Office of Institutional Effectiveness
IPEDS Comparisons with our Six Top Competitors
Graduation Rates, Admissions, Enrollment Trends and Financial Aid Trends
According to our New Student Surveys from the last three years, the following are LBC’s top six
competitors when it comes to recruiting students.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Baptist Bible Seminary and College (BBS&C)
Eastern University
Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC)
Liberty University
Messiah College
Philadelphia Biblical University (PBU)
Using IPEDS data (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) from the National Center for
Education Statistics, the following reports were developed.
Note: Not all of the top six competitors were measured in all four selected areas.
The following is a review of how Lancaster Bible College rated in the four selected areas when
compared to the top six competitors.
Graduation Rate for Bachelors Degree
This section compared LBC’s graduation rate to that of five of our top competitors (no data was
available for HACC). This section measured the total graduating rate along with the graduating rate
over four, five and six years. A three year (1999-2001) average of the total graduating rate is analyzed
below, as this is the one category where all schools were measured.
Report prepared by Jack Stewart, OIE Research Assistant
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When comparing the percentage of total graduating rate, LBC ranked 2nd (62%) behind Messiah
College 1st (74%). Eastern ranked 3rd (61%), PBU 4th (56%), BBS&C 5th (55%) and Liberty 6th (47%).
Total Percentage of Graduates
73.73%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
55.30%
60.63%
62.37%
55.67%
47.10%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
BBS&C
Eastern
LBC
Liberty
Messiah
PBU
Admission Levels 2010-2011
The admission levels were tracked for one year (2010-2011) among LBC and four of our top
competitors, (no data was available for HACC or Liberty University). The data reviewed the number
of applicants, the number and percentage of applicants that were admitted, and the number and
percentage of those who were admitted that enrolled.
Among the five institutions, LBC had the lowest number of applicants and admitted the lowest
percentage of applicants. However, LBC had the highest percentage of admitted applicants who
enrolled. The significance of these numbers should be reviewed by Enrollment Management.
Number of Applicants
3500
3000
2500
2000
Number of applicants
1500
Number admitted
Number admitted who enrolled
1000
500
0
Eastern
LBC
Messiah
PBU
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BBS&C
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Percentage of Applicants
90.00%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
Percent of applicants admitted
40.00%
Percent of admitted who enrolled
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
BBS&C
Eastern
LBC
Messiah
PBU
Enrollment Trends
Enrollment trends were measured for all seven institutions for a period from 1990 to 2009. The data
reveals the ten-year percentage of enrollment increase/decrease from 1990-1999, the ten-year
percentage of enrollment increase/decrease from 2000-2009, and then the 20 year percentage of
enrollment increase/decrease from 1990-2009.
During the first ten-year period from 1990-1999 LBC, enrollment increased 79% and indicated
consistent growth throughout the period. PBU increased 104%, Eastern increased 102%, Messiah
increased 22%, BBS&C increased 10%, HACC decreased 7% and Liberty decreased 64%.
% Increase 1990-1999
120.00%
100.00%
80.00%
60.00%
% Increase 1990-1999
40.00%
20.00%
Liberty
PBU
Messiah
LBC
HACC
-40.00%
Eastern
-20.00%
BBS&C
0.00%
-60.00%
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During the second ten-year period from 2000-2009, LBC enrollment increased 31% and continued to
see consistent growth. Liberty increased 648%, HACC increased 198%, Eastern Increased 47%,
BBS&C increased 9%, PBU increased 1% and Messiah increased 14%. It is assumed that Liberty had
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-80.00%
such a significant increase due to the addition of online education. HACC’s rapid growth was probably
due to the economic downturn; a time when students pursue less expensive community college tuition.
% Increase 2000-2009
700.00%
600.00%
500.00%
400.00%
% Increase 2000-2009
300.00%
200.00%
100.00%
0.00%
BBS&C
Eastern
HACC
LBC
Messiah
PBU
Liberty
During the entire twenty-year period from 1990-2009 LBC grew 150% and saw consistent growth
throughout the period. Eastern increased 217%, HACC increased 170%, Liberty increased 150%, PBU
increased 107%, BBS&C increased 41% while Messiah increased 25%.
% Increase 1990-2009
250.00%
200.00%
150.00%
% Increase 1990-2009
100.00%
50.00%
0.00%
BBS&C
Eastern
HACC
LBC
Messiah
PBU
Liberty
It should be noted that HACC increased only 16% from 1999-2008, yet increases 132% from 20082009, which greatly affects their percentages for the second ten-year period 2000-2009 and the entire
twenty-year period. All other schools reported a fairly consistent pattern through the recorded period.
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This category was used to track the financial aid trends of enrolled students for the 2000-2001 through
2008-2009 academic years for six of the institutions. [HACC was omitted from this study due to the
fact that their lower tuition rates preclude most of their students from being eligible for financial aid.]
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Financial Aid Trends
The recorded data in the chart below is the average over this time period. The data tracked the number
of First-Full-Time Undergraduate Students and the percentage of students receiving: Any aid, Federal
grants, State/Local grants, Institutional grants and Loans.
All of the institutions ranked very closely when considering “Any Aid.” The six institutions ranked
were separated by a mere seven percentage points ranging from 92% up to 99%, LBC ranked 5th with
94% of students receiving “Any Aid.”
Institutional Grants accounted for the highest percentage of distributed aid, ranging from 97% to 82%,
with LBC ranking 5th at 84%, just slightly higher than the lowest number. The institutions that ranked
the highest in “Institutional Grants” also ranked the highest in “Any Aid”, while ranking lower in
“Federal and State/Local Grants.”
Loans accounted for the second highest percentage of aid received ranging from 76% to 66% with
LBC ranking 4th at 68%. It is assumed that “Loans” were the second highest form of aid due to the ease
of obtaining a loan compared to “Federal and State/Local Grants.”
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Federal and State/Local Grants accounted for the lowest percentage of aid received. The students at
these institutions received between 17% to 43% of federal aid, while LBC ranked 3rd at 32%.
However, more LBC students (38%) received state/local grants than students at the other five
institutions (26% to 30%). It should be noted that the distribution of federal and state/local aid was not
affected by the economic downturn from 2007 to 2009 and was consistent for each institution during
the surveyed period.
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This data is comparable to that from our most recent financial aid report from the Council for Christian
Colleges & Universities (CCCU) which includes two of the schools in our study. LBC typically
receives a higher percentage of federal grants and state grants as we attract many Pennsylvania
residents, many with a greater need than those applying to the other schools in the study. For example,
the CCCU report has a wealth index chart which shows that the students we attract are more likely to
afford an education at LBC compared to one of the higher tuition private colleges in our study as
parental income is lower at LBC.
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