"The overall number of undergraduates at U.S. colleges and universities has increased dramatically over the past 20 years, with growth fueled almost exclusively by an influx of students from low-​income families and students of color," reports Pew Research Center. The promise of better job opportunities granted by college degrees is a major motivation for many students.

Better Job Opportunities are a Major College Influencer

The number of students in poverty is on the rise every year. From 1996 to 2016, the percentage of dependent students in poverty rose from 12% to 20%, according to Pew Research Center. "The increase in the share of dependent students who are in poverty has been most pronounced at private for-​profit colleges, public two-​year institutions, and minimally selective and open admission four-​year colleges and universities."

Less selective college institutions have given these students hope for a better future as the result of better job opportunities they can get with their college degrees. The number of dependent students in poverty attending community colleges has increased from 13% in 1996 to 27% in 2016. While less selective institutions have the biggest growth percentage, dependent students in poverty are also making their way into public and private four-​year universities. Since 1996, the number of dependent students in poverty attending public four-​year universities has grown six percentage points while private four-​year universities trail behind with a three percentage point raise. Private for-​profit colleges have also seen a 13 percentage point increase in the attendance of dependent students in poverty looking for better job opportunities since 1996.

Of Low Income Households, only 8.8% plan make student loan payments in the coming year, according to AudienceSCAN. So, those parents who can't afford to support their children will likely do research to find schools with the best financial aid packages. Last month, 44.8% turned to the internet to research products or services they were considering. Colleges can reach Low Income Households by promoting themselves through a variety of online ads.

AudienceSCAN data is available for your applications and dashboards through the SalesFuel API. In addition, AdMall contains industry profiles on various types of colleges, as well as lead lists at the local level. Media companies, sales reps and agencies can access this data with a subscription to AdMall from SalesFuel.