University of Nebraska at Kearney Compares Favorably to its Peer Institutions on the Most Important Measures

The campus just received the latest annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics comparing UNK to its Board of Regent-designated peer universities, 10 similarly situated universities ranging from Kentucky to Colorado and Minnesota to Texas. The report, IPEDS Data Feedback Report 2009, includes 2007-08 data (the most recently compiled) on enrollment, graduation rates, student charges, program completions, faculty, staff, and finances—all critical measuring sticks in assessing progress at UNK. Here are a few highlights from the report:
1. Nine percent of UNK’s total student body is international, compared with three percent of peers.
2. UNK’s student-to-faculty ratio is 16 to 1: peers average 19 to 1
3. UNK’s tuition and fees (08-09) total $5,018 compared to $6,286 for peer universities.
4. Thirty-one percent of UNK’s students receive need-based federal Pell grants vs. 25 percent of students at peer institutions.
5. Retention rate of full-time students from freshmen to sophomore status is 79 percent compared to 72 percent of peer universities.
6. UNK’s overall official graduation rate stands at 59 percent while peers’ graduation rate is 49 percent.
7. Illustrating how UNK has made budget decisions in support of the academic mission, forty-seven percent of UNK’s core expenses go to instruction. At peer universities, the average spent for instruction is 41 percent.
8. Again, clearly demonstrating UNK’s strong commitment to its academic mission, 45 percent of UNK’s workforce is placed in the category serving teaching, research and service; this compares to 39 percent in the peer average.
9. Although UNK is a teaching university, resources devoted to research at this campus are about the same as its typically larger peers, several of which are doctorate-granting institutions.
10. UNK’s transfer out rate is significantly small, compared to peers.
11. UNK’s budget relies far less than peers on tuition and fees. Conversely, UNK relies more than peers on the state appropriation.

These comparisons are consistent with UNK’s priority values of academic strength, a commitment to student success, affordability, faculty teacher-scholars who provide a personalized approach to their students’ education, and a commitment to providing a world perspective as a major component of the UNK educational experience.
Additional information about IPEDS and this data may be found online at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds and the UNK Fact Book site: http://www.unk.edu/factbook.