Higher-Education Demand Trends: October Results

November 23, 2020

Leading post-secondary institutions rely on the GrayReports Webinar for current data on student demand and employer requirement trends.  Every month, we release the latest data on a free GrayReports Webinar.  Gray covers on-campus and online programs ranging from undergraduate certificates to doctoral degrees.  Gray’s data includes, by academic program and location, student inquiries, Google search volumes, and job postings.  If you miss the Webinar, please feel free to download the presentation or watch the replay.  To whet your appetite, below are highlights from the October Webinar going over results from September:

COVID continues to hurt demand in several sectors:

  • Overall inquiry volume: -11%
  • Inquiries for on-campus programs: -10% – REVISIT
  • Google brand searches: -5%

But many large sectors continue to grow:

  • Inquiries for online programs: +1% – REVISIT
  • Google program searches: +9%

The cost to acquire students seems to be rising.

  • Inquiry prices are up sharply: +13%

Conversion rates appear to be stabilizing.
Inquiry growth is fastest in Computer Systems Networking, Behavioral Sciences, and Computer Programming.

  • Medical Insurance Coder had the largest year-over-year increase in September inquiry volume.
  • Business Admin/Mgmt had the largest year-over-year increase in September Google search volume.

 

As always, good market data enables better decisions.
Better program and course decisions increase margins.
Higher margins ensure viability and enable investments in your mission.

You can watch the video below.

If you would like to download a copy of the presentation, you can find it here

Gray Associates

Gray Associates, Inc. provides the best available data, software, and facilitated processes to help higher education institutions make high-stakes decisions regarding academic programs, pricing, and locations.

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Gray Associates, Inc. is a software and services firm focused on higher education. We help education clients develop fact-based institutional and marketing strategies that maximize outcomes for students, the school, and its constituencies.

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