Abstract: This study synthesizes empirical research on the effects of scale (enrollment size) on average cost per student in higher education using a meta-analytic approach. Results are reported separately for two-year colleges, four-year colleges, and universities, and for expenditures in several areas including instruction and administration. The institution is the primary unit of analysis. Scale effects are most noticeable at low enrollment levels and for administrative functions.

Marie Ven Horst

Papers

Nonacademic Operating Costs: How Small Colleges Compare.