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Shorter College

N Little Rock, AR · official site ↗

Private nonprofitAssociate's: High Transfer-High TraditionalTwo-year, very smallHBCU
96
Fin. Resilience
Resilience score

vs. 12 peers in its group

Shorter College is a private nonprofit institution in N Little Rock, AR, classified by Carnegie as “Associate's: High Transfer-High Traditional.”

It enrolls about 287 undergraduates and is benchmarked here against 12 peer institutions (Private nonprofit institutions in the Southeast region).

On Ibex's Financial Resilience score it rates 96 out of 100 within that peer group, a transparent composite of endowment per undergraduate, net tuition revenue per student, and instructional spend per student.

Its strongest standing relative to peers is instructional spend / fte ($28,161, 100th percentile).

Its weakest is 3-yr cohort default rate (27.8%).

Ibex's cross-metric scan flags: Undergrad enrollment down 36% since 2016.

Peer group

Private nonprofit institutions in the Southeast region

12 institutions

Undergrad enrollment down 36% since 2016
Policy & demographic exposure

How exposed Shorter College is to the structural shifts reshaping higher ed: a composite structural-risk index plus the 2025 federal budget law’s endowment excise tax, Grad PLUS elimination, new Parent PLUS borrowing cap and new Workforce Pell short-term-credential opportunity, and the demographic enrollment cliff. Only signals that apply to this institution are shown.

Structural risk indexAn indicative 0–100 structural-risk index (higher = more pressure) blending operating margin, months of cash cushion, tuition dependency and the home-state enrollment cliff. Screens for the financial and demographic strain that precedes closures and mergers, directional, not a prediction.
52
Elevated
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
-10.6%
Steep decline

Indicative signals, not forecasts, see each metric’s definition and the methodology. Endowment-tax, Grad PLUS, Parent PLUS and Workforce Pell figures appear only where the institution is actually exposed; “nationally” compares against all schools that report each signal.

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Seeing exposure is step one. Ibex builds AI agents that monitor and act on exactly these pressures, explore an interactive demo. Live demos run real workflows; the rest are working mockups we build to your institution’s data.

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Financial Health Index
3.4
on a −4 to 10 scale
Financial Health IndexStable

NACUBO Composite Financial Index, the balance-sheet health score accreditors and institutional boards use to gauge financial health; bond-rating agencies track similar ratios. too few peers to rank. Carries little or no plant debt, so the viability ratio is excluded and weights re-normalized.

Primary reserve 55%0 mo
Return on net assets 30%15.2%
Operating result 15%9.8%

Composite of four ratios on a strength-factor scale (−4 weak → 10 strong): below 3 falls short of the threshold for financial health, below 1 signals acute stress, and above 6 is strong. Computed from IPEDS FY2022-23, the most recent finance release (it lags the current year by 2–3 years). Branch campuses that report finances at a parent/system level can show distorted ratios. For informational benchmarking, not a credit rating or financial advice.

Revenue composition
Where the money comes from $13.4M total revenue · IPEDS FY2022-23

Government grants & contracts is the largest single source at 55% of revenue.

Government grants & contracts55.0%
Tuition & fees37.3%
Other revenue7.7%

Where each dollar of revenue comes from, as a share of total positive revenue. Sources are standardized across public (GASB) and private (FASB) reporting; a net investment loss in a down market is shown as 0% and excluded from the mix.

Net price by income
Average net price by family income After grant & scholarship aid · Scorecard 2024-25
$0–30K$13,844
$30–48K$10,243
$48–75K$18,089

Average annual net price (total cost minus grant and scholarship aid) paid by federal-aid recipients in each family-income band. Lower-income bands often pay less where need-based aid is strong.

