Pennsylvania Takes a Bold Step Forward in Higher Education Transparency

Across the country, states are placing greater emphasis on understanding how their investments in higher education translate into meaningful outcomes for students, institutions, and the state. Pennsylvania is leading the way in providing this transparency through a new set of interactive data dashboards. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) is proud to have played a role in this endeavor.

These dashboards consolidate critical higher education information, including graduation rates, affordability metrics, and workforce connections, into a single, publicly accessible platform for the very first time. Whether you’re a student weighing your options, an educator looking for institutional insights, or a policymaker shaping the next generation of higher education policy, these data dashboards have information on every sector of Pennsylvania’s higher education system.

NCHEMS contributed specifically to the development of the finance dashboards, which provide information on state appropriations and financial aid and indicate how Pennsylvania’s investments compare to other states. During our background research for this project, we conducted a scan of which states already provide publicly available finance data dashboards and found only five: Colorado, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

With this launch, Pennsylvania joins a very short list of national leaders in higher education transparency. This kind of transparency matters. When students and their families can see how institutions perform in graduation rates, affordability, and career outcomes, they’re better equipped to make informed decisions. When policymakers have access to clear finance data, they can direct investments strategically.

We’re proud of the work that went into this project and grateful to the Pennsylvania State Board of Higher Education for its vision and partnership. This is exactly the kind of initiative that advances the field, and we hope it inspires other states to follow. We encourage everyone to explore the new dashboards for themselves: Data Dashboards | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.