New research from the Urban Institute indicates that investing in Division III athletics doesn't necessarily guarantee enrollment growth for those schools.
The Urban Institute think tank studied 325 D-III colleges, comparing headcounts and the number of varsity sports and full-time coaching positions created between 2004 and 2020.
According to the institute's analysis, investment in athletics programs had little correlation with enrollment increases. Of the two-thirds of the colleges that added varsity sports or head coaches, less than half of them say enrollment increases. Of the 38 percent that did not invest in athletics, more than half experienced enrollment growth.
Urban Institute found that Division III schools have invested in their athletics programs in two primary ways. First, schools have added popular new sports that do not require building new facilities to attract new students and generate revenue. The study highlights Fairleigh Dickinson University, which competes at both the Division I and Division III levels. The school added men’s volleyball and women’s lacrosse for potential revenue increases of $120,000 and $100,000 per year, respectively. More dramatically, Adrian College has added more than 30 new sports teams since 2005 and has more than doubled its enrollment.
Second, Division III schools have hired more full-time head coaches. Historically, Division III schools have operated like high schools, with sports teams commonly coached on a part-time basis by faculty. However, the growing importance of sports to the financial health of Division III schools and the increasing competition for athletes have resulted in many colleges “professionalizing” their operations. By investing in full-time coaches, schools can allow coaches to focus on recruiting more student-athletes rather than planning the syllabus for their next class.
Although the existing research shows that sports play an important role in the financial stability of Division III schools, Urban Institutes analysis suggests there is little statistical relationship between adding more sports or full-time coaches and changes in enrollment. The institute concluded that any effects on enrollment are diminished because schools are trying multiple approaches beyond investing in their athletic programs, such as lowering tuition, increasing student aid, or adding new academic programs.
Ultimately, the findings indicate that investing in athletics is not a silver bullet for small, private colleges looking to boost enrollment, though it’s clear that athletes and athletics are important to the survival of many Division III schools.
