Fairfield University vs. Howard

Should I go to Fairfield University or Howard University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Fairfield University or Howard is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Fairfield University vs. Howard University comparison
Fairfield University Howard University College 3 College 4
Fairfield University Howard University
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Overview

Fairfield University Howard
Location Fairfield, CT Washington, DC
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 6,289 13,416
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #128 #249
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fairfield.edu howard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fairfield University Howard
Tuition (In State) $55,510 $32,878
Tuition (Out of State) $55,510 $32,878
Room & Board $17,400 $16,474
Avg Net Price $47,630 $30,028
Avg Grant Aid $25,877 $21,422
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

Fairfield University Howard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,463 30,342
Admitted 6,956 10,587
Acceptance Rate 45% 34.9%
Enrolled % 20.6% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/32 22/28
SAT Range 1240/1380 1100/1298
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

Fairfield University Howard
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

Fairfield University Howard
Graduation Rate 82% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,100 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Fairfield University Howard
% Men 7% 8%
% Women 14% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 76% 2%
% Black 2% 91%
% Hispanic 7% 0%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 0%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 8% 0%

Students

Fairfield University Howard
% In-State 15% 1%
% Out-of-State 84% 91%

Campus

Fairfield University Howard
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Howard University is larger than than Fairfield University based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 6,289 students)

Fairfield University vs. Howard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fairfield University or Howard?

  • Fairfield University is 68.8% more expensive to attend than Howard for in-state tuition ($55,510.00 vs. $32,878.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.8% higher at Fairfield University than Howard University ($55,510.00 vs. $32,878.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Howard University than Fairfield University ($30,028 vs. $47,630)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard University are 5.6% lower than costs at Fairfield University ($16,474 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Fairfield University (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fairfield University students is 20.8% larger than aid received Howard University ($25,877 vs. $21,422)

Fairfield University vs. Howard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Fairfield University or Howard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Howard or Fairfield University .

  • Accepted freshman Fairfield University students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • Fairfield University has a higher acceptance rate (45%) than Howard (34.9%)

Fairfield University vs. Howard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fairfield University or Howard? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Howard and Fairfield University.

  • The graduation rate at Fairfield University is higher than Howard University (82% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Fairfield University earn on average $25,300 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($77,100 vs. $51,800)
  • Howard University and Fairfield University graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Howard University and Fairfield University graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Fairfield University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/