WSJ/College Pulse also rated Fairfield University in the top 13 percent for student experience, and in the top 20 percent for best salaries, out of 500 colleges.
Fairfield University has advanced in The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings. The University is ranked No. 116, moving up an impressive 8 spots from last year’s position of No. 124, further solidifying its standing as one of the nation's top institutions of higher learning. Fairfield’s rise in these rankings highlights the school’s continuous commitment to academic excellence, student experience, and career preparation.
The WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking rates the top 500 universities nationwide and was developed in collaboration with research partners College Pulse and Statista.
In addition to the overall ranking, Fairfield University excelled in several key categories. Most notably, the University made a significant leap in the WSJ/College Pulse Student Experience ranking, climbing 254 places to claim the No. 63 spot, among the top 13 percent. Fairfield was third out of schools ranked in Connecticut for Student Experience. Ranking scores for this category were based on campus facilities, community and social life, and diversity.
Fairfield also ranked No. 97 in the Best Salaries category, a testament to the University's commitment to preparing students for successful careers. The Best Salaries ranking evaluates schools based on their impact on graduates’ salaries in relation to the cost of attending the institution. In Connecticut, Fairfield ranks second only to Yale University in this category, underscoring the University's strong return on investment for students.
In addition to surveying college students and recent graduates on questions related to student life, career preparation, and campus facilities, for 2025, The Wall Street Journal and College Pulse added new questions on how well colleges develop strength of character such as “moral courage, resilience, and fairness.”
This year’s rankings also featured a refined model developed by data scientists at Statista, measuring how colleges enhance graduation rates and post-graduation salaries, providing a more detailed analysis of institutional impact.
