Sacred Heart University

What Sacred Heart University does

Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit Catholic doctoral institution headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, operating across the Park Avenue Campus, a repurposed West Campus (former GE global headquarters), Stamford, Trumbull, and a Dingle, Ireland campus. The university delivers education to traditional undergraduates, transfer and part-time students, graduate and professional students, veterans, and international students — drawing from 37 U.S. states and 14 countries — through on-campus, hybrid, and fully online modalities covering more than 47 programs administered via Blackboard LMS.

The product portfolio spans undergraduate degrees (business, health sciences, media arts, education, computing), graduate degrees (MBA with nine concentrations including AI and Business Analytics, MSN nurse practitioner tracks, MS in Digital Marketing, MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Ed.D., DNP), accelerated dual degree pathways (4+1 and 4+2), and certificates (e.g., CAS in Play Therapy). Notable infrastructure includes an AI Lab, Finance Lab with Bloomberg terminals, NeXReality VR/spatial computing lab, Anatomage digital anatomy table, and a Television Production Studio at the Martire Center. The institution holds elite programmatic accreditations from AACSB International (Jack Welch College of Business & Technology, fewer than 5% of business schools globally), CCNE (nursing), and CACREP (counseling through March 2032).

The business model is tuition-driven across recurring subscription-like revenue streams: undergraduate enrollment (with $1,350 non-refundable enrollment deposits applied to tuition and $150 to housing), per-credit graduate tuition ($695–$985 per credit depending on program), on-campus housing across Pioneer Village, Cabrini and Mother Teresa Halls and Oakwood Apartments, and continuing education through summer and winter sessions. Go-to-market is multi-channel — Common Application, campus visits, virtual tours via YouVisit, dedicated undergraduate and graduate recruitment counselors, and active social media — with a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio and median MBA starting salary of $123,000 as key demand drivers.

Name

Sacred Heart University

Legal name

Sacred Heart University

Website

https://sacredheart.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit Catholic doctoral institution in Fairfield, Connecticut, serving undergraduate, graduate, online, veteran, and international students through more than 47 on-campus, hybrid, and online programs across U.S. and Ireland campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Online education
• Professional degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition and Fees: Full-time undergraduate education with stated enrollment deposit of $1,350 applied to tuition and $150 to housing. Revenue generated from tuition across various undergraduate degree programs.
2. Graduate Tuition and Fees: Graduate programs generate revenue through per-credit tuition. MBA programs range 33-45 credits, MSN programs $695-955 per credit, MS Digital Marketing $985 per credit, CAS Play Therapy $785 per credit.
3. Summer and Winter Sessions: Additional revenue streams from accelerated summer sessions and winter intersession courses for continuing education students.
4. Student Housing: On-campus housing including Pioneer Village, Cabrini and Mother Teresa Halls, Oakwood Apartments, and various residence facilities generating housing revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sacred Heart University is a private Catholic institution of higher education delivering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs across multiple specialized colleges and schools. Programs are delivered through on-campus instruction at its Fairfield, Connecticut main campus, online platforms, hybrid formats, and a satellite study-abroad campus in Dingle, Ireland.

Product overview

Sacred Heart University operates as a comprehensive private Catholic institution offering a portfolio of educational products and services structured as traditional on-campus programs, online/distance learning platforms, and hybrid formats. The core product portfolio includes undergraduate degree programs across the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Health Professions, Davis & Henley College of Nursing, Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development, Jack Welch College of Business & Technology, School of Communication Media & the Arts, School of Computing & Engineering, School of Performing Arts, and School of Social Work. Graduate offerings span master's degrees (MBA, MSN, MS in Digital Marketing, MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling), doctoral programs (Ed.D., Ph.D.), and graduate certificates including the Certificate of Advanced Study in Play Therapy. The university also provides accelerated dual degree programs (4+1, 4+2 formats) enabling compressed paths from bachelor's to master's completion. Online programs include part-time degree completion tracks and fully online modalities with low-residency requirements. The institution's West Campus, formerly GE headquarters, houses specialized facilities including an AI Lab, Finance Lab, and IDEA Lab for experiential learning. Students also have access to summer sessions, winter intersessions, study abroad opportunities (including Dingle, Ireland campus and Tralee clinical placements), and certificate programs for professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pioneers: Athletics nickname for Sacred Heart University teams

Products and services

• College of Arts & Sciences degree programs Undergraduate and graduate liberal arts and sciences programs delivered at the Fairfield main campus and online, providing the academic core of the university.
• John F. Welch College of Business degree programs AACSB-accredited business degree programs (undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral) delivered on-campus and online, supported by a Bloomberg-equipped Finance Lab for applied learning.
• College of Health Professions degree programs Health professions degree programs (undergraduate and graduate) preparing students for clinical and allied-health careers, with applied learning supported by the Anatomage virtual dissection table.
• College of Nursing degree programs CCNE-accredited nursing degree programs (BSN, MSN, and doctoral) preparing students for professional nursing practice, delivered through on-campus and hybrid formats.
• Isabelle Farrington College of Education degree programs Teacher preparation and education degree programs (undergraduate and graduate) leading to initial and advanced teaching certification, offered on-campus and online.
• College of Computing degree programs Computing degree programs (undergraduate and graduate) covering areas such as cybersecurity, data science, and computer science, with applied learning supported by the AI Lab and NeXReality immersive-learning facility.
• Online degree and certificate programs Online delivery channel for undergraduate completion, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs across multiple colleges, serving students outside the Fairfield, Connecticut region.
• Study-abroad program at Dingle, Ireland campus Study-abroad academic programming delivered at the university's satellite campus in Dingle, Ireland, providing international cultural and academic immersion for undergraduate students.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GreatBlue ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Sacred Heart University partnered with GreatBlue Research to conduct climate change and sustainability surveys of Gen Z respondents. Studies examine environmental attitudes, eco-anxiety levels, and confidence in making climate differences, providing research insights on sustainability perceptions among young adults.
• Gray MediaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Sacred Heart University partnered with GreatBlue Research and Gray Media to conduct healthcare surveys of U.S. adults about their healthcare experiences and AI perceptions. Research found that approximately one-third of patients use AI tools like ChatGPT for medical research.
• Salesian MissionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 December 2025Sacred Heart University works with Salesian Missions to develop partnerships that benefit youth centers in Nigeria. Donations include laptops and soccer balls supporting education and youth development programs, bringing technology resources to students in underserved communities.
• Banco Popular de Puerto RicocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2025Nuestro Barrio program - partnership between Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and Sacred Heart University providing $40,000 in seed funding to nine small businesses in Santurce, Puerto Rico. The initiative aims to support business growth, improve operations, and strengthen the local economy across industries including restaurants, legal services, and media.
• Yale New Haven Health's Northeast Medical GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSacred Heart University partnered with Yale New Haven Health's Northeast Medical Group (NEMG) to provide comprehensive student health care. Students access world-class healthcare options including Yale New Haven Health's full network of over 6,000 physicians in 100+ specialties, with telehealth services for evening and weekend hours. The Student Health Center is operated by NEMG and staffed with clinicians providing acute and chronic medical care.
• University Hospital KerryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational clinical partnership for nursing students to complete capstone hours at University Hospital Kerry in Tralee, Ireland. Students receive mentorship from Irish nurse leaders while learning about local healthcare culture and systems.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fairfield University: A Jesuit Catholic university located in Fairfield, CT — the same town as Sacred Heart — with comparable undergraduate/graduate scale, Jesuit and Catholic traditions, and AACSB-accredited business programs. Direct geographic and mission-based competitor.
• Duquesne University: A Catholic Spiritan university in Pittsburgh with AACSB-accredited business, robust health professions programs (pharmacy, nursing, PT), and doctoral offerings — closely mirroring Sacred Heart's blend of business, healthcare, and doctoral education.
• Assumption University: A Catholic Augustinian university in Worcester, MA, with growing graduate and doctoral program offerings and a similar Catholic liberal arts identity. Comparable institutional trajectory as a regional Catholic institution expanding graduate and professional programs.
• Stonehill College: A Catholic Holy Cross institution in Easton, MA, with a similar liberal arts tradition and undergraduate-focused mission. Comparable in religious affiliation and regional Catholic-private positioning, though smaller than Sacred Heart.
• Mount St. Mary's University: A Catholic university in Emmitsburg, MD, with undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs including business and education. Comparable as a regional Catholic institution with graduate expansion strategy.
• Loyola Marymount University: A larger Catholic Jesuit and Marymount university in Los Angeles offering AACSB-accredited business, robust health programs, and graduate/doctoral education. Comparable in Catholic identity and comprehensive program breadth, though at larger scale.
• Salve Regina University: A Catholic Sisters of Mercy university in Newport, RI, with undergraduate and graduate programs in business, nursing, and education. Similar in Catholic mission and regional Northeast scope.
• University of New Haven: A private Connecticut university with similar mix of undergraduate, graduate, and online offerings, including strong programs in business, engineering, and criminal justice — overlapping with several of Sacred Heart's degree areas.
• Providence College: A Catholic Dominican college in Providence, RI, with strong liberal arts undergraduate identity and growing graduate programs. Comparable in Catholic mission, regional Northeast positioning, and liberal arts tradition.
• Quinnipiac University: A private Connecticut university offering doctoral programs, AACSB-accredited business school, and nationally ranked health sciences programs. Closely comparable in size, scope, and program mix to Sacred Heart's Hamden/Mt. Carmel footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sacredheartuniv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SacredHeartUVideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/119331371443492
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sacred-heart-university-18028
• Instagraminstagram.com/sacredheartuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@sacredheartuniversity?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sacred Heart University