Graduate prospects aren’t just choosing a school or a degree. They’re deciding whether a program is worth the investment in their career and future. Reaching them requires more than repurposed undergraduate messaging.
Graduate marketing needs to speak directly to where prospective students are now and where they want to go next.
Graduate Students Are a Different Audience
Undergraduate and graduate recruitment require different methods of marketing. Honing graduate marketing to boost enrollment rates has been a concern within higher education in recent years. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment went up 1.3% from the year before while graduate enrollment stayed mostly flat, falling 0.1%. While numerous factors contribute to limited growth, strategic adjustments to graduate marketing can help institutions address some of the barriers keeping prospective students from enrolling.
Graduate prospects may already have a bachelor's degree, professional experience, or may be returning to school after several years. Some may be looking to advance in their current field, change careers, specialize in an area of interest, or meet a professional credential or licensure requirement. They may also be balancing work, family, and finances alongside their education.
Here lies an important distinction in the recruitment journey. Graduate prospects often aren't asking, "Should I go to college?" They're asking, "Is this the right program for my next step?" This means that the enrollment strategy developed for prospective graduate students requires a specialized approach in comparison to that of undergraduate students.
This difference should influence enrollment strategy development, from messaging and advertising, to website content and email communications. Graduate marketing needs to meet prospects with information that reflects their existing experience and helps them determine whether a particular program fits their goals.
Start With the "Why" Behind the Degree
A graduate degree is rarely the end goal. It often acts as a tool for achieving something else: a promotion, career change, specialization, credential, or personal goal. Graduate marketing should focus on understanding and communicating that "why."
Potential motivations include:
- Advancing into a higher-level position
- Changing careers or industries
- Increasing earning potential
- Developing specialized expertise
- Building professional credibility
- Meeting licensure or credential requirements
- Preparing for leadership opportunities
- Pursuing personal or intellectual growth
Rather than presenting the degree as the destination, marketing should position it as a pathway toward a larger outcome.
Speak to Students as Professionals
Graduate prospects may have very different expectations from traditional undergraduate students. A good amount are experienced professionals intentionally evaluating an educational investment, not just exploring their college options.
Graduate marketing should acknowledge their:
- Existing education
- Professional experience
- Responsibilities outside of school
- Limited time
- Financial considerations
- Desire for practical value
Avoid messaging that feels overly generic or designed for first-time college students. The language used should position prospective graduate students as experienced individuals making an intentional investment in their future.
Make Flexibility Part of the Value Proposition
For many graduate prospects, the question isn't simply whether they want another degree but rather whether they can realistically fit one into their lives. While they may be interested in a program, they might hesitate because it’s unclear how to balance coursework with a full-time job, family responsibilities, commuting, or other commitments.
Depending on the program, institutions may highlight options such as:
- Online programs
- Hybrid learning
- Evening classes
- Weekend courses
- Part-time enrollment
- Accelerated programs
- Multiple start dates
- Flexible course scheduling
Don't stop at listing these features. Explain how flexibility helps students continue working, manage responsibilities, and make progress toward their goals.
Segment Your Graduate Audience
"Graduate students" aren't one audience. A recent college graduate considering a master's degree may have completely different motivations from a mid-career professional returning to school. A student seeking a professional credential may need different information than someone pursuing a career change.
Creating distinct audience segments can help institutions develop more relevant marketing. Consider creating different messaging for different student personas:
- Career Advancers: Already working in their field and looking to move into a higher-level role.
- Career Changers: Looking to transition into an entirely new industry or profession.
- Specializers: Wanting deeper expertise in a particular area.
- Recent Graduates: Continuing their education soon after completing an undergraduate degree.
- Returning Students: Professionals who have been out of school for several years.
- Credential Seekers: Students pursuing a degree or credential tied to professional requirements.
These segments don't necessarily require completely separate marketing strategies, but each group can inform different value propositions, landing pages, email journeys, paid advertising campaigns, social content, and website experiences.
Meet Prospective Graduate Students Where They Are
Once institutions understand who they're trying to reach, they can consider where those prospects are most likely to encounter information about graduate programs.
Relevant channels throughout the consideration journey may include:
- Search engine marketing
- Organic search
- Social media
- Email marketing
- Webinars and virtual information sessions
- Alumni stories
- Professional networks
- Employer partnerships
Program-specific marketing can make it easier for prospects to find the information that matters to them without forcing them to navigate broad institutional messaging first.
The "Why Now?"
One of the biggest opportunities in graduate marketing may be addressing timing. A prospective student may already know they want to advance their career. They may even know which degree they're interested in. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're ready to enroll. They need to first ask themselves: Should I go back to school now? Should I wait? Can I afford it? Can I balance school and work? Will this degree actually help my career? Is another degree necessary? How long will it take? What happens if my circumstances change?
These questions represent potential pain points for marketing to provide clarity on. Institutions should demonstrate what makes now the right time to pursue it.
Market the Next Chapter
Graduate prospects aren't necessarily looking for more school. They're looking for what comes after it.
Strong graduate program marketing connects the degree to that next chapter, whether that looks like a promotion, career change, specialization, leadership opportunity, professional credential, or personal goal.
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