Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Sacred Heart University Featured Rankings
- #2 Best Christian Colleges in Connecticut 2026
- #3 Connecticut's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #6 Best Online MBAs Connecticut
- #6 Connecticut's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #6 Best Research Universities in Connecticut 2026
- #9 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 2026
- #9 The Best Catholic Colleges and Universities
- #10 Most Affordable Online DSW and PhD in Social Work Doctorate Programs 2026
- #11 Best Colleges in Connecticut 2026
- #18 20 Fastest Online Master's of Nursing Degree Programs
- #29 Online Master’s in Nursing-MSN
About Sacred Heart University
According to Wikipedia, Sacred Heart University is a private, Roman Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded in 1963 by Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart was the first Catholic university in the United States to be staffed by the laity.
Sacred Heart University's Online Degrees
MA in Strategic Communication And Public Relations
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
MSW in Social Work
Degree Concentrations
- Direct Clinical Practice
- Direct Community Practice
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: 20 months
- Format: Fully online
MSN in Nursing Management And Executive Leadership
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
DNP in Nursing
- Required Credits: 39
- Completion Time: 3 years
- Format: Fully online
MSN in Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader
- Required Credits: 39
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
MSN in Nursing Education
- Required Credits: 39
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner
- Required Credits: 42
- Completion Time: 3 years
- Format: Fully online
BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 1.5 years
- Format: Fully online
MSN in Nursing Rn To Msn Operational Leadership
- Required Credits: 30-120
- Completion Time: 3.5 years
- Format: Fully online
MSN in Nursing
- Required Credits: 36-39
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
Sacred Heart University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14,284 | 65% | 83% | 77% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Sacred Heart University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $52,410 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $37,930 |
| 30K - 48K | $37,832 |
| 48K - 75K | $39,021 |
| 75K - 110K | $46,463 |
| 110K+ | $49,120 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Sacred Heart University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Sacred Heart University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $80,896 a year, and 96% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Sacred Heart University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 12,695 | 7,549 | 5,146 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Sacred Heart University?
Sacred Heart University is located at 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield, CT 06825-1000.
How Safe is Sacred Heart University?
Sacred Heart University reported 0.5 violent and property offenses on campus per 1,000 students in 2024, fewer than most large residential campuses. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Sacred Heart University has a violent crime rate of 0.04% and a property crime rate of 0.02%. Fairfield has a violent crime rate of 0.02% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 1.42%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Sacred Heart University Known For?
Sacred Heart University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Business
- Computer Science
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Nursing
- Education
- History
- Political Science
- Medical
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Economics
- Engineering
- Literature
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Biology
Sacred Heart University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Sacred Heart University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Sacred Heart University ranks #271 in the U.S. and #903 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #352 in the U.S. and #1574 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #406 in the U.S. and #1760 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #409 in the U.S. and #1530 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #466 in the U.S. and #1243 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #494 in the U.S. and #2194 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #512 in the U.S. and #1467 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #583 in the U.S. and #2456 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #611 in the U.S. and #2249 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #629 in the U.S. and #3005 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #709 in the U.S. and #2377 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #816 in the U.S. and #3226 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #885 in the U.S. and #2296 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #890 in the U.S. and #5039 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #928 in the U.S. and #5037 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #1058 in the U.S. and #3171 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #1098 in the U.S. and #3695 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #1145 in the U.S. and #2243 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesSacred Heart University ranks #1342 in the U.S. and #5540 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesWho Are Sacred Heart University's Most Influential Alumni?
Sacred Heart University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Business, Nursing, and History. Here are some of Sacred Heart University's most famous alumni:
