San Antonio – September 30, 2026 -- Frost & Sullivan has launched a Top Performers program to independently evaluate and spotlight high-performing college programs at U.S. institutions that often lack regional visibility beyond a 10-mile radius of campus.
Program targets program-level ROI rather than institutional rankings
The research analyzes academic programs based on graduate earnings, licensure outcomes, peer context, and career market indicators rather than evaluating entire institutions. Frost & Sullivan says most students attend college within 50 miles of home and compare a small number of nearby options primarily based on economic outcomes, a decision factor the company argues national rankings fail to address.
Small and mid-size institutions face a visibility gap, Frost & Sullivan says
According to the company, many small- to mid-size colleges and universities operate strong academic programs that remain largely unknown to prospective students in their own region, constraining enrollment despite program quality.
AI search tools are reshaping how students evaluate college options
Brian Cotton, Senior Vice President, Growth Advisory at Frost & Sullivan, said AI answer engines are adding a new dimension to how prospective students discover and compare programs, intensifying competition for institutions in a fast-changing market. He said the Top Performers program gives institutions an independent method to identify programs with genuine market potential and provide students with clearer evidence of program strength.
Research aims to separate institutional brand from program-level performance
Frost & Sullivan notes that an institution's overall brand recognition does not necessarily reflect the quality of its individual academic programs, and its analysis is designed to surface high-performing programs that may otherwise go unnoticed by prospective students and their families.