Topic: Student outcomes
Research Report
February 18, 2026
Beyond the Median: Earnings Dispersion Across Programs in South Carolina
Findings from Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Data
Which academic programs provide consistent economic returns and which leave graduates facing greater uncertainty? This brief uses Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data to examine earnings dispersion within programs of study in South Carolina. While median earnings are often used to assess program outcomes, they can obscure wide variation among graduates. By analyzing the 25th and 75th percentile earnings, this study highlights which programs provide consistent economic returns and which leave graduates facing greater uncertainty.
Research Report
February 18, 2026
Industry Concentration and Workforce Pathways in South Carolina
Findings from Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Data
Which academic programs lead to clear labor market placement, and which lead to more diffuse or uncertain employment outcomes? This Ithaka S+R report uses South Carolina’s Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data to examine how graduates from different fields of study are distributed across industries, in collaboration with the PSEO Coalition.
Research Report
February 18, 2026
Rural Graduate Retention and State Workforce Contributions in South Carolina
Findings from Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Data
This Ithaka S+R report uses Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data to examine how the earnings, employment locations, and contributions to South Carolina’s workforce differ for graduates of rural- and urban-serving institutions in the state. By comparing outcomes for associate and bachelor’s degree graduates, the analysis highlights how the urbanicity of where students study shapes both individual economic trajectories and the extent to which graduates remain employed in South Carolina.
Blog Post
February 12, 2026
Accreditation, Outcomes, and Accountability
What We Learned from a Multi-Year Research Project
Ithaka S+R is publishing four reports, funded by Arnold Ventures, that examine the extent to which accreditor standards and interventions influence institutional performance, particularly as reflected in students’ outcomes. These reports provide concrete examples of how accreditors articulate expectations in their written standards, use data in monitoring institutions, communicate performance concerns through Commission Action Letters, and understand their responsibilities in the federal recognition process.
Issue Brief
February 12, 2026
Improving Oversight in Higher Education
Policy Recommendations on Accreditation
Accreditation is a central feature of higher education quality assurance in the United States, but historically, much of the process has operated out of public view and within a statutory framework that has not changed much in recent years. Declining public trust in higher education and questions about its value, however, have resulted in greater public and political scrutiny of the performance of colleges and universities.
Research Report
February 12, 2026
What Commission Action Letters Reveal
A Thematic Analysis of WSCUC Decisions (2012–2024)
In the United States, quality assurance is directly tied to the accreditation process. By analyzing the decisions that accreditors record in their formal action letters, we can identify the most common issues that institutions face and the priorities that shape accreditors’ decisions.
Research Report
February 12, 2026
Regional Accreditation Standards
A New Framework for Comparison
Accreditation is an important aspect of higher education, yet its processes and impacts remain largely opaque to the public. This research project aims to systematically analyze accreditation standards from each of the major US accreditors as well as offer insights into how these criteria influence student success and post-graduation outcomes.
Research Report
February 12, 2026
Understanding the Impact of Data-Driven Accreditor Practices on Student Outcomes
This paper examines whether the adoption of data-driven practices by the seven former regional accreditors is associated with measurable changes in student outcomes. We document when accreditors introduced four observable practices—public dashboards, public-facing reports, peer benchmarking policies, and internal dashboards—and compare the onset of those practices with resulting changes in student outcomes.
Past Event
March 5, 2026
Faculty and the Transfer Process
The Critical Role of Faculty in Boosting Credit Acceptance and Learner Mobility
Join us for the next session of the Transfer Explorer Learning Network, focusing on the critical role faculty play in advancing learner mobility, as well as common perceptions of their role. We will also touch on how faculty are engaging with credit mobility tools (including but not limited to Transfer Explorer) and how they can be key stakeholders in adopting and promoting these tools on their campuses. Lexa Logue, professor emerita at the City University…
Past Event
February 18, 2026
Focus on Re-Enrollment
Making the Case and Laying the Groundwork
As interest in re-enrolling stopped-out students grows, many colleges and universities face a core challenge: building institutional buy-in for a re-enrollment initiative while ensuring the institution itself is student-ready. An editorial webcast hosted by Inside Higher Ed and InsideTrack will explore the return on investment of re-enrollment—for learners, institutions and communities—and why proving clear ROI is crucial to making the case for an enrollment initiative, including to executive leadership. Expert panelists…
Past Event
February 10, 2026
Understanding Postsecondary Students’ Perspectives on Basic Needs Insecurity
Information Session
Join us in this information session on February 10 at 2pm ET to learn about a new Ithaka S+R research initiative to develop a student-informed understanding of basic needs insecurity and improve institutional communication, support, and access to public benefits. This session will share information on the project goals, participation expectations, timeline, and Request for Proposals process, with time for questions. With support from ECMC Foundation, the project will engage a cohort of 10–15 colleges and universities, including…
Blog Post
February 2, 2026
Call for Institutions to Participate in a New Study on Students’ Basic Needs
Ithaka S+R is excited to issue a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for Understanding Postsecondary Students’ Perspectives on Basic Needs Insecurity. This multi-year research initiative funded by ECMC Foundation will focus on better understanding how students define and experience basic needs insecurity and how institutions can more effectively align services, outreach, and communication with those perspectives.
Past Event
March 5, 2026
Transfer Explorer Learning Network
How can faculty support students through the transfer process? How can faculty be partners in credit mobility? Join us on March 5 at 3pm ET for the Transfer Explorer Learning Network—a new series of virtual convenings to connect the Transfer Explorer community and share research, practice, and strategies to promote successful transfer outcomes. In this upcoming session, the Ithaka S+R team will share practical ways faculty can support student success and transfer, and…
Past Event
February 6, 2026
Rural Practitioner Spotlight
Ithaka S+R's Rural Student Success Network
Join a Rural Together Practitioner Spotlight highlighting Ithaka S+R’s Rural Student Success Network, a new, national effort designed to strengthen student success and economic mobility at rural-serving institutions. Funded by an ECMC Foundation grant, this two-year initiative brings together 18 rural, bachelor’s degree-granting institutions to tackle some of rural higher education’s most persistent challenges—from supporting community college transfer students and adult learners to aligning programs with local and regional workforce needs. In this session, Ioana G. Hulbert…
Blog Post
January 29, 2026
Expanding Access to Credit for Prior Learning for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Learners
Despite the growing adoption of Credit for Prior Learning in higher education, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners remain disconnected from the advantages CPL can offer. While recent efforts have expanded access to higher education in prison, they have also tended to reinforce a narrow definition of academic learning—one that privileges classroom-based instruction and overlooks the diverse lived experiences that shape learning in carceral environments.
Blog Post
January 21, 2026
Understanding Postsecondary Students’ Perspectives on Basic Needs Insecurity
Across higher education, there is growing recognition that students’ academic success is deeply connected to whether their basic needs are met. Food, housing, transportation, child care, mental health support, and financial stability all play a critical role in students’ ability to persist and thrive. Yet, despite increased attention to basic needs insecurity, institutions often rely on definitions and service models that do not fully reflect how students themselves understand and experience these challenges, which in turn, influence whether students…
Past Event
March 19, 2026
Examining Employers’ Perceptions of Online Credentials
A Discrete Choice Experiment
At the 2026 Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) Annual Conference, Ithaka S+R’s Bethany Lewis will give a poster presentation focused on an Ithaka S+R study examining whether and to what extent online learners are earning credentials that are valued by the labor market. This study explores the implications of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), which streamline the authorization process for institutions offering online education across state lines. To answer these questions, Ithaka…
Past Event
February 15, 2026
Design Thinking for First Year Success
Create, Evaluate, and Transform Programs
At the 45th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience, Ithaka S+R’s Carmen Araoz will join Christine Harrington and Michael Sparrow of Morgan State University to explore how design thinking can transform the first-year seminar, orientation, advising, and other FYE programs. During this interactive workshop, participants will learn how this approach led to the creation of a new, open-access self-assessment tool for first-year seminars. Explore how to use this first-year seminar tool on their campus and how to engage in…
Blog Post
January 14, 2026
Improving the Share of Adult Learners at Four-Year Institutions
Why High-Graduation-Rate Institutions Should Enroll More Adult Learners
Higher education institutions will face multiple enrollment challenges in the next decade., including the projected decline in the number of high school graduates after 2025 and more prospective students being open to career options outside of a four-year degree. As they consider how to respond to these challenges, colleges and universities, including those with high-graduation rates, should take a closer look at the population of adult learners, particularly those within their geographic region, to support future enrollment efforts.
Past Event
March 11, 2026
Transfer Credit
The Glue Connecting Learning Across Sectors
Students now earn college credit from many sources—high school dual enrollment, military, work experience, and attendance at multiple colleges—on their path to earn a college degree. While this multi-source learning can provide a major boost to learners, higher education institutions often struggle to efficiently and equitably award credit earned outside of their institution. At SXSW EDU 2026, Emily Tichenor and Abby Chien (Washington Student Achievement Council) will lead a meet-up session that will discuss your transfer initiatives and share…