Financial Health
Net tuition revenue / FTETuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student after institutional aid/discounts, what tuition actually nets.
Strong
$35,054
92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median $11,506
12 peers
Instructional spend / FTESpending on instruction per FTE student, how much of the budget reaches the classroom.
Strong
$28,161
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median $5,162
12 peers
In-state tuition & feesPublished in-state tuition and fees before aid (sticker price).
$6,246
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median $16,666
12 peers
Out-of-state tuition & feesPublished out-of-state tuition and fees before aid (sticker price).
$6,246
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median $16,666
12 peers
Avg annual cost of attendanceAverage total annual cost, tuition, fees and living costs, before aid.
$21,735
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median $31,454
12 peers
Avg monthly faculty salaryAverage monthly salary of full-time faculty (IPEDS) – a proxy for faculty investment.
Average
$4,765
42nd percentile in peer grouppeer median $4,958
12 peers
Average monthly salary of full-time faculty, as reported to IPEDS.
Average net priceAverage yearly price families actually pay after grants and scholarships.
Strong
$14,060
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median $24,180
12 peers
Net price, low-income families (under $30K)Average yearly cost after all grant and scholarship aid for students from families earning under ~$30,000. Lower is better.
Strong
$13,844
17th percentile in peer grouppeer median $23,400
2024-2512 peers
Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn under about $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). This is what the neediest admitted students actually pay, often far below the sticker price. Read it beside the overall net price and the high-income net price: a low figure here signals strong need-based aid. Lower is better.
Net price, middle-income families ($30K-$48K)Average yearly cost after all grant and scholarship aid for students from families earning roughly $30,000 to $48,000. Lower is better.
Strong
$10,243
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median $22,432
2024-2512 peers
Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn roughly $30,000 to $48,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the middle rung of the income net-price ladder: read it together with the low-income (under ~$30K) and high-income (over ~$110K) net prices to see how steeply the school discounts as family income rises. Lower is better.
Net price, upper-middle families ($48K-$75K)Average yearly cost after all grant and scholarship aid for students from families earning roughly $48,000 to $75,000. Lower is better.
Average
$18,089
36th percentile in peer grouppeer median $24,529
2024-2511 peers
Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn roughly $48,000 to $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the fourth rung of the five-rung income net-price ladder: read it with the low, middle, upper and high-income net prices to see how steeply the school discounts as family income rises. Lower is better.
Operating marginNet surplus as a share of total revenue, whether the institution runs in the black.
Strong
13.9%
50th percentile in peer grouppeer median 14.1%
FY2022-2310 peers
Net surplus as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23): (total revenues − total expenses) ÷ total revenues. A surplus above 4% is strong; a thin surplus near 0% leaves little margin for shocks.
Tuition dependencyTuition's share of total revenue, how exposed the budget is to enrollment swings.
37.3%
20th percentile in peer grouppeer median 66.8%
FY2022-2310 peers
Tuition & fees as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23). Higher = more exposed to enrollment swings.
Tuition discount rateInstitutional grant aid as a share of gross tuition (IPEDS, private nonprofits only) – the tuition-discount rate. The share of sticker tuition handed back as aid; a high rate (the national average is ~56%) signals heavy price competition for students.
Moderate
0%
50th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.3%
FY2022-2312 peers
Institutional grant aid as a share of gross tuition & fee revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23, FASB): allowances applied to tuition ÷ (net tuition revenue + those allowances) – the tuition-discount rate enrollment leaders track, i.e. the share of sticker tuition handed back as institutional aid. Private nonprofit institutions only; public (GASB) institutions report tuition differently and are not shown. The national private-college average is roughly 56% (NACUBO); above ~60% signals heavy price competition.
State appropriations shareState appropriations' share of total revenue, material for public institutions, near zero for private.
0%
90th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
FY2022-2310 peers
State appropriations as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23). Material for public institutions; ~0 for private.
