Higher Education Marketing and Enrollment Strategy

The power of human connection.

Carnegie is the future of higher education marketing and enrollment strategy, and has been since 1985. We connect colleges with students through the power of human connection by measuring and then marketing to a student’s unique behaviors and motivators. This leads to action, enrollment, retention, and lasting affinity.

Cleveland State University Case Study
Cleveland State University Case Study

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Our approach is built on an unrivaled psychometric methodology. By integrating rich, proprietary data with powerful psychological insights, we develop communications and strategies that forge the right connections and inspire targeted action.

We’ve solved it. And we will solve it for you.

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Carnegie works as an extension of your team, providing you with single-source access to exactly what you need to get where you need to be.

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We offer best-in-every-class services that meet your every need from beginning to end—all tailored to fit you, perfectly.

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We could say our work speaks for itself, but that would be a lie. The results do. For client after client, we deliver on every promise we make.

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Our News + Insights.

Everything You Should Know About Content Marketing for Higher Education
Brand Strategy | May 08
Carnegie, a leader in higher education marketing and enrollment strategy, is partnering with Foundation Marketing, a digital marketing agency that helps organizations tell great stories through content. The two companies are excited to bring large-scale content marketing solutions to the higher education space.
Decorative header image for the blog "Setting the Foundation of Your Brand with Exceptional Research"
Integrated Research | May 07
Carnegie partners with Foundation Marketing
Brand Strategy | May 06
Carnegie, a leader in higher education marketing and enrollment strategy, is partnering with Foundation Marketing, a digital marketing agency that helps organizations tell great stories through content. The two companies are excited to bring large-scale content marketing solutions to the higher education space.
Decorative header image for the blog "Return of Pandemic Era Leadership"
Industry Insight | May 05
Five years ago, higher education leaders everywhere were navigating the personal implications of a newly-minted global pandemic while also working overtime to support their teams, constituents, and communities through a fundamental destabilization of not only the higher ed sector but every aspect of our daily lives. We all emerged from that year never wanting to hear the word “unprecedented” again. But what higher education is facing at this moment is, once more, unprecedented, representing a significant degree of challenge to foundational assumptions about our sector.
Industry Insight | Apr 30
Higher education should play a more central role in addressing the complex partisan divides in our country, but doing so will require us to examine our own actions and institutional strategies. Academia has long operated in an insular bubble. Now, more than ever, we must engage locally, bridging the gap between our institutions and the communities they serve, all while strengthening our commitment to educating students about and for democracy.
Decorative header image for the blog: "5 Essential Questions Every Higher Ed Leader Should Be Asking"
Carnegie News | Apr 29
Higher education news outlet University Business published a new op-ed written by Shankar Prasad, Carnegie’s chief strategy officer. The piece proposes five questions for college presidents to consider as they navigate the current political environment and the resulting challenges to higher education. 
Flavor header image for the blog: "No Time to Blink: A Practical Guide for Higher Education Executives and Boards"
Industry Insight | Apr 25
This all makes an increasingly complex environment fraught with risk for executives and board members — political hazards, competing needs, strategic opportunities, and outright personal exhaustion. As turnover in the upper ranks menaces institutional stability, it’s a prime moment for leaders to pause and refocus. Evaluating their own effectiveness, resilience, and consistency with institutional goals can be an invaluable reset in this hectic spring season. Here are some best practices for executives and board members to avoid pitfalls in this political and regulatory environment.
Decorative header image for a blog on LinkedIn boosted posts
Digital Marketing | Apr 23
Your higher education institution is creating great organic LinkedIn content, but is it reaching the right audience? Despite investing time and resources into crafting compelling posts—including faculty research, student success stories, and program highlights—limited organic reach means even the best content may not get the visibility it deserves.
Decorative header image for the blog: "Crafting a Strong Brand Strategy Has Never Been More Important To Sustaining Your Enrollment"
Brand Strategy | Apr 21
It was little more than a decade ago when institutions were arguing about whether a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) was needed. Today, the role is essential at nearly every institution, given the complexity of recruiting and fundraising. Today’s best practice is to assemble a highly data-driven and strategic marketing operation that performs critical functions for enrollment, strategic communications, and fundraising to deliver true return on investment in all areas. Marketing is a key performance engine, not a service organization.
Decorative header image for the blog "Proactive Planning in an Age of Financial Aid Uncertainty"
Financial Aid Optimization | Apr 17
In considering the headlines of the past few months and in working with colleges and universities as they enroll new student cohorts and build pipelines of future prospective students, there is one feature of our new environment that is particularly unsettling. Higher education institutions know they must assess and respond, but—particularly when it comes to enrollment—it's not exactly clear what they're responding to.
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