New Research Confirms Challenges for Christian Higher Education

Trust, But Verify: New Research Confirms Challenges for Christian Higher Education

Washington, D.C., March 2, 2026. New research confirms an ironic challenge for Christian higher education—prospective students and parents are no longer likely to make the investment on faith alone.

The newly released report affirms both the enduring relevance of Christian higher education and the urgency of adapting how its value is communicated and experienced. Interest remains strong, but trust is earned differently than in prior generations. Students and families now evaluate colleges earlier, more independently, and with sharper focus on affordability, outcomes, and lived experience. Misperceptions—particularly around cost and career preparation—often shape decisions before institutions have the opportunity to engage with prospective families.

The extensive study was commissioned by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP) and conducted by JM Partner Solutions.

"We're excited to share the important results of this research with our members and the greater Christian higher education community,” said Keith Ramsdell, president of NACCAP. “There are clear takeaways that will have a significant impact on how schools are presenting their value propositions to prospective students and families."

The project is the fourth of its kind in the last forty years and documents a starkly different landscape for Christian higher education. When the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) first commissioned comprehensive market research in 1986, the world looked very different. Christian institutions faced questions about faith and fit, but families generally trusted that a Christian education was a sound investment in character formation and community. Today, families think differently about colleges as recent research has shown only 35% of Americans believe college is very important—down from 75% in 2009. Implicit trust in the value of higher education has eroded, and college choice is now shaped by digital first impressions, heightened scrutiny of affordability and return on investment, and shifting cultural attitudes toward faith and politics.

Against that backdrop and with extensive data analysis, the new NACCAP/CCCU report details nine core insights that run through the student to alumni lifecycle. Each finding is supported by data across multiple sources, and the analysis of each major theme includes strategies and practices that Christian universities can adopt in rethinking how they engage with prospective families and other stakeholders.

Most noteworthy among the findings:

• Students are most often introduced to Christian colleges through their peers— 70% of students report knowing someone who attended a Christian college, and 76% say that person is a peer—placing greater weight on personal endorsement than institutional messaging when it comes to awareness or initial interest.
• Parents still play an outsized role in the college search process. Three-quarters of parents report that they research colleges with their child or lead the research, and three-quarters of inquiry students say their parents are at least somewhat influential in where they enroll. In fact, 52% of inquiry students stated their parents have steered them toward or away from certain colleges or universities. Parents, more than students, focus on affordability, academic quality, and safety. Cost assumptions cause students to drop out early, but those assumptions often reflect family budget discussions.
• Families understanding —or misperceiving—cost at the outset can make or break a school’s chances. Fifty-five percent of inquiry students have ruled out a college because of cost, up from 35% in the most recent 2009 study. Half of inquiry students say Christian colleges feel too expensive and cite cost as their top concern. These assumptions often form before students have any contact with the institution as families equate “private” with “unaffordable,” especially when compared to public universities’ lower sticker prices. Parents and students often lack clarity on net price, available aid, and the true cost of attendance. As a result, many disengage quietly rather than requesting information. Conversely, students who make it through the admissions funnel often find that Christian colleges provide better financial support than they expected.
• Students today are more practical than ever before. They want outcomes from their education. Preparing for a successful career or graduate school is very or extremely important to 91% of students, the highest rated attribute in the college decision process. Parents echo this priority with 94% stating career outcomes are very or extremely important. However, only 26% of inquiry stage students strongly agree that Christian colleges prepare students for careers just as well as nonreligious colleges—a gap that likely indicates misperception and opportunity for more effective communication and marketing from institutions to better demonstrate proof of return on investment. Christian colleges have robust career development programs, but they must show how faith, academics, and professional preparation intersect.
• Community is the most consistent and credible differentiator for Christian colleges. Across all audiences, this attribute emerges as the most durable strength of Christian colleges. Among students who recently made their college choice, 61% cited a faith-based culture and 35% cited a sense of community and belonging as key reasons they chose their institution. Small classes, caring faculty, and supportive peer networks create an environment where students feel known and These factors, along with campus safety, significantly shape parent opinion and expectations as well. Social listening—conducted to analyze more than 1 million posts across TikTok, Instagram, X, Reddit, and other platforms—shows community as the most common theme in positive posts, appearing across conversations about academics, athletics, faith, and campus life. Community does more than create a positive atmosphere; it strengthens perceived value. When students feel a strong sense of belonging, they are more likely to persist, succeed, and recommend their institution. Community also mediates other concerns. Students who experience authentic community are more confident in outcomes and alumni are more likely to feel their education was worth the investment.

“Our goal in revisiting and updating this research was not only to understand perceptions of Christian colleges today but to chart a course forward for our member institutions at a time when there is real tension between mission, Christian worldview, and market realities as higher education continues to evolve,” said David Hoag, president of the CCCU. “We are pleased to see that the findings offer both encouragement and a clear framing in meeting these challenges, and especially beneficial for campus leaders as they imagine the future of their institutions to help them navigate the years ahead.”

More than 60 NACCAP and CCCU member institutions participated in the research, providing historical institutional data and outreach lists from which JM Partner Solutions recruited representative survey respondents and focus group participants from inquiry students, parents, alumni, and guidance counselors. Recruitment also included student outreach through ZeeMee, one of the project’s sponsors. The research team supplemented primary data with secondary sources, including a detailed competitive landscape analysis.

JM Partner Solutions is a higher education advisory firm that partners with colleges and universities to strengthen enrollment, marketing, and institutional strategy. NACCAP serves more than 400 member institutions, including K-12, undergraduate, graduate, seminary and degree completion programs, as well as associate members from around the world. The CCCU is a higher education association serving more than 170 Christian institutions in the United States and internationally.

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Contact:
Dr. Denise Cunningham, Vice President of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives
North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals
denise@naccap.org