From Data to Decisions: 3 Questions Every Leader Should Ask When Using IPEDS Peer Benchmarking

In higher education, we are not lacking data—we are often lacking clarity on how to use it.

Every year, institutions across the country submit data to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). This data is comprehensive, standardized, and nationally comparable. Yet, for many institutions, IPEDS remains primarily a compliance exercise rather than a strategic tool.

Recently, I had the opportunity to present to members of NACUBO on how institutions can leverage IPEDS peer benchmarking through the Student Success Hub to inform decision-making. One of the most important takeaways from that session was this:

Benchmarking is not about data—it is about perspective.

During the webinar, I encouraged leaders to reflect on three critical questions when using the IPEDS Peer Benchmarking Dashboards. These questions are simple, but they have the power to transform how institutions approach strategy, resource allocation, and student success.

1. How Do We Compare to Our Peers?

Institutions often evaluate performance internally—tracking retention, graduation rates, or enrollment trends over time. While this is important, it only tells part of the story.

The more strategic question is:

How are we performing relative to institutions like us?

Peer benchmarking provides essential context. A retention rate may appear strong in isolation, but without comparison to peer institutions, leaders cannot determine whether that performance is competitive, average, or lagging.

Using the IPEDS Peer Benchmarking Dashboards within the Student Success Hub allows institutions to—

• Compare outcomes against mission-aligned peers
• Identify whether they are leading or trailing in key metrics
• Ground leadership discussions in national, standardized data

This perspective is critical for executive leadership. Presidents, provosts, and CFOs are not just asking whether performance is improving; they are asking how their institution is positioned within the broader higher education landscape.

IPEDS peer benchmarking allows institutions to answer that question with confidence.

2. Where Should We Invest Resources?

Once institutions understand how they compare to peers, the next question becomes:

Where are we underperforming—and why does it matter?

IPEDS peer benchmarking helps surface opportunity gaps that may not be immediately visible through internal reporting alone.

These gaps might include—

• Lower retention rates among specific student populations
• Slower time-to-degree compared to peers
• Differences in graduation outcomes
• Variations in financial aid strategies or enrollment yield

Identifying these gaps allows leadership teams to move beyond assumptions and focus on areas where targeted intervention can have the greatest impact. More importantly, it enables institutions to prioritize efforts in a way that is both data-informed and aligned with institutional goals.

After all, student success is not only an academic priority—it is also a financial strategy. Decisions about where to invest resources must be informed by data that reflects both institutional performance and peer positioning.

3. What Outcomes Should We Prioritize?

The most important question—and the one that often goes unanswered—is:

What outcomes matter most, and how should we define success?

IPEDS peer benchmarking helps institutions move beyond generic goals and toward clear, measurable priorities.

Rather than asking—

• “How do we improve student success?”

Leaders can ask—

• Which outcomes are most critical to our mission?
• Where are we underperforming relative to our peers?
• What specific metrics should we track and improve?

This clarity allows institutions to align strategy, resources, and accountability around the outcomes that will have the greatest impact.

Moving from Insight to Impact

What makes tools like the IPEDS Peer Benchmarking Dashboards within the NACUBO Student Success Hub so powerful is their ability to simplify complex benchmarking into actionable insight. Rather than spending time extracting and normalizing IPEDS data, institutions can focus on what matters most—interpreting the data and using it to guide decisions.

However, the true transformation does not come from the tool itself. It comes from how institutions choose to engage with the data.

Leaders who ask the right questions about peer comparison, performance gaps, and strategic action are better positioned to—

• Make informed, evidence-based decisions
• Align resources with institutional priorities
• Improve outcomes for students

IPEDS has always been a powerful national dataset. The opportunity now is to move beyond compliance and fully embrace its strategic potential.

When institutions anchor their data strategy in leadership questions, they move beyond reporting and begin to build a culture of evidence-based decision-making. This enables stronger leadership, more intentional strategy, and ultimately, greater impact on student success.