Denver-Based Jesuit University Taps Data Science to Help Prospective Students Predict the Value of the MBA

In collaboration with AstrumU®, Regis University's Anderson College of Business and Computing uses predictive modeling to help prospective students forecast the labor market ROI of the MBA

DENVER, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Regis University, a Jesuit university based in Denver, today announced the launch of a new data science initiative that will provide prospective students with a forecast on the value of a graduate business degree in the labor market after graduation. Using technology built by Seattle-based data services firm AstrumU®, the university's Anderson School of Business and Computing will harness ten years of insights from alumni outcomes—such as salary, promotion, and industry tenure—to increase transparency for the future cohorts of students as they navigate the enrollment process.

"As a former telecommunications industry executive who became an academic dean, I know firsthand that education-to-career transitions are not always linear. Our graduate students want to understand how—and why—our academic programs can lead them," said Shari Plantz-Masters, dean of Regis University's Anderson College of Business and Computing. "Our goal is to provide students with information and predictions about the ROI of our program—giving them the insight to chart their own professional course."

Despite overall declines in enrollment across much of the higher education landscape, MBA applications and student enrollments have continued to increase during the pandemic. According to the 2021 corporate recruiters survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council, 90% of corporate recruiters expect demand for MBAs to increase or remain stable in the next five years. In 2021, the median salary for all MBA-holders reached an all-time high of $115,000.

To help prospective students understand the return on investment of a Regis MBA in the job market, leaders at the business school engaged AstrumU, a developer of a data-driven career advising platform called ReadySet. Using this tool, students can access personalized insights derived from course-level outcomes, academic performance, and extracurricular experiences with salary and job placement outcomes from data verified by employers.

Students then receive a personalized prediction for their desired industry, based on how alumni with comparable career backgrounds and goals fared in the labor market. Using the same data, admissions counselors can individualize their communications with prospective students and enhance conversations regarding how degree programs can help to facilitate their academic and career aspirations.

"Today's MBA students are discerning about cost, value, and return on investment when it comes to selecting their program of choice," said Adam Wray, founder and CEO of AstrumU. "This is about helping learners understand how their education investments will translate into career and economic opportunities—and ultimately the future they want to build for themselves."

Growing out of the school's Jesuit heritage, the Anderson College of Business and Computing is dedicated to providing a humanistic approach to business education where students are able to grow as intellectuals but also as compassionate community leaders. Home to eleven graduate business programs, Anderson offers a unique approach to the graduate business experience that co-locates the subjects of business and computing.

The Anderson College of Business and Computing joins a cohort of graduate schools of business to pilot AstrumU's ReadySet offering. To date, a total of 21 universities have participated in the pilot program, and will gain early access to the tool to boost student enrollment and retention using insights from the platform's analysis of millions of student educational and career journeys.

About Regis University: Established in 1877, Regis University is a premier, globally engaged institution of higher learning in the Jesuit Catholic tradition that prepares leaders to live productive lives of faith, meaning and service. Regis University, one of 27 Jesuit universities in the nation, has three campus locations in the Denver metro area and extensive online program offerings with more than 6,000 enrolled students. Regis competes in 12 NCAA sports in Division II. For more information, visit www.regis.edu.

About AstrumU: AstrumU translates educational experiences into economic opportunity. We are on a mission to quantify the return on education investment for learners, education providers, and employers. We help institutions measure the value created for incoming and returning students, while assisting them in securing industry partnerships that lead students seamlessly into high-demand career pathways. Institutions partner with AstrumU to drive enrollment and increase alumni and corporate engagement, while extending economic mobility opportunities inclusively to all learners.

SOURCE AstrumU