Innovation Through Program Breadth: What the Fall 2025 Census Data Is Really Telling Us
See how program breadth and partner maturity are helping institutions build more resilient enrollment strategies.
As colleges and universities navigate continued enrollment pressure, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: institutions that expand program breadth thoughtfully are better positioned to manage risk, respond to market shifts, and sustain enrollment growth over time.
In our recent webinar, Innovation Through Program Breadth, Rize Education enrollment leaders Bob Stewart and Hannah Malowitz were joined by Ben Iverson, Vice President of Enrollment at Concordia University, Moorhead, to unpack what the latest Fall 2025 Rize Census Data reveals about program diversification and what it means for institutional leaders planning the years ahead.
Rather than chasing headlines or reacting to short term enrollment swings, the conversation focused on what the data actually shows when institutions commit to building a broader, more resilient academic portfolio.
Program Breadth as an Enrollment Risk Management Strategy
We opened the discussion by reframing program diversification as a form of risk management.
Institutions that rely too heavily on a single academic program or discipline expose themselves to volatility. Shifts in student demand, labor market narratives, or competitive pressure can quickly erode enrollment when there is no portfolio balance to absorb that change.
Program breadth helps institutions:
- Reduce dependence on any one program
- Build a more durable enrollment engine
- Adapt more quickly as market conditions evolve
The takeaway was simple but powerful. Program diversification creates enrollment growth opportunities, reduces friction and absorbs volatility when conditions change.
What the Fall 2025 Census Data Shows
Across Rize reporting partners, the Fall 2025 Census Data shows strong year over year momentum. Incoming student enrollment increased by 48 percent, while declared student enrollment grew by 30 percent.
For MBA partners, the return profile was especially compelling. Among institutions sharing funnel data, 68 percent recouped their initial investment within the first academic term.
The results also highlight a clear pattern: partnership maturity matters. As institutions expand their program portfolios and pair them with the right enrollment support, outcomes improve meaningfully over time.
Program Breadth Changes the Story Institutions Can Tell
The session expanded on how program breadth also influences institutional narrative.
A diversified academic portfolio allows colleges to focus on crafting a story of growth and innovation. It impacts how prospective students perceive opportunity, how internal teams talk about momentum, and how leadership builds confidence across campus.
Instead of positioning enrollment as a zero sum challenge, program breadth enables institutions to articulate where growth is happening, why it is happening, and how it aligns with long term strategy.
A Partner Perspective: Concordia University, Moorhead
Ben Iverson closed the webinar by sharing how Concordia University, Moorhead has approached program expansion within a broader enrollment strategy.
Rather than treating new programs as isolated launches, Concordia focused on alignment between academic offerings, enrollment operations, and market demand. This approach allowed the institution to tell a more compelling story to students while building internal clarity around priorities and outcomes.
Ben emphasized that program breadth works best when it is intentional, supported by data, and integrated into how enrollment teams plan and operate, not when it is pursued as a quick fix.
Looking Ahead
The Fall 2025 Census Data reinforces a critical lesson for institutional leaders: sustainable enrollment growth rarely comes from a single bet.
Institutions that invest in program breadth, support those programs with intentional enrollment strategy, and allow time for partnerships to mature are seeing stronger outcomes and greater resilience.
As enrollment planning for Fall 2026 and beyond continues, the question is no longer whether program diversification matters, but how strategically institutions choose to pursue it.
Innovation Through Program Breadth: What the Fall 2025 Census Data Is Really Telling Us
See how program breadth and partner maturity are helping institutions build more resilient enrollment strategies.
As colleges and universities navigate continued enrollment pressure, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: institutions that expand program breadth thoughtfully are better positioned to manage risk, respond to market shifts, and sustain enrollment growth over time.
In our recent webinar, Innovation Through Program Breadth, Rize Education enrollment leaders Bob Stewart and Hannah Malowitz were joined by Ben Iverson, Vice President of Enrollment at Concordia University, Moorhead, to unpack what the latest Fall 2025 Rize Census Data reveals about program diversification and what it means for institutional leaders planning the years ahead.
Rather than chasing headlines or reacting to short term enrollment swings, the conversation focused on what the data actually shows when institutions commit to building a broader, more resilient academic portfolio.
Program Breadth as an Enrollment Risk Management Strategy
We opened the discussion by reframing program diversification as a form of risk management.
Institutions that rely too heavily on a single academic program or discipline expose themselves to volatility. Shifts in student demand, labor market narratives, or competitive pressure can quickly erode enrollment when there is no portfolio balance to absorb that change.
Program breadth helps institutions:
- Reduce dependence on any one program
- Build a more durable enrollment engine
- Adapt more quickly as market conditions evolve
The takeaway was simple but powerful. Program diversification creates enrollment growth opportunities, reduces friction and absorbs volatility when conditions change.
What the Fall 2025 Census Data Shows
Across Rize reporting partners, the Fall 2025 Census Data shows strong year over year momentum. Incoming student enrollment increased by 48 percent, while declared student enrollment grew by 30 percent.
For MBA partners, the return profile was especially compelling. Among institutions sharing funnel data, 68 percent recouped their initial investment within the first academic term.
The results also highlight a clear pattern: partnership maturity matters. As institutions expand their program portfolios and pair them with the right enrollment support, outcomes improve meaningfully over time.
Program Breadth Changes the Story Institutions Can Tell
The session expanded on how program breadth also influences institutional narrative.
A diversified academic portfolio allows colleges to focus on crafting a story of growth and innovation. It impacts how prospective students perceive opportunity, how internal teams talk about momentum, and how leadership builds confidence across campus.
Instead of positioning enrollment as a zero sum challenge, program breadth enables institutions to articulate where growth is happening, why it is happening, and how it aligns with long term strategy.
A Partner Perspective: Concordia University, Moorhead
Ben Iverson closed the webinar by sharing how Concordia University, Moorhead has approached program expansion within a broader enrollment strategy.
Rather than treating new programs as isolated launches, Concordia focused on alignment between academic offerings, enrollment operations, and market demand. This approach allowed the institution to tell a more compelling story to students while building internal clarity around priorities and outcomes.
Ben emphasized that program breadth works best when it is intentional, supported by data, and integrated into how enrollment teams plan and operate, not when it is pursued as a quick fix.
Looking Ahead
The Fall 2025 Census Data reinforces a critical lesson for institutional leaders: sustainable enrollment growth rarely comes from a single bet.
Institutions that invest in program breadth, support those programs with intentional enrollment strategy, and allow time for partnerships to mature are seeing stronger outcomes and greater resilience.
As enrollment planning for Fall 2026 and beyond continues, the question is no longer whether program diversification matters, but how strategically institutions choose to pursue it.
