Marketing at Fairfield University

Fairfield University's marketing graduates earn well above the national average—landing in the 91st percentile nationally—but there's a puzzling disconnect when you look at Connecticut specifically. At $53,891 in first-year earnings, these graduates trail the state median of $54,809 and earn roughly the same as UConn grads who likely paid significantly less in tuition. With only 7% of students receiving Pell grants, Fairfield serves a predominantly affluent population, yet the salary outcomes don't reflect a premium for the university's private school price tag.

The debt picture tells a more favorable story. At $27,000, graduates carry slightly more than the state median but land in just the 5th percentile nationally for debt—meaning 95% of marketing programs nationwide produce higher debt loads. The 0.50 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, and robust 40% earnings growth by year four brings graduates to $75,350, which compares favorably against the field.

For families paying full freight at a selective private university, this presents a question worth examining: why aren't outcomes exceeding in-state public options? If your family qualifies for substantial aid or values Fairfield's smaller class sizes and networking opportunities, the manageable debt makes this workable. But if you're choosing between this and UConn at a fraction of the cost, the salary data suggests similar career trajectories—at least in those crucial early years.