Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University's published cost of attendance is $69,289. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $38,691, families in the lower-middle range pay around $40,517, middle-income families pay about $41,647, families in the upper-middle range pay approximately $46,348, and higher-income families pay roughly $48,217.

Azimuth ranks Sacred Heart University #1397 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Sacred Heart University's aid structure is need-based, with financial aid distributed through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional programs. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages.

The gap between sticker price and net price reflects the institution's commitment to need-based aid, though the spread varies by income level — a pattern worth understanding when comparing Sacred Heart to institutions with larger endowments or different aid philosophies. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $45,486; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures.

See the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $79,431, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Sacred Heart University earn median 4-year earnings of $79,431, placing Sacred Heart University in the 86.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,640 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Sacred Heart University in the 68.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Sacred Heart University #260 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Sacred Heart University's concentration in business and professional fields.

Nursing is the largest program with 190 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $103,244, at 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 148 students with median 4-year earnings of $74,883, performing at 1.1x the CIP benchmark.

Finance and Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences round out the top programs, with Finance delivering median 4-year earnings of $94,733 at 1.1x benchmark performance. The concentration in Business — the institution's dominant program family — supports consistent outcomes across the graduate cohort and aligns with employer demand in the Connecticut and broader Northeast labor markets.

Sacred Heart University's program mix centers on business and professional fields, reflecting the institution's identity as a career-focused private university in Connecticut. Nursing is the largest program with 190 graduates, followed by Business Administration, Research Psychology, Finance, and Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences.

The Business concentration — anchored in accounting, finance, management, and related applied-professional fields — aligns with the university's positioning in a region with strong corporate and financial-services employment. The highest-earning programs cluster in finance and accounting.

Nursing graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $103,244 with 190 graduates, while Finance delivers $94,733 for 114 graduates. Accounting and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions follow with median 4-year earnings of $91,777 and $76,507 respectively, signaling consistent strength across business-adjacent fields.

These programs reflect direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter accounting, finance, and management roles immediately after enrollment. Nursing, the institution's largest program, generates median 4-year earnings of $103,244, demonstrating that scale and earnings strength align at Sacred Heart University.

The concentration in applied business and professional services — rather than broad liberal arts — creates a coherent labor-market story: graduates move into stable, in-demand roles in accounting, finance, business administration, and related fields where Connecticut's regional economy provides consistent employer recruitment. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides context for how these dominant program families align with national wage trends and hiring demand.