Administrative cost shareInstitutional support (central administration, governance, general administration, fundraising, and under FASB the operation & maintenance of plant) as a share of total expenses, private nonprofit (FASB) institutions only, where the figure is comparable. An informational gauge of administrative intensity, not a measure of waste.
52.4%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 23.8%
FY2022-2311 peers
Institutional support, central administration, executive management, governance, general administration, fundraising and (under FASB rules) operation & maintenance of plant, as a share of total expenses (IPEDS FY2022-23, FASB). Private nonprofit institutions only: public (GASB) institutions report functional expenses on a different basis and frequently consolidate large hospital and auxiliary operations, which makes a comparable ratio unreliable, so they are not shown. Because FASB folds plant operations into institutional support, this runs higher than a narrow 'central-office' figure, and schools with sizable hospital or auxiliary operations show a lower ratio as those costs enlarge total expenses. An informational benchmark of administrative intensity, compared within the peer group, not a measure of waste or quality.
Months of operating cushionMonths of operating expenses covered by expendable reserves, the institution's cash cushion.
Thin
0 mo
– percentile in peer group
FY2022-237 peers
How many months of operating expenses the institution could cover from expendable reserves (IPEDS FY2022-23 primary reserve ratio × 12). About 5 months, one semester, is the accreditor benchmark for solid footing; below ~3 months is thin. A negative figure means expendable reserves are themselves negative.
Return on net assetsChange in net assets over the year, whether the institution grew wealthier.
Strong
15.2%
– percentile in peer group
FY2022-237 peers
Change in total net assets ÷ net assets (IPEDS FY2022-23) – whether the institution grew wealthier over the year. 2–4% is adequate; above 4% is strong.
Avg Parent PLUS loanAverage Parent PLUS loan originated per recipient family.
$5,132
– percentile in peer group
2024-256 peers
Average federal Parent PLUS loan per recipient (U.S. Dept. of Education, FSA Direct Loan Dashboard, AY2025-26 YTD). Parent PLUS faces new aggregate borrowing caps under the 2025 budget law; a high average shows how far families currently borrow above other federal aid. Companion to the Grad PLUS and Parent PLUS cap-gap signals. Context, not a quality measure.
Spent on instructionInstruction as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
34.7%
67th percentile in peer grouppeer median 29.5%
2024-2512 peers
Instruction spending divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). 'Where the money goes' context, reported here for private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only, where the functional split is comparable; not computed for public or for-profit institutions. Higher is not automatically better; research universities and those with hospitals or large auxiliaries spread spending across other functions.
Spent on student servicesStudent services as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
4.3%
17th percentile in peer grouppeer median 13%
2024-2512 peers
Student-services spending (admissions, registrar, student life, counseling) divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). Private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only. Spending-mix context, not a quality measure.
Spent on academic supportAcademic support as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
8.6%
33rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 10.8%
2024-2512 peers
Academic-support spending (libraries, academic computing, deans' offices) divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). Private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only. Context, not a quality measure.
Spent on researchResearch as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
0%
92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
2024-2512 peers
Research spending divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). Private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only; near zero at teaching-focused colleges and sizeable at research universities. Spending-mix context, not a quality measure.
Structural risk indexAn indicative 0–100 structural-risk index (higher = more pressure) blending operating margin, months of cash cushion, tuition dependency and the home-state enrollment cliff. Screens for the financial and demographic strain that precedes closures and mergers, directional, not a prediction.
Elevated
52
– percentile in peer group
2024-2510 peers
An indicative 0–100 structural-risk index (higher = more pressure), an equal-weight blend of the stress signals we measure: thin or negative operating margin, low months of operating cushion, high tuition dependency, and a shrinking home-state high-school-graduate pipeline (enrollment cliff). Averaged over whichever signals are available (at least two required). It screens for the financial and demographic pressures that precede closures and mergers, a directional indicator, NOT a prediction that any institution will close, and not a credit rating.
Graduation & completion
Graduation rate · first-time, full-time
–

Not reported, this institution has no first-time, full-time bachelor's-degree cohort, so the graduation rate does not apply. See the all-students completion rate.

Completion rate · all students
10.6%

10.6% earned a degree or certificate within 8 years (IPEDS Outcome Measures)
The broader cohort, also counts part-time entrants and transfer-ins, and any credential. More inclusive, so it can run higher than the graduation rate.

Why two numbers? They measure different students over different windows, so they are not directly comparable. The graduation rate is the standard federal headline but tracks only first-time, full-time students through a bachelor's; the all-students completion rate adds the part-time and transfer students it leaves out, over a longer window. Read each for what it covers. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Graduation Rates & Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard.

Enrollment & Pipeline
Undergraduate enrollmentNumber of degree-seeking undergraduates (IPEDS fall headcount). A size measure, not a quality signal.
287
50th percentile in peer grouppeer median 312
12 peers
First-year retentionShare of first-time, full-time students who return for a second year, an early signal of student fit and support. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Below peers
38.7%
9th percentile in peer grouppeer median 62.3%
11 peers
Graduation rate (150% of normal time)Of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking students, the share who completed within 150% of the program's normal time (about three years for a two-year program), per College Scorecard. This is the two-year analogue of the six-year graduation rate shown for four-year colleges.
Below peers
12.5%
9th percentile in peer grouppeer median 41.9%
11 peers
Share of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students who completed within 150% of the program's normal time (about three years for a two-year program), per College Scorecard. The two-year analogue of the six-year rate shown for four-year colleges.
Graduation rate (on-time)Of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking students, the share who completed within the program's normal time (100%, on-time), per College Scorecard. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Below peers
8.9%
9th percentile in peer grouppeer median 33.2%
11 peers
Share of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students who completed within the program's normal time (100%), per College Scorecard. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Pell recipient shareShare of undergraduates on a federal Pell Grant, a proxy for the share from lower-income families.
74.8%
92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 65%
12 peers
Completion rate (all students · 8-yr)Of ALL entering degree-seeking undergraduates, full- and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, the share who earned a degree or certificate at this institution within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures). Broader than the graduation rate, which counts only first-time, full-time students, so the two are measured on different students and are not directly comparable.
Below peers
10.6%
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 56.9%
2024-2512 peers
Share of ALL entering degree-seeking undergraduates, full- and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who earned a degree or certificate at this institution within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard). Broader and more inclusive than the graduation-rate figures, which count only first-time, full-time students entering a bachelor's program, so the two are measured on different groups of students and are not directly comparable.
First-generation studentsShare of undergraduates who are the first in their family to attend college.
55.7%
73rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 46.6%
2024-2511 peers
Share of undergraduates who are first-generation college students (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An access signal, not a measure of quality: a higher share often reflects a stronger commitment to serving students whose parents did not attend college.
Adult learners (25+)Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older.
74.1%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 59.5%
2024-2511 peers
Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read as context on the student mix: schools serving many working adults look different on persistence and part-time measures than traditional-age campuses, and neither is inherently better.
Part-time undergraduatesShare of undergraduates enrolled part-time.
5.9%
75th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.4%
2024-2512 peers
Share of undergraduates enrolled part-time (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Context, not quality: a high part-time share is common at community and commuter institutions and affects graduation-rate comparisons, which are based only on full-time, first-time students.
Military veteransShare of the student body who are military veterans.
2.2%
– percentile in peer group
2024-255 peers
Share of the student body who are military veterans (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A context signal on whom the school serves; reported by a minority of institutions, so many schools show none.
Low-income students (under $30K)Share of students from families earning under about $30,000 a year.
97.7%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 73.3%
2024-2512 peers
Share of students whose families earn under roughly $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A direct low-income access signal: a higher share usually reflects a school enrolling more students from modest-income households, and pairs naturally with the Pell recipient share.
Women (share of undergraduates)Share of undergraduates who are women.
56.1%
58th percentile in peer grouppeer median 55.1%
2024-2512 peers
Share of undergraduates who are women (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Reported as context on the student mix, not a measure of quality.
8-year completion (all students)Share of all entering students, including part-time and transfer-in, who earn an award within 8 years. Higher is better.
Below peers
10.6%
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 56.9%
2024-2512 peers
Share of ALL entering students, full-time and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who complete an award within eight years (College Scorecard Outcome Measures, FY2024-25). It is a broader, more representative completion signal than the first-time-full-time graduation rates, because it counts the part-time and returning students those rates exclude. Higher is better.
12-month FTE enrollmentFull-time-equivalent enrollment over the full year, the denominator for per-student finance measures.
135
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 332
2022-2312 peers
Full-time-equivalent enrollment over the full 12-month year (IPEDS 12-month enrollment, 2022-23). Counts part-time students at their fractional load, so it runs above fall full-time headcount and is the denominator used for per-student finance measures.
Student-faculty ratioStudents per instructional faculty member, lower usually means smaller classes and more contact.
13:1
25th percentile in peer grouppeer median 16:1
2022-2312 peers
Students per instructional faculty member (IPEDS, fall 2023). Lower generally means smaller classes and more faculty contact, though the measure mixes undergraduate and graduate teaching and is institution-reported.
Fully online studentsShare of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education (online) courses.
1%
75th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
2024-2512 peers
Share of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education courses (IPEDS, Fall 2023). Describes delivery model, not quality; online-heavy institutions look different on residential measures.
Applicant-pool diversity shiftProjected change in the non-white share of the home state's public high-school graduating class, class of 2025 to 2037.
+4.4%
– percentile in peer group
WICHE 2024 (11th ed.)12 peers
Percentage-point change in the non-white share of the institution's home-state public high-school graduating class between the class of 2025 (the national peak) and 2037 (WICHE, Knocking at the College Door, 11th ed., public-school race detail). A forward look at who the future applicant pool will be: a positive value means the state's graduating class is projected to grow more racially diverse. Strategic recruiting context, not a forecast of any one school's enrollment, and a college recruits from many states.
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
Steep decline
-10.6%
– percentile in peer group
2024-2512 peers
Projected change in the number of high-school graduates in the institution's HOME STATE from the class of 2025 (the national peak) to 2041, per WICHE's Knocking at the College Door, 11th Edition (Dec 2024). The 'enrollment cliff' is the post-2008 birth decline reaching college age; the U.S. total is projected to fall about 13% over this window. A college recruits from many states, so its home-state projection is an indicative directional signal of feeder-market pressure, not a forecast of that institution's own enrollment.
Enrollment momentum (CAGR)Enrollment momentum (CAGR).
Below peers
-5.4%
17th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1.3%
2024-2512 peers
Compound annual growth rate of undergraduate enrollment over the years the tool tracks (College Scorecard, roughly 2016-2024). Positive means the school is growing; negative means it is shrinking, the leading indicator of demand stress ahead of the demographic cliff. Banded against the school's peer group.
Net-price momentum (CAGR)Net-price momentum (CAGR).
Below peers
22%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1.9%
2024-2512 peers
Compound annual growth rate of net tuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student over the tracked years. A high positive rate means the school's real net price is climbing faster than peers, which can strain affordability and yield. Banded against the school's peer group. Lower is better.
States recruited fromNumber of distinct US states sending at least one first-time student.
Average
2
50th percentile in peer grouppeer median 2
Fall 202212 peers
How many distinct US states the school's first-time degree-seeking class is drawn from (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A higher count signals broader geographic reach and less dependence on any single state's shrinking pool of high school graduates; a low count means the school recruits from a narrow region and is more exposed to that region's demographic decline. Banded against the school's peer group.
Foreign first-time shareShare of first-time students whose legal residence is a foreign country.
0%
75th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
Fall 202212 peers
Share of the school's first-time degree-seeking class whose legal residence is outside the United States (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A measure of international reach in the entering class. Neither high nor low is inherently better; it is context for tuition-revenue mix and exposure to visa and geopolitical risk. Banded against the school's peer group.
Direct competitors within 100 miNumber of same-type institutions (same Carnegie class and control) within 100 miles.
Average
0
50th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0
2024-2512 peers
How many institutions of the same type (same Carnegie classification and control, i.e. the schools competing for the same students) sit within roughly 100 miles. A higher count means a more crowded local market and a harder yield fight, which matters most as the regional pool of high school graduates shrinks; a low count means the school has its catchment largely to itself. Distance is straight-line from campus coordinates. Banded against the school's peer group. Fewer is better for recruiting leverage.
