Fairfield University has been named to Princeton Review’s annual list of the nation’s Best Value Colleges. Earning the distinction for its stellar academics, affordable cost, and strong career prospects for graduates, Fairfield returns to the ranking as one of 200 schools — and one of only four other Connecticut schools — to make the 2020 list.

According to Princeton Review, the Best Value Colleges for 2020 were chosen based on information collected from fall 2018 through fall 2019. Data came from institutional and student surveys, as well as from PayScale.com, which provided alumni career and salary statistics. Fairfield received specific commendation for its “strong and accepting community [that] strive[s] to make everyone feel at home,” and for its “outstanding” business and nursing programs, and “engaging [and] passionate” professors. 

Fairfield also received high marks for its overall quality of life rating (93/99), its green rating (80/99), and its high return-on-investment (ROI) rating (87/99), thanks to graduates’ high starting and mid-career median salaries. 

Overall, the ranking considered more than 40 data points that spanned cost and financial aid, academics and graduation rates, and debt and career/salary data. Additionally, the ranking factored in an ROI rating, which, according to Princeton Review, not only “includes PayScale.com data collected through April 2019 from alumni surveys covering starting and mid-career salaries, and career social impact,” but also academic rating (academic selectivity and education quality); financial aid rating (a combination of school-reported data on need-based aid given to students, and student opinion on their award packages); and college costs (an algorithm factoring in the cost of attendance, average gift aid, education quality, and financial aid to determine the best “bang for your buck”). 

This is not the first time Fairfield University has been included in Princeton Review’s college rankings. Fairfield is also featured on the Princeton Review list of Best 385 Colleges of 2020, the Best Northeastern Colleges and Universities list, and the Best Green Colleges list. Additionally, the town of Fairfield was ranked No. 16 by Princeton Review, on its national list titled "College City Gets High Marks," based on student ratings of the towns and cities where their schools are located. Undergraduate Stags came in at No. 19 on Princeton Review's ranking of Happiest Students.

For more information on Fairfield University’s rankings and accolades, visit fairfield.edu/rankings.