The AICUP Research center collects and summarizes data on higher education in Pennsylvania. Reports produced by the Research Center are intended to inform policymakers and the public of the numerous educational, social, and economic benefits provided to the Commonwealth by its independent, nonprofit colleges and universities.
Economic Impact Report (NEW! 2025)
Find out how Pennsylvania’s largest sector of higher education helps to create:
• 200,000 jobs created and sustained by AICUP schools; among the Top Employers in PA
• $29 billion annual economic contrition by AICUP schools ($65 billion with affiliated hospitals)
• 7% of Pennsylvania’s economy when including AICUP schools’ teaching hospitals (“eds and meds”)
• 158 to 1 Return on Investment of state dollars by AICUP schools
Promoting Access to Higher Education
Total Enrollment at 4-Year Colleges and Universities in Pennsylvania
Over one-half of all college students attending a 4-year institution in Pennsylvania are enrolled at an AICUP school.
Low-Income (Pell Eligible) Undergraduate Students Attending 4-Year Colleges and Universities in Pennsylvania
AICUP schools educate a larger proportion of low-income (Pell) students than any other sector.
Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded to Minority Students in Pennsylvania
Half of all minority students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree from a Pennsylvania institution were enrolled at an AICUP school.
Working to Keep College Affordable
Net Tuition and Fees Paid by Low-Income Students has Remained Virtually Unchanged Over the Past 5 Years
AICUP schools provide 90% of all financial aid grants first-year students receive. Average net tuition (what families actually pay) has increased only $70 a year since the Great Recession (2007-2008), less than one half percent.
A Better Return on Investment in Higher Education
4-Year and 6-Year Bachelor’s Degree Graduation Rates in Pennsylvania
Students working towards a bachelor’s degree at an AICUP institution are more likely to graduate in 4 years than students attending a state-related or State System university.
Taxpayer Cost Per Year, Per Degree Awarded in Pennsylvania
AICUP schools have the lowest taxpayer cost per year per degree awarded.
A Partner in Workforce Development
3-Year Federal Student Loan Default Rates by Higher Education Sector in Pennsylvania
AICUP graduates find jobs and repay their student loans on time.
Enrolled Undergraduate Working-Age Adults in Pennsylvania
Almost half of all the working-age adults (non-traditional students) enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in Pennsylvania attend an AICUP college or university.