Hybrid (some online) enrollmentShare of students enrolled in some but not all courses online (hybrid), Fall 2023.
29%
67th percentile in peer grouppeer median 9.5%
Fall 202312 peers
Share of all students taking some, but not all, of their courses at a distance (IPEDS, Fall 2023). This is the hybrid middle ground between the fully online share and the fully in-person share, and it signals how far a school has moved coursework online without going exclusively remote. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Transfer-in share (undergraduate)Transfer-in students as a share of undergraduate enrollment, Fall 2023.
8.3%
83rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 3.5%
Fall 202312 peers
Transfer-in students as a share of all undergraduates (IPEDS, Fall 2023). A high share means the school depends on transfer pipelines rather than first-time freshmen, which changes both recruitment strategy and melt/retention risk. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Graduate share of enrollmentGraduate students as a share of total enrollment, Fall 2023.
0%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
Fall 202312 peers
Graduate students as a share of total headcount enrollment (IPEDS, Fall 2023). It separates research-intensive universities with large graduate bodies from undergraduate-focused institutions. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Women share of facultyWomen as a share of instructional staff (full- and part-time), Fall 2023.
60.3%
58th percentile in peer grouppeer median 59%
2023-2412 peers
Women as a share of all instructional staff, full- and part-time combined (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). A gender-composition signal for the teaching workforce. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Faculty of color shareU.S. faculty of color as a share of instructional staff, Fall 2023.
89.7%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 38.6%
2023-2412 peers
Instructional staff who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or two-or-more races, as a share of all instructional staff (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). Nonresident and race-unknown staff are excluded from the numerator. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Enrollment forecast (5-yr)Projected change in total enrollment about five years out, from the school's own trend.
Below peers
-42.5%
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 18.7%
2024-2029 projection12 peers
Projected cumulative change in total enrollment roughly five years out, modeled by a least-squares log-linear fit on the school's own enrollment history (2016-2024). It uses the full multi-year series, so a single shock year (such as 2020) does not drive the result. This is a naive trend extrapolation, not a demographic model, and is capped at plus or minus 60 percent; treat it as direction-of-travel, not a precise count. Banded against the school's peer group; higher means projected growth.
Varsity athlete shareVarsity athletes as a share of total enrollment (EADA, 2024-25).
8.2%
– percentile in peer group
2024-254 peers
Student-athletes on varsity rosters as a share of total enrollment, from the federal Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filing (2024-25). At small athletics-driven schools this share is large and athletics recruiting is a core part of the enrollment funnel; at big universities it is small. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Athletics revenue (total)Total intercollegiate-athletics revenue reported under EADA, 2024-25.
$593,994
– percentile in peer group
2024-254 peers
Total revenue attributed to the school's intercollegiate-athletics program, from the federal Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filing (2024-25). It indicates the scale of the athletics enterprise, which at some schools is a major brand and enrollment driver. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
On-campus crime rateOn-campus criminal offenses per 1,000 students, 2024 (Clery Act).
Below peers
0 per 1k
83rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 0 per 1k
2024 (Clery)12 peers
Criminal offenses reported on campus in 2024 (murder, manslaughter, the four sex-offense categories, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor-vehicle theft and arson) per 1,000 students, from the school's federal Clery Act filing. Counts and enrollment are summed across the institution's campuses. A higher number does not always mean a more dangerous school: thorough reporting and dense residential campuses raise it. Lower is generally safer. Banded against the school's peer group.
In-state HS graduatesPublic + private high-school graduates in the school's state, class of 2025.
36,169
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 75,761
Class of 2025 (WICHE)12 peers
The size of the school's home-state high-school graduating class in 2025 (WICHE Knocking at the College Door, public and private combined). It is the near-term in-state feeder market, the complement to the enrollment-cliff projection, which shows the direction that market is heading. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Metro-area unemployment rateUnemployment rate in the school's metro area, ACS 2019-23.
Strong
4.4%
33rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 5%
ACS 2019-2312 peers
The civilian unemployment rate in the school's metropolitan or micropolitan area (US Census ACS 2019-23, mapped by the school's federal CBSA code). It is a proxy for local labor demand: a lower rate means a tighter job market, a stronger near-term destination for graduates and a smaller pool of working adults to recruit. It describes the local economy, not the school. Schools outside any metro area are not scored. Banded against the school's peer group.
Student body
Undergraduate race & ethnicity IPEDS 2024-25
Black61.3%
White33.1%
Hispanic/Latino2.8%
American Indian/Alaska Native0.7%
Two or more races0.7%
Unknown0.7%
Asian0.4%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.4%

