Sacred Heart University acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Sacred Heart University · Private nonprofit · Fairfield, CT · 6,960 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Sacred Heart University admitted 67.7% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 76.2% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $52,410 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 76.2% | 7,781 | 5,932 |
| 2014 | 57.2% | 9,114 | 5,209 |
| 2015 | 59.0% | 9,259 | 5,460 |
| 2016 | 57.2% | 10,017 | 5,731 |
| 2017 | 60.3% | 9,992 | 6,023 |
| 2018 | 60.4% | 10,742 | 6,493 |
| 2019 | 63.9% | 11,717 | 7,489 |
| 2020 | 65.5% | 12,189 | 7,988 |
| 2021 | 66.1% | 12,663 | 8,373 |
| 2022 | 65.7% | 13,316 | 8,750 |
| 2023 | 67.7% | 14,284 | 9,667 |
Applications went from 7,781 in fall 2013 to 14,284 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $37,930 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $37,832 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $39,021 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $46,463 |
| Over $110,000 | $49,120 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $52,410 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $71,445 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $45,827 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac CT | 77.0% | $57,700 same for all |
| University of Hartford CT | 83.0% | $50,445 same for all |
| Fairfield University CT | 45.0% | $60,810 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Sacred Heart University received 14,284 applications for fall 2023, and its admit rate that year was 67.7%.1 The 2013 rate of 76.2% fell to 57.2% in 2014, and the net change from 2013 to 2023 is 8.5 percentage points lower.1 After that early drop the yearly rate declined only 3 times across the 10 changes.1 Applications grew 84% over the span, and the admitted group grew 63%, ending at 9,667 students.1
The college is test-blind, so IPEDS lists no SAT or ACT range for it.1
Annual tuition and fees are $52,410 in 2025-26, which is above the $51,428 median of the 14 private bachelor's colleges in Connecticut.2 Family income moves the net price only modestly here, from $37,930 in the $0 to $30,000 band to $49,120 above $110,000 in 2024-25.2 The $48,001 to $75,000 band paid an average of $39,021.2
Among entrants of 2019, 77% finished within 6 years, against a Connecticut median of 59% across 26 colleges.2 The first-year return rate for fall 2023 entrants was 83%.2 Earnings at the 10-year mark had a median of $80,896, and federal borrowers who graduated left with median debt of $25,000.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 14,284 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 9,667 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,905 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 6,960 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-blind | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $52,410 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $71,445 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $45,827 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $37,930 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $37,832 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $39,021 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $46,463 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $49,120 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 77% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 83% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 19% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $80,896 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $25,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Connecticut (N = 14) | $51,428 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Connecticut (N = 26) | 59% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Sacred Heart University, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page