For small and private colleges, marketing budgets are often reflective of what they can afford, rather than what the market demands, to achieve meaningful enrollment growth. Smaller revenue-dependent schools must be strategic to ensure that every dollar contributes directly to institutional goals. So how can these institutions create a more effective marketing strategy without increasing their overall budget?
Aligning Marketing and Enrollment for Greater Impact
One of the biggest opportunities for smaller colleges is to create synergy between the marketing and enrollment teams. These departments are often siloed, each with their own fixed budgets, which can lead to inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, or misaligned messaging. When marketing and enrollment teams work alone, institutions risk wasting resources on campaigns that don’t support the whole picture.
One school that is tackling this problem head-on is McPherson College, a private, liberal arts institution taking a strategic, integrated approach to enrollment marketing. Their efforts serve as a strong example of how breaking down these barriers can drive success. At McPherson, marketing and enrollment professionals collaborate closely, sharing data and strategies regularly. This team alignment, supported from the top down, ensures that the school’s messaging remains consistent and targeted, leading to more efficient use of resources and stronger prospective student engagement. And this collaboration is having a positive impact on the College’s current marketing efforts. They are up more than 30 deposits year over year and have already exceeded their application goal by 40 applicants for 2025. By fostering intentional connections between these departments, McPherson College has created a model that other institutions can follow to help maximize their marketing dollars.
Communicating Realistic Goals: What You Need vs. What You Can Spend
A common challenge for smaller colleges is determining how much they should be spending to reach their enrollment and brand awareness goals. Instead of basing the budget solely on available funds, institutions should evaluate their goals against what is needed to generate meaningful results.
For example, a new website for a college with 1,500 students can cost between $100,000 and $250,000, depending on its complexity and functionality. This investment is critical as your website serves as the first impression for prospective students and their families. Similarly, a well-executed digital marketing campaign might require a cost per lead of $80 to $500 per student, depending on the program, competition and market conditions. Understanding these benchmarks allows institutions to set more realistic expectations and advocate for the necessary resources.
Looking at Competitor Spending and Market Positioning
Another crucial aspect of budgeting is understanding how your competitors are positioning themselves in the digital landscape. While exact marketing budgets can be difficult to uncover, a competitor assessment can provide valuable insights. Look at the types of digital ads peer institutions are running, the platforms they’re using, and how prominently they appear in search results compared to your institution. Evaluating their online presence can help identify gaps, opportunities, and best practices to refine your own marketing strategy and maximize your budget.
Understanding how competitors allocate their marketing budgets — whether it’s on digital advertising, social media campaigns, direct outreach, or campus improvements — can help institutions make more strategic decisions. For example, if a competitor university is heavily investing in digital advertising or strategic branding, it’s important to understand how that might impact your institution’s visibility and perception. Competitive benchmarking helps inform budget allocations and ensures that marketing efforts are proactive rather than reactive.
Additionally, assessing where competitors are falling short, such as outdated graphics, off-brand messaging, or poor website navigation, can provide an opportunity to differentiate and attract students in a more cost-effective way.
The Ripple Effect: Beyond Enrollment Numbers
Strategic marketing investments also contribute to stronger alumni networks, community engagement, and long-term brand equity. By prioritizing marketing and enrollment efforts as an institutional strategy rather than a departmental concern, colleges and universities can build a foundation for long-term success and ensure they remain competitive in an evolving higher education landscape.
For small and private colleges looking to maximize their marketing budget, the key is strategic alignment, informed spending, and a clear understanding of market positioning. By fostering collaboration between marketing and enrollment teams, setting realistic goals, and analyzing competitive data, institutions can ensure that every dollar is used effectively to drive enrollment and institutional success.