Undergraduate enrollment by race and ethnicity, as reported to IPEDS (College Scorecard). “International” denotes nonresident students; “Unknown” means race/ethnicity was not reported.

Student Outcomes & Risk
Median debt at graduationMedian federal loan debt graduates carry at the point they complete.
Below peers
$29,500
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median $13,271
11 peers
3-yr cohort default rateShare of borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment. Lower is better.
Below peers
27.8%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 18.1%
FY2017 cohort11 peers
Share of borrowers who defaulted within three years of entering repayment (U.S. Dept. of Education official cohort default rate). Shown for the FY2017 borrower cohort, the most recent cohort whose full three-year default window closed before the 2020-23 federal student-loan payment pause. More recent cohorts are reported by the College Scorecard at essentially 0%, but that reflects the payment pause (no payments were due, so almost no one could default), not borrower health, so the pre-pause cohort is the last meaningful reading. Lower is better.
Share taking federal loansShare of students taking out federal loans, a borrowing-reliance signal.
60%
67th percentile in peer grouppeer median 55.4%
12 peers
Full-time faculty shareShare of faculty employed full-time, higher generally means more availability and continuity.
Below peers
15%
14th percentile in peer grouppeer median 61.5%
7 peers
Loan repayment rate (3-yr)
24.7%
27th percentile in peer grouppeer median 25.9%
2024-2511 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within three years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it as context, not a simple good/bad score: a low rate can mean borrowers are struggling, but it can also mean many graduates have postponed payments while enrolled in graduate or professional school, which is common at selective schools and pushes their rate down. Unlike the cohort default rate, it is not distorted by the 2020-23 federal payment pause. Reported only where enough borrowers exist.
Withdrew by year 2Share of entrants who had withdrawn by their second year. Lower is better.
Below peers
61.4%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 34.4%
2024-2511 peers
Share of students who had withdrawn from this institution by the end of their second year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An early-attrition signal, where lower is better; high part-time or adult-learner enrollment can raise it without reflecting institutional quality.
Median earnings (6 yr)Median earnings of working former students six years after they first enrolled.
Below peers
$15,710
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median $28,552
2024-2512 peers
Median earnings of former students who are working and were federally aided, measured six years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A shorter-horizon companion to the ten-year earnings figure; early-career pay tends to run below the ten-year mark, so read the two together rather than in isolation.
Loan repayment rate (1-yr)Share of borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within one year of entering repayment.
Average
24.4%
55th percentile in peer grouppeer median 24.4%
2024-2511 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within one year of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the earliest point on the repayment curve. As with the longer-horizon rates, a low figure can reflect borrowers deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.
Net-value indexComposite 0-100 of earnings, completion, net price and debt vs peers.
Below peers
34.0
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 51.0
2024-2512 peers
A 0-100 composite of student value relative to the peer group: the average of peer percentile ranks for median earnings ten years out, graduation rate, net price (lower counts as better value) and median debt (lower is better). Built only where at least two components are reported. Higher means more outcome per dollar. Banded against the school's peer group.
Top fields of study (all levels)

Shorter College’s largest fields by completions, with graduate earnings (4 years out) and debt benchmarked against the same field at its peer group. Sparklines show the 8-year completions trend.

FieldCompletions / yrMedian earnings, 4 yrs outMedian debtEarnings premiumRisk score
Liberal Arts & Humanities16$26,650$24,813Below benchmark -22%High · 83
Business, Management & Marketing6–––Moderate · 50
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting4–––Low · 0
Family & Consumer Sciences2–––Moderate · 50
Philosophy & Religious Studies1–––High · 100

1 of 1 top fields shown have median graduate earnings below the AR state earnings-premium benchmark, an indicative flag under the 2025 federal earnings-premium test (effective July 1, 2026).

Earnings-premium status is an indicative estimate: median graduate earnings four years out vs the AR state median earnings of a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or a bachelor’s-degree holder (graduate credentials) from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2022 ACS 5-year). The official U.S. Department of Education determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.

The risk score (0–100) is an indicative blend of earnings-premium margin and the five-year completions trend, higher means a field pays closer to (or below) the benchmark and is shrinking. A directional screen, not an official determination.

Major-level detail (CIP 4-digit)
Liberal Arts & Humanities – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 1 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesCIP 2401 ›16$26,650 n=58––$24,8130.93×Below benchmark -22%Below benchmark 2 of 2 yrs

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 1 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Business, Management & Marketing – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsCIP 5207 ›6–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsCIP 4301 ›4–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Family & Consumer Sciences – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesCIP 1907 ›2–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Philosophy & Religious Studies – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Religion/Religious StudiesCIP 3802 ›1–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

See the interactive dashboard for all fields and credential levels (associate through doctoral). Source: College Scorecard Field of Study.

Frequently asked
How financially healthy is Shorter College?
On the NACUBO Composite Financial Index, the −4 to 10 balance-sheet score accreditors and institutional boards use – Shorter College scores 3.4 (Stable), computed from its IPEDS FY2022-23 finances. This is informational benchmarking, not a credit rating.
What is Shorter College's student-faculty ratio?
Shorter College reports a student-faculty ratio of 13:1 (IPEDS, fall 2023) – that is, about 13 students for every instructional faculty member.
How much does Shorter College cost?
The average published cost of attendance is $21,735 and the average net price after aid is $14,060 (College Scorecard).
Are Shorter College's programs at risk under the federal earnings-premium test?
Indicatively, at Shorter College, the single largest field with available earnings data has median graduate earnings (four years out) below the AR state earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026), under which programs can lose Title IV eligibility if graduate earnings trail those of a typical worker without the credential for 2 of 3 years. This is an estimate using College Scorecard field-of-study earnings vs ACS state/national medians; the Department of Education's official determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
Which schools are Shorter College's peers?
Shorter College is benchmarked against 12 institutions in the Private nonprofit institutions in the Southeast region peer group; all percentiles and medians on this page are computed within that group.
Compare with peers
Remington College-Mobile CampusGupton Jones College of Funeral ServiceRemington College-Lafayette CampusRemington College-Baton Rouge CampusWilliam R Moore College of TechnologyHelms College

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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent releases), with the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Projections, field-demand outlook) and WICHE (enrollment-cliff projections). Figures lag the current academic year by roughly two to three years. Percentiles and medians are computed within the institution's peer group. Financial Resilience is a transparent composite, see each component above. Compiled by Ibex Insights.