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The 2026 methodology update details component and weight revisions, explains the evidence behind new and adjusted categories, and describes how the upgraded framework supports a more current inflation benchmark relative to the CPI.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/higher-education-price-index-2026-methodology-update/584333/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/higher-education-price-index-2026-methodology-update/584333.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Kyle","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":39},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What does the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) measure?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"HEPI measures inflation for higher education institutions by tracking the average price level of a fixed market basket tied to colleges’ and universities’ operating expenditures, excluding sponsored research.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What key change was made to HEPI’s methodology for 2026?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The 2026 update revises HEPI components and weights, including adding a new technology cost category and adjusting weights for faculty salaries, clerical employees, administrative salaries, and utilities.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why was the technology component added to HEPI?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Technology is described as one of the fastest-growing costs in higher education due to investments in campus systems, digital learning tools, shared data platforms, ongoing software/cloud needs, and increased cybersecurity risk, making it a distinct strategic operating expense.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},584333,1792053353,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":39,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":39,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":46,"preview_page_count":4},3985741905716,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Higher Education Price Index®  \n2026 Methodology Update  \nIntroduction  \nThe Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) is an inflation index designed for higher education institutions that is modeled on their unique cost structure. HEPI tracks the average price level of a fixed market basket of goods and services purchased by colleges and universities through current-fund educational and general expenditures, excluding sponsored research. The index is calibrated to the actual cost structure of academic institutions, making it an appropriate inflation benchmark for higher education, as opposed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reflects household spending patterns.  \n2026 Methodology Update | Higher Education Price Index  \nFrom its inception in 1961, HEPI was produced by Research Associates of Washington, D. C., and there was a methodological shift in FY1983 that established that year as a baseline for the index. In 2005, Commonfund Institute assumed management of the Index. The Institute manages the database of historical values, publishes the Index, produces quarterly estimates and a final HEPI report, and develops a range of analytical and descriptive materials based on HEPI data.  \nBelow we explain adjustments being made to the HEPI components and weights; provide a 10-year impact analysis of the upgraded methodology; and outline the research methodology that informed these outcomes.  \nHEPI COMPONENTS & WEIGHTS UPDATES  \nSince Commonfund Institute assumed responsibility for HEPI in 2005, the index consistently included eight main cost factor components: faculty salaries, administrative salaries, clerical salaries, service employee salaries, fringe benefits, miscellaneous services, supplies and materials, and utilities. These eight components have reflected the major items procured for operations by colleges and universities.  \nOur latest research on the evolving operations and cost structure of colleges and universities has concluded that the following updates to HEPI components and weights are critical to ensure the measure reflects the latest realities.  \nHISTORICAL HEPI COMPONENTS VS. UPDATED  \nFaculty salaries Clerical  \nFringe benefits Admin. salaries Service employees  \nUtilities  \nSupplies & mat'l  \n[Misc. services](Misc. services)  \nTechnology  \n0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35%  \nNew Technology Component Added  \nTechnology has become one of the fastest-growing costs in higher education as institutions invest in campus wide systems, digital learning tools, and shared data platforms. Ongoing software, cloud services, and rising cybersecurity threats—along with increased IT staffing—have made technology a permanent and strategic operating expense. These trends, accelerated by AI and the expansion of online and hybrid learning, justify treating technology as a distinct and significant cost category in higher education budgets. The new technology component, weighted at approximately 8 percent of the overall HEPI measure, comprises five subcomponents that reflect the range of institutions’ technology needs: data hosting and storage, data and information; hardware, software, and info tech services. Technology is the only new core component of the HEPI methodology – bringing the total from eight historical components to nine. For a review of evidence related to technology costs in educational institutions, see the Appendix.  \nFaculty Salaries Component Reduced  \nThe faculty salaries component—the largest in HEPI—has been reduced from 35 to 29 percent to reflect long-term changes in the academic labor market. Institutions increasingly rely on contingent and adjunct faculty, who now makeup a large share of the instructional workforce and are generally lower cost than tenure track faculty. At the sametime, the growth of online and hybrid learning has enabled more flexible staffing models and reduced reliance on traditional full-time faculty roles. Together, these structural shifts support a lower weighting for faculty salaries that bette","cbCaijuKXxPSrr2m","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijuKXxPSrr2m","pdf",928877,"English","# Introduction\n# HEPI Components & Weights Updates\n## Historical HEPI Components vs. Updated\n## New Technology Component Added\n## Faculty Salaries Component Reduced\n## Clerical Employees Component Reduced\n## Administrative Salaries Component Increased\n## Utilities Component Reduced, with Renewable Energy Added","[{\"question\":\"What does the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) measure?\",\"answer\":\"HEPI measures inflation for higher education institutions by tracking the average price level of a fixed market basket tied to colleges’ and universities’ operating expenditures, excluding sponsored research.\"},{\"question\":\"What key change was made to HEPI’s methodology for 2026?\",\"answer\":\"The 2026 update revises HEPI components and weights, including adding a new technology cost category and adjusting weights for faculty salaries, clerical employees, administrative salaries, and utilities.\"},{\"question\":\"Why was the technology component added to HEPI?\",\"answer\":\"Technology is described as one of the fastest-growing costs in higher education due to investments in campus systems, digital learning tools, shared data platforms, ongoing software/cloud needs, and increased cybersecurity risk, making it a distinct strategic operating expense.\"}]","Higher Education Price Index - 2026 Methodology Update | PDF",1792050693]