How One Institution Identified $2M in Academic Savings

The partner institution needed to evaluate academic programs considering shifting labor market demand and efficiency opportunities

Institutional leadership reached out to EAB seeking external labor market data and internal capacity insight. They wanted to improve instructional delivery efficiency, avoid reactive program cuts based solely on market signals, and establish an objective baseline for academic cost decisions.

EAB evaluated program positioning and labor market demand, conducted an academic efficiency analysis, and aligned leadership on a data-informed decision-making framework

EAB analyzed five years of labor market demand shifts against partner program positioning, helping the partner determine which programs should be maintained, expanded, or sunset. The partner used EAB analysis of faculty teaching load, section size, and course proliferation to discover savings opportunity. EAB synthesized findings to provide leadership with both market and internal capacity analyses for more disciplined academic planning.

EAB identified $2M in annual savings opportunity, strengthened data-informed academic planning processes, and laid the groundwork for holistic program review.

Using EAB’s analytical recommendations and advisory support, the partner institution moved beyond reactive adjustments toward sustained, disciplined academic decision-making. $2M of annual efficiency opportunity was surfaced, largely from bringing faculty closer to expected teaching load, providing a defensible baseline for cost decisions and establishing a more structured and ongoing academic program review process.