From Enrollment to Net Tuition Revenue: Where CEMs and CFOs Need to Focus

Student Data: Man looking at a chart

Recent studies have chronicled enrollment shortfalls and their impact on institutions across the country. Yet, given the increase in tuition discounting over recent years, it’s imperative that institutions manage the critical metric of net tuition revenue and not just enrollment numbers. This will require a more unified and methodical approach — and close collaboration between the chief enrollment officer (CEM) and chief financial officer (CFO).

This paper reviews four critical areas for CEM/CFO partnership:

  • Setting goals more strategically
  • Managing tradeoffs
  • Leveraging aid
  • Ensuring academic and enrollment policies support net tuition revenue goals

Included in the paper are findings from a recent Academic Impressions survey of chief enrollment officers, and insights from leading experts Jim Anderson, Jon Boeckenstedt, Barbara Fritze, Daniel Konstalid, Kathy Kurz, and Lucie Lapovsky.