Understanding the Revenues and Costs of Higher Education

As higher education faces growing fiscal pressures, it is crucial that all stakeholders understand the budget. A top-level snapshot reveals how reliant an institution is on different revenue streams as well as their largest expense categories. This showcases that higher ed is fundamentally a human capital business and that people—faculty, students, and staff—have an outsized impact on both revenue growth and expense management. With this knowledge, institutions can assess if there is flexibility in their budgets and identify what is and what is not possible financially.

These infographics show findings from EAB’s analysis of IPEDS data and university budgets. They highlight the typical distribution of revenue and expenses by category for public institutions and private institutions. Use the infographic to educate campus stakeholders on the importance of various revenue streams and containing growth across major cost centers, such as labor.

Understanding the Revenues and Costs of Public Colleges and Universities

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Understanding the Revenues and Costs of Private Colleges and Universities

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