Colleges saw an increase in 2021 charitable contributions

Market growth, donor-advised funds and alumni giving fueled the increase, according to a new survey.

By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 23, 2022

Endowment returns ballooned to 30.6%, their highest level since 1983

But spending rates held steady amid concerns about inflation as 25-year returns hung just below their target.

By Rick Seltzer • Feb. 18, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

College finances in a rapidly changing sector

Colleges are increasingly tightening their belts and pursuing alternative revenue sources amid declining enrollment and increased competition.

By Higher Ed Dive staff

A decade after enrolling, 60% of college students earn more than high school graduates

But at 30% of colleges, a large number of students went on to earn less than high school graduates, according to new ROI data.

By Rick Seltzer • Feb. 15, 2022

5 state higher education budget proposals to watch

Many governors are seeking heavy increases in spending on public colleges, enabled by federal coronavirus aid that helped cushion state finances.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Feb. 14, 2022

Public colleges offer highest chance of positive ROI to students, report finds

The Bipartisan Policy Center also calls for better regulating colleges that repeatedly pose risks for students and taxpayers.

By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 9, 2022

Higher Ed Dive’s 2022 Outlooks

Here are the trends and questions facing higher education that we're watching, from enrollment pressures to key court cases and for-profit colleges' future.

By Higher Ed Dive Staff • Feb. 8, 2022

CUNY permanently ends transcript withholding

The City University of New York joins its sister SUNY system in ending the practice after prodding by the state's governor.

By Rick Seltzer • Feb. 1, 2022

How the Ed Department is preparing for student loan payments to resume

Officials plan to smooth the transition after two years of suspended payment with outreach to at-risk borrowers and new flexibility.

By Natalie Schwartz • Jan. 28, 2022

S&P raises view of higher ed sector for 2022, but colleges' fortunes are diverging

The ratings agency is taking a stable view of the U.S. higher education market in a new outlook but predicts "winners and losers across the industry."

By Rick Seltzer • Jan. 26, 2022

Colleges will receive an additional $198M in federal coronavirus aid

The Biden administration said it is prioritizing community colleges and rural institutions with the new cash infusion.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Jan. 20, 2022

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will examine private student lending

The CFPB will look at practices like colleges restricting enrollment for students behind on loan payments and accelerating payments for those who withdraw.

By Rick Seltzer • Jan. 20, 2022

California governor proposes almost $40B for higher ed, sets long-term goals

Budget plan would incentivize college leaders to close equity gaps, reduce students' cost of attendance and align learning goals with workforce needs.

By Laura Spitalniak • Jan. 11, 2022

Donor-advised funds boom likely benefited HBCUs

Grants to racial justice organizations and historically Black colleges and universities spiked by 341% between 2019 and 2020, research finds.

By Laura Spitalniak • Dec. 20, 2021

Colleges are giving staff pandemic bonuses, a cheaper alternative to raises

These payments don't lock institutions into financial commitments and are likely to become more common, one expert said.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Dec. 15, 2021

Stable outlooks issued for higher ed as inflation undercuts revenue increases

Moody's Investors Service projects operating revenue rising by 4% to 6% in 2022, but labor shortages and inflation are likely to drive up spending.

By Rick Seltzer • Dec. 14, 2021

Uncertainty lurks as college leaders eye end of federal relief funding

Non-elite colleges were resilient in the face of pandemic-driven changes, administrators tell a liberal think tank. But stability remains elusive.

By Rick Seltzer • Dec. 8, 2021

Entrepreneurship is fine — but it's time to fix the academic job market

Entrepreneurial skills aren't bad, but they don't get at the root of the problem for those pursuing Ph.D.s, one student argues.

By Daniel Sparks • Nov. 29, 2021

Cyberattacks keep targeting colleges. How can they protect themselves?

Higher ed's sprawling systems mean cybersecurity doesn't come easy — or cheap. But smart strategies and thinking through risk can go a long way.

By Liz Farmer • Nov. 29, 2021

Private student loan use varies widely by state, report finds

The private student loan market has grown to $136.3 billion, or 8% of all student loans, The Institute for College Access & Success reported.

By Rick Seltzer • Nov. 19, 2021

Inflation set to squeeze financially constrained colleges hardest

Most colleges won't be able to offset all of their cost increases by raising tuition, Fitch Ratings predicts.

By Rick Seltzer • Nov. 19, 2021

University of Austin shared a worldview, but does it have a business plan?

Startup liberal arts university says it aims to recenter education on the pursuit of truth. Experts will watch whether it can be financially sustainable.

By Rick Seltzer • Nov. 9, 2021

Higher ed groups call for quick changes to FAFSA verification

The federal government should share data among agencies and change who is targeted in audits in order to remove student burdens, a new white paper says.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Nov. 8, 2021

Colleges' net prices drop as inflation outpaces average published tuition

Sticker prices crept up incrementally this year, but students pay less on average after inflation and financial aid, College Board finds.

By Rick Seltzer • Oct. 27, 2021

Bloomfield College appeals for funding to help it stay open beyond current academic year

The private institution in New Jersey seeks philanthropic support and partnerships that could include a merger, it said Tuesday.

By Rick Seltzer • Oct. 19, 2021

Pennsylvania system presses for more state funding amid merger progress

PASSHE is seeking a 15% boost in appropriations to $550 million, a cash infusion leaders say will help make it more affordable.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Oct. 15, 2021