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Peer Institutions

Our institutional research team is CEI’s knowledge hub. We dive deep into data to help community members to answer key research questions. Our content experts use our data to guide important decisions, shape strategies, and evaluate programs so we can move towards our desired future.

Peer Comparisons: Key Metrics

We compare our enrollment, retention, and graduation patterns to our regional peer institutions and national peers. This helps us to understand bigger trends, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and ensure our education is truly meeting the needs of our students.

The following data is taken from CEI’s reporting to the Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System (IPEDS). Like almost every college and university in the country, CEI submits this data and much more. You can answer more research questions here: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data

CEI studies our performance against our national and regional peers. The comparison helps us to learn from each other, set goals, and keep improving our performance. CEI chose peer institutions that share similar characteristics so that CEI can reasonably compare its performance to theirs.

  1. CEI's national peer institutions have been selected based on three criteria: 
    • Dual mission colleges that offer associate and bachelor's level degree programs, as well as workforce development 
    • Based in predominantly rural states in the West and Midwest, but excluding Idaho
    • Focused on accessibility and affordability
  2. Regional institutions have been chosen because they share CEI's geographic region. CEI strives to meet or exceed the high standards of our educational neighbors to ensure that our students get the best start to their career here.

CEI systematically compares its performance to these peers at annual summits that include the board of trustees, executive committees, and members of faculty and staff. These comparisons shape CEI's strategic goals. 

Enrollment

Enrollment

Male Enrollment as a Percent of All Students in Fall Enrollment

Fall 2024Percentage %
CEI38%
National Peers41% (Figure 1)
Regional Peers43% (Figure 1)

Hispanic Enrollment as a Percent of All Students in Fall Enrollment

Fall 2024Percentage %
CEI14%
National Peers13% (Figure 1)
Regional Peers14% (Figure 1)

Percent of Full-Time Student Enrollment

Fall 2024Percentage %
CEI24%
National Peers47% (Figure 2)
Regional Peers24% (Figure 2)

Percent of Degree/Certificate Seeking Students Awarded Pell

2023-2024Percentage %
CEI64%
National Peers35% (Figure 10)
Regional Peers38% (Figure 10)
Retention

Retention

Full-Time Student Retention of First-time Degree/Certificate Seeking Students

Fall 2023 CohortPercentage %
CEI60%
National Peers66% (Figure 14)
Regional Peers72% (Figure 14)

Part-Time Student Retention of First-time Degree/Certificate Seeking Students

Fall 2023 CohortPercentage %
CEI46%
National Peers47% (Figure 14)
Regional Peers44% (Figure 14)
Graduation Rate

Graduation Rate

Graduation rate of all first-time, full-time students within 150% of normal time

2021 CohortPercentage %
CEI39%
National Peers42% (Figure 16)
Regional Peers40% (Figure 16)

Graduation rate of Hispanic first-time, full-time students within 150% of normal time

2021 CohortPercentage %
CEI37%
National Peers37% (Figure 16)
Regional Peers36% (Figure 16)

Graduation rate of Pell-grant recipients first-time, full-time students within 150% of normal time

2021 CohortPercentage %
CEI43%
National Peers36% (Figure 17)
Regional Peers36% (Figure 17)

Award Rates of First-time, Full-time Students by Pell and Non-Pell Status in 4, 6 & 8 Years

2016-17 CohortPell
In 4 Years		Pell
In 6 Years 		Pell
In 8 Years 		Non-Pell
In 4 Years 		Non-Pell
In 6 Years 		Non-Pell
In 8 Years
CEI47%53%55% 63%65%65%
National Peers
(Figure 19)		23%35%36%34%48%50%
Regional Peers
(Figure 19) 		27%36%38%33%45%48%

Award Rates of First-time, Full-time Students by Pell and Non-Pell Status in 4, 6 & 8 Years

2016-17 CohortPell
In 4 Years		Pell
In 6 Years 		Pell
In 8 Years 		Non-Pell
In 4 Years 		Non-Pell
In 6 Years 		Non-Pell
In 8 Years
CEI36%43%45% 20%23%23%
National Peers
(Figure 20)		13%18%21%12%19%21%
Regional Peers
(Figure 20) 		11%20%20%12%20%22%
National and Regional Peer Comparisons

National and Regional Peer Comparisons

CEI studies our performance against our national and regional peers. The comparison helps us to learn from each other, set goals, and keep improving our performance.

Regional Peers

  • Boise State University (Boise, ID)
  • Brigham Young University-Idaho (Rexburg, ID)
  • College of Southern Idaho (Twin Falls, ID)
  • College of Western Idaho (Nampa, ID)
  • Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID)
  • Lewis-Clark State College (Lewiston, ID)
  • North Idaho College (Coeur d'Alene, ID)
  • The College of Idaho (Caldwell, ID)
  • University of Idaho (Moscow, ID)

National Peers

CEI's national peer institutions have been selected based on three criteria: 

  • Dual mission colleges that offer associate and bachelor's level degree programs, as well as workforce development 
  • Based in predominantly rural states in the West and Midwest, but excluding Idaho
  • Focused on accessibility and affordability

CEI's national peers are:

  • Black Hills State University (Spearfish, SD)
  • Chadron State College (Chadron, SE)
  • Great Basin College (Elko, NV)
  • Montana State University-Northern (Havre, MT)
  • Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Alva, OK)
  • Utah Tech University (Saint George, UT)
  • Utah Valley University (Orem, UT)
  • Weber State University (Ogden, UT)

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