New data analyzed by The Mirror shows that during an unprecedented period of growth that the university has overseen during the past five years, the Dolan School of Business finance program has seen the fastest growth among degrees on campus.

In March 2026, the finance department had 1,270 students enrolled in the program, a 121% increase from May 2021, when fewer than 600 students were studying finance at Fairfield.

The second most popular program after finance is nursing, with 637 students as of the fall 2025 semester.

“We do have a strong interest in finance from admitted students,” said Dr. Katsiaryna S. Bardos, finance chair. “Last year, for example, we filled up the Dolan Event space twice in a day for two open house days.”

Most of those students, according to Bardos, come to the university because of the program’s outcomes and a desire to study finance at a liberal arts school. 

It also helps that the program is highly ranked, with U.S. News & World Report ranking the finance specialty as 14th in the country. The program boasts a 99% placement rate within six months of graduation.

According to enrollment data, the more than 1,200 finance majors in Dolan represent a quarter of the university’s graduating class. To support the increased demand in finance, the department is hiring at least four new professors for the upcoming semester.

The expansion of the finance department did not happen overnight. 

Bardos, who joined the university as an assistant professor before the 2008 financial crisis, said that even amid the early 2000s recession, the university was still placing students in financial services jobs.

“Since then, I think we have had a stable increase. I don’t think we ever had a year with a decrease in numbers,” she added. “But definitely, it boomed recently.”

The Recipe for Success

Fairfield’s promise of small class sizes, its proximity to New York City and high placement rate for internships and jobs are part of why students come to Fairfield as Dolan students.

But the finance department’s ability to stay up to date with the curriculum is another reason why Fairfield is a popular place for finance students, according to Bardos.

“We are trying to be at the forefront,” she added. “So another thing we introduced is a FinTech minor. Right now, we are actively discussing how to incorporate AI into our classes.”

Additionally, the program has created a fast-track model for finance students, which allows students who earn an A in their introduction to finance course to take finance classes sooner. Students in the program don’t start taking finance courses until sophomore year.

Bardos also highlighted the faculty’s support for student initiatives like the Student Managed Investment Fund and the Student Athlete Investment Fund, both of which provide students with real-world experience.