,059 A
- Top 5% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $46,174 F
- 169% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 65% B-
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 9.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $9.9 over 20 years. Ranked #7 in Best Nursing Colleges in Connecticut.
Every $1 spent returns $9.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,637,484.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduates earn 84% more than the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $9.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Sacred Heart University Matters
Sacred Heart University is a private doctoral / professional university in Fairfield, CT and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 5% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Doctoral / Professional University
- Carnegie Class
- Doctoral/Professional
- Enrollment
- 7,087
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- 30
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology
Why students choose Sacred Heart University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 65% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $46,174 a year after grants and scholarships — 169% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $75,059 ten years after enrolling — 84% above the typical college, against $25,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 30% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.82 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Sacred Heart University has a graduation rate of 74%. This figure stands out among private nonprofits in Connecticut, reflecting a solid commitment to student success. With an acceptance rate of 65%, the university welcomes a diverse range of students eager to advance their education.
According to Chetty/Opportunity Insights data, details on mobility and long-term outcomes at Sacred Heart are less clear. However, the university's graduates earn a median salary of $75,059 a decade after completing their degrees. This figure suggests that students can expect a positive return on their investment, even though specific mobility metrics are not available.
The net price of attending Sacred Heart is $46,174, with a median debt of $25,000 for graduates. Students who thrive here often pursue degrees in Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology, or Communications. With a relatively manageable debt load compared to potential earnings, Sacred Heart University appeals to those looking for solid career prospects after graduation.
Rankings
- #7 Best Nursing Colleges in Connecticut
- #8 Best Business Colleges in Connecticut
- #13 Best Communications Colleges in Connecticut
- #14 Best Online Colleges in Connecticut
- #16 Best Biology Colleges in Connecticut
- #16 Best MBA Programs for General Management
- #16 Best MBA Programs for International Business
- #19 Best Bachelor's Programs in Connecticut
Can I Get In?
How selective Sacred Heart University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Sacred Heart University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Fairfield, Connecticut, Sacred Heart University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 65% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 74%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Retention Rate
- 83%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 33%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,014
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 16:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.42
- First-Gen Students
- 23%
- Applicants
- 13,316
- Admitted
- 8,750
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Sacred Heart University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Sacred Heart University is $50,404, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $46,174. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $38,691 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $50,404
- Out-of-State
- $50,404
- Avg Net Price
- $46,174
- Median Debt
- $25,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 16%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 57%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $38,691
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $40,517
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $41,647
- Family Income $110K+
- $48,217
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Sacred Heart University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Sacred Heart University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Sacred Heart University earn a median of $75,059, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $63,925
- 8 Years
- $71,006
- 10 Years
- $75,059
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.33x
- Earning > $25K
- 80%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (922)
- 67%
- 100% (922)
- 67%
- 100% (922)
- 67%
- 100% (922)
- 67%
How Sacred Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Sacred Heart University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Sacred Heart University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $46,174/year ($184,696 total). Graduates earn $75,059 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,822,180 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,637,484 (9.9× your investment). The median debt is $25,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 74% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $184,696
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,822,180
- Net Return
- $1,637,484
- ROI Multiple
- 9.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $46,174
- Median Debt
- $25,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 74%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Sacred Heart University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Sacred Heart University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.95%, well above the typical college. About 4.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 42.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $114,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.95%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 42.1%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 4.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $155,565
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-18,094,241
Top Programs
The fields Sacred Heart University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 28% $89,030 early-career
- Business & Marketing 28% $67,300 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 11% $29,935 early-career
- Psychology 9% $38,698 early-career
- Communications 6% $40,390 early-career
- Criminal Justice 3% $36,304 early-career
- Social Sciences 3% $70,036 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 2% $50,517 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Sacred Heart University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Optometrist$131,860 · 9% growthResilient 96
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Sacred Heart University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Fairfield, Connecticut, Sacred Heart University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 65% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 74%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Sacred Heart University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Sacred Heart University is $50,404, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $46,174. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $38,691 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.
Is Sacred Heart University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Sacred Heart University earn a median of $75,059, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Sacred Heart University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Sacred Heart University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.95%, well above the typical college. About 4.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 42.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $114,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Sacred Heart University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Sacred Heart University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Sacred Heart University.
- Chapman UniversityOrange, CA · Close peer81% grad $70,070 earn 65% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- American UniversityWashington, DC · Close peer77% grad $77,370 earn 62% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX · Close peer84% grad $78,354 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL · Close peer67% grad $84,131 earn 65% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- The College of New JerseyEwing, NJ · Close peer86% grad $73,323 earn 62% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Elon UniversityElon, NC · Close peer84% grad $74,545 earn 66% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Sacred Heart University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Sacred Heart University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note