The Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness maintains several lists of benchmark institutions used by members of the University community. These lists are fundamental to Bellarmine's continuous improvement efforts, especially in connection to strategic planning, program evaluation, accreditation, and compliance.
The selection of peer and aspirant institutions represents a concerted, intentional, and occasionally iterative process completed by each respective committee, working group, or office whose ongoing assessment practices include benchmarking. Because each entity has a specific purpose or need in developing a benchmark institution list, not all lists are the same—but there is frequent overlap between lists.
KPI Peer and Aspirant Institutions
A new, empirically-derived list of peer and aspirant institutions developed by IR&E based on Bellarmine's key performance indicators. Last updated: January 2020. Click here for information on the methodology.
Peer Institutions
- Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
- Canisius College, Buffalo, NY
- Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL
- Hamline University, Saint Paul, MN
- King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Marywood University, Scranton, PA
- Mercyhurst University, Eric, PA
- Merrimack College, North Andover, MA
- Mount St. Mary's University, Emmitsburg, MD
- North Central College, Naperville, IL
- Salve Regina University, Newport, RI
- Springfield College, Springfield, MA
Aspirant Institutions
- Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
- Belmont University, Nashville, TN
- Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY
- Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY
- Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY
- Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
- Saint Edward's University, Austin, TX
- University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT
- Wagner College, Staten Island, NY
Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Athletic Conference
This benchmark list consists of institutions in Bellarmine's NCAA Division I athletic conference, the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference.
- Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN new member joining in 2022-2023
- Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY
- Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL
- Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL
- Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL
- Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA
- Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
- Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN
- Stetson University, DeLand, FL
- University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR
- University of North Alabama, Florence, AL
- University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU)
The current roster of AIKCU institutions are:
- Alice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, KY
- Asbury University, Wilmore, KY
- Berea College, Berea, KY
- Brescia University, Owensboro, KY
- Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, KY
- Centre College, Danville, KY
- Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY
- Kentucky Christian University, Grayson, KY
- Kentucky Wesleyan College, Owensboro, KY
- Lindsey Wilson College, Columbia, KY
- Midway University, Midway, KY
- Spalding University, Louisville, KY
- Thomas More University, Crestview Hills, KY
- Transylvania University, Lexington, KY
- Union College, Barbourville, KY
- University of Pikeville, Pikeville, KY
- University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY
Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)
A group of 46 benchmark institutions selected from among the 700+ CIC member colleges. This list is used for annual finance benchmarking and is also one of the comparison groups used for the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Last updated: February 2019; new institutions added to the benchmark list for AY19-20 are denoted with an asterisk (*).
- Belmont University, Nashville, TN
- Bradley University, Peoria, IL
- *Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
- Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, KY
- Catawba College, Salisbury, NC
- Centre College, Danville, KY
- *Concordia University, Austin, TX
- *Drury University, Springfield, MO
- Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
- Elon University, Elon, NC
- Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL
- Hendrix College, Conway, AR
- *High Point University, High Point, NC
- *John Carroll University, University Heights, OH
- *Lewis University, Romeoville, IL
- Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN
- Lindsey Wilson College, Columbia, KY
- *Loyola University, New Orleans, LA
- Marymount University, Arlington, VA
- Maryville University, St. Louis, MO
- *Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, OH
- Pfeiffer University, Misenheimer, NC
- Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC
- Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, VA
- *Robert Morris University, Moon Township, PA
- Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO
- Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
- *Saint Edward's University, Austin, TX
- *Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA
- *St. John Fisher University, Rochester, NY
- Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL
- Samford University, Birmingham, AL
- Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA
- *Stetson University, DeLand, FL
- Transylvania University, Lexington, KY
- *University of Evansville, Evansville, IN
- *University of Findlay, Findlay, OH
- University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
- *University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL
- *University of Scranton, Scranton, PA
- Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
- *Walsh University, North Canton, OH
- *Wheeling University, Wheeling, WV formerly Wheeling Jesuit University
- Wingate University, Wingate, NC
- Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC
- Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
For each NSSE administration, Bellarmine uses the CIC benchmark group as one comparison group (see above) as well as a list of Kentucky institutions as a second group. The Kentucky group appears below. A third comparison group (not listed) consists of all private, not-for-profit institutions in the Midwest and Southeast U.S. regions who administered the NSSE within the past two years (n = 227). Last updated: May 2018
- Alice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, KY
- Berea College, Berea, KY
- Brescia University, Owensboro, KY
- Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, KY
- Centre College, Danville, KY
- Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY
- Kentucky State University, Frankfort, KY
- Kentucky Wesleyan University, Columbia, KY
- Lindsey Wilson College, Columbia, KY
- Midway College, Midway, KY
- Morehead State University, Morehead, KY
- Murray State University, Murray, KY
- Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY
- Thomas More College, Crestview, KY
- Transylvania University, Lexington, KY
- Union College, Barbourville, KY
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
- University of Pikeville, Pikeville, KY
- University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY
Libraries
A list of colