1. The State of the Industry

2. Stephen Graham
Senior Director of Programs and Services with ATS since 2008

3. The State of the Industry
Enrollment and students
Faculty
Finances

4. Daniel Aleshire
Executive Director since 1998 with ATS since 1990

5. The changing religious context

6. The changing religious landscape
Religious adherence has declined.
A growing percentage of the population is generically religious but without any particular religious involvement.
Denominational affiliation is declining.
Trust in religious institutions is declining.
Congregational life and worship practices are changing.
Larger congregations attract an increasing % of attendees.
The “spiritual but not religious” engage in religious practices.
The Roman Catholic Church will be majority Hispanic and Asian before 2030.
The Catholic Church is growing; attendance is not.

7. Data sources Commission on Accrediting Institutional Database
(Annual Report Forms)
Graduating Student Questionnaires
Faculty Development Study (2015)

8. The state of finances at member schools

9. Chris Meinzer Senior Director of Administration and CFO
with ATS since 1999

10. Total revenue in ATS schools 2005–2014
Source: COA Institutional Database

11. Sources of revenue in ATS schools 2005–2014
Source: COA Institutional Database

12. Revenue structures of freestanding schools
Primary Revenue Type
Percent of Schools
Prominent
Ecclesial Family
Average Expenditure
Balanced
30%
Mainline
$ 9.1 million
Tuition
Evangelical
$ 7.2 million
Gifts
20%
$ 3.0 million
Endowment
10%
$ 11.9 million
Religious Organization 5%
Catholic/
$ 3.6 million
Other sources
$ 11.2 million
Source: COA Institutional Database

13. Long-term investments in ATS schools 2001–2014
Distribution of total long-term investments:
70% Mainline, 20% Evangelical, 10% RC/Orthodox. 50 schools have none.
Top 3 hold 25%; Top 10 hold 40%; Top 40 hold 70%. 13
Source: COA Institutional Database

14. Total giving by source 1997–2014
Source: COA Institutional Database 14

15. Gifts and grants from religious organizations and all others 1988–2014
Source: COA Institutional Database

16. Gross and net tuition in ATS member schools 2001–2014
Net + US = US CPI change upon base year. The net cost to students is growing faster than US inflation.
Source: COA Institutional Database 16

17. Total expenses and full-time equivalent enrollment 2005–2014
Source: COA Institutional Database

18. Expenditures for education, institutional support, and scholarship
Source: COA Institutional Database

19. Expenditures per FTE by school size 1996–2014
Source: COA Institutional Database

20. Cost/FTE in ATS freestanding schools 2014 (median = $47,600)
Source: COA Institutional Database 20

21. 15-year trends in operating surpluses at freestanding schools (Adjusted Revenues minus Expenses)
Source: COA Institutional Database

22. ATS responses
Strategic Information Report (SIR) and Institutional Peer Profile Report (IPPR)
Economic Equilibrium in Theological Schools (EETS)
Economic Equilibrium Tool

23. Questions for consideration with colleagues and board members:
Questions for ATS?
Please
Questions for consideration with colleagues and board members:
Within the financial profile of schools you have just seen, where does your school fit?
What are the implications of those trends for your school’s mission and its educational and institutional practices?

24. ATS Programs and Services www.ats.edu

25. The State of the Industry
Thank you for attending!