Pricing, Aid, and Strategy: Key Findings from NACUBO’s Tuition Discounting Study

Kathleen Masterson – Assistant Director, Research and Policy Analysis, NACUBO

NACUBO’s Tuition Discounting Study (TDS) shows that private, nonprofit colleges continue to offer significant tuition discounts, expanding affordability for students while increasing financial pressure on tuition-dependent institutions.

This session will highlight the latest TDS data, including updated average discount rates for 2024–25 and 2025–26, with a special focus on the challenges faced by private nonprofit colleges and universities in the Eastern United States. Attendees will gain insights on how institutions are adjusting pricing, enrollment management, and financial aid strategies in response to rising student need and an evolving policy environment.

Panelists will also link TDS findings to NACUBO’s Top 5 Business Issues for 2026, shedding light on emerging risks and the strategic adjustments institutions may need to navigate ahead.

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the most recent data related to tuition discounting and net tuition revenue trends.
• Evaluate the strategies campus leaders are considering to address new challenges related to admissions and enrollment policies and practices.
• Explain the relationship between the tuition discount rate, enrollment, and net tuition revenue and how to balance each component.

CPE Available

• 1 Credit: Specialized Knowledge