The New Standard for Higher Ed Outcomes: Proving the ROI of a Degree with Anonymized Financial Data

Highlights: 

• By utilizing Equifax Ignite for Graduate Outcomes, higher education institutions can replace unreliable surveys with comprehensive, anonymized financial data, offering a new standard for proving degree ROI.

• Use this longitudinal data to accurately measure program effectiveness, compare estimated graduate incomes by major and demographic segments, and strategically target alumni for fundraising initiatives.

As higher education costs continue to climb, institutional leaders face a growing challenge: proving the tangible value of a four-year degree. Skepticism regarding the financial benefits of higher education is on the rise, placing immense pressure on institutions to provide concrete data on how their graduates fare in the real world. Today, it is more important than ever for universities to demonstrate the value of their programs with reliable data that goes beyond traditional methods like surveys or social media research.

While these methods offer some insight, they are often burdened by low response rates, resulting in incomplete or inaccurate datasets. To truly understand program effectiveness and support institutional growth, we need access to reliable, longitudinal financial data.

To address these challenges, Equifax has developed a solution suite for Graduate Outcomes. Instead of relying on self-reported survey data, this solution for higher education offers a more streamlined approach by providing access to comprehensive datasets with ten years of anonymized financial data, including:

• Accurate Income Estimates: Leveraging neural network technology and machine learning, we provide accurate individual modeled income.

• Comprehensive Credit and Debt Profiles: Access anonymized credit scores, outstanding student debt balances, and debt-to-income ratios based on nearly 100% of the active U.S. credit population.

• Geographic and Property Data: Understand where your graduates are living and gain insights into their homeownership status and estimated property values.

The goal isn't just to collect data, but to use it to answer the critical questions facing your departments today, such as:

• Program Effectiveness: What is the average estimated income by major, and how has that trended over the last decade?

• Compare Segments: How do gender or minority segments compare in terms of estimated income and student loan debt five years after graduation?

• Income Outcome: How does your institution’s estimated graduate income compare against national averages?

• Alumni Relations and Fundraising: Where are your graduates living now, and which segments possess the financial ability to support donor initiatives?

Whether your institution has a robust team of data scientists or limited analytical resources, the Equifax Graduate Outcomes solutions, available through the cloud-based Equifax Ignite® ecosystem, are designed for ease of use, featuring point-and-click tools for data management, a newly enhanced, easy-to-use dashboard for visualizing trends, and the option to access raw data for bespoke, do-it-yourself analysis. 

By moving toward a more automated and reliable data model, institutions can better prove their value and drive informed decisions that support long-term growth. They can not only prove their value to skeptics but also gain the insights necessary to support every student's journey from admission to alumni. 
Ready for next-level insights? Explore Equifax Ignite® for Graduate Outcomes.