Doctoral/ProfessionalPrivate nonprofit

Sacred Heart University

Fairfield, Connecticut·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·New England·sacredheart.edu
6-yr Graduation
73%
—
Total enrollment
11,022
peer median 7,138
Avg net price
$46,174
+$5.5k vs Doctoral/Professional
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR Office

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
16,495
16,495 candidates competed
Admitted
10,781
65.4% acceptance rate
Enrolled
1,885
17.5% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
73%
4-year graduation
68%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
73%
Full-time retention
83%

Pell equity

12.3pp gap
Pell recipients
63%141 of 223
Non-Pell (all)
75%933 of 1239
Subsidized loan, no Pell
75%392 of 521
No Federal Aid
75%541 of 718

Non-Pell students graduate at a 12.3-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 117 Title IV programs, 37 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 80 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
117
Passing
37
31.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

117programs
  • Passing37 · 31.6%
  • No Data80 · 68.4%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
4
Safe
33
No data
80

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

37
Communication and Media Studies
Master's Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+14.0%
$66,974 vs $58,761
Physiology Pathology and Related Sciences
Master's Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
+14.8%
$61,642 vs $53,672
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+19.6%
$71,882 vs $60,112
Public Relations Advertising and Applied Communication
Master's Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+22.0%
$71,686 vs $58,761
Social Work
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
+27.9%
$59,036 vs $46,158
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
+28.5%
$59,601 vs $46,391
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+34.1%
$80,626 vs $60,112
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+43.0%
$85,946 vs $60,112

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

30
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
113%
$97,500 debt · $85,946 earn
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
104%
$151,369 debt · $145,964 earn
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
96%
$68,633 debt · $71,882 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
76%
$61,000 debt · $80,626 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
49%
$27,000 debt · $55,399 earn
Psychology Other
Master's Degree · Psychology
49%
$38,210 debt · $78,644 earn
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
49%
$27,000 debt · $55,710 earn
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
46%
$26,975 debt · $58,384 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

New England Commission of Higher Education

Accredited since 1969Next review Dec 2033

Programmatic accreditations · 11

Action history · 13

  1. Apr 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PT) - Professional programs for the physical therapist
  2. Feb 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
  3. Nov 2023Renewal of Accreditation
    New England Commission of Higher Education
  4. Feb 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
  5. May 2020Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$38,691
$30–48k$40,517
$48–75k$41,647
$75–110k$46,348
$110k+$48,217

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$46,174
+$5,499vs Doctoral/Professional median $40,675
Federal loans
57.2%
In-state tuition
$50,404
Out-of-state
$50,404

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 1,387 students received $8.2M in Pell grants, alongside $86.2M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
1,387
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$8.2M
$8,158,972 total
Direct Loans
$86.2M
8,893 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
’20
1k
’21
1k
’22
1k
’23
1k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$11.1M
2,566 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$14.9M
3,796 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$21.5M
1,283 loan awards
Parent PLUS$32.1M
968 loan awards
Grad PLUS$6.7M
280 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 2,161 borrowers who entered repayment, 21 (0.9%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.9%
-1.4pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
2,161
Defaulted
21
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
3.3%
2017
3.9%
2018
2.1%
2019
0.9%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Sacred Heart

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs97
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

3,664 total completions
01Business
1,08429.6%
02Health Professions
1,01227.6%
03Computer Sciences
54815.0%
04Biological Sciences
2256.1%
05Psychology
1814.9%
06Communication
1524.1%
07Education
1443.9%
08Public Admin
1413.8%
09Security/Protective
1082.9%
10Social Sciences
691.9%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
11,022
12-mo unduplicated
12,206
Undergraduate
7,812
Graduate
4,394

Gender split

Men
35%4,319
Women
65%7,887

Race / ethnicity composition

White
74.8%
Hispanic
14.5%
Black
3.3%
Two or more
2.6%
Unknown
1.8%
Asian
1.7%
Non-resident
1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.0%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
1,117
563 M · 554 W
Women athletes
49.6%
Athletic aid
$15.7M
Total student aid
Budget
$43.9M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$7.8M
$7.9M
Recruiting expense
$215K
$142K
Head-coach salaries
$96K
$74K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 19

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
232 M · 269 W
$1.9M
Football
154 M · —
$5.4M
Lacrosse
60 M · 30 W
$2.3M
Wrestling
58 M · 30 W
$1.0M
Soccer
32 M · 37 W
$2.1M
Rowing
— · 68 W
$676K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.89
10 offenses · 11,179 students

3-year trend

1.432 yrs ago1.771 yr ago0.89Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
43
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
51
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
3
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
1

Criminal offenses by type

Rape
4
Fondling
4
Burglary
1
Motor vehicle theft
1

By location

10total
  • On campus10

Includes 7 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
5
Dating violence
7
Stalking
12 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Sexual orientation2
  • Religion1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons01
Drugs068
Liquor0560

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
15.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
356

Sacred Heart vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Sacred Heart selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectSacred Heart University
73%—11,022$46,174Doctoral/Professional
Quinnipiac University
76%72.2%9,424$40,675Doctoral/Professional
Fairfield University
84%33.3%6,864$48,095Doctoral/Professional
University of Hartford
57%95.7%6,015$30,282Doctoral/Professional
University of Bridgeport
41%83.0%3,838$27,807Doctoral/Professional
Northeastern University Professional Programs
——7,411—Doctoral/Professional
Peer group median73%77.6%7,138$40,675

Institutions like Sacred Heart

Explore the federal data for institutions in Sacred Heart's comparison group.

IPEDS

Sacred Heart Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Reports to Academic Affairs & Office of the Provost
Phone
203-371-7999
Address
5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) at Sacred Heart University supports the university’s mission of academic excellence and continuous improvement. The OIE provides services and resources to faculty, staff, and leadership to enhance high-quality academic programs, streamline academic operations to support student success and retention, promote data-informed planning, decision-making and assessment, and ensure academic regulatory and accreditation compliance.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • David LaRochelle
    Assistant Director of Institutional Data & Reporting (Institutional Research)

Frequently asked questions about Sacred Heart University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Sacred Heart.

What is the graduation rate at Sacred Heart University?

Sacred Heart University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 73% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Sacred Heart University?

Sacred Heart University reports a total enrollment of 11,022 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Sacred Heart University?

The average net price at Sacred Heart University is $46,174 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Sacred Heart University?

Sacred Heart University's yield rate is 17.5%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Sacred Heart University located?

Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, Connecticut 06825-1000.

Who runs Institutional Research at Sacred Heart University?

Sacred Heart University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, which reports to Academic Affairs & Office of the Provost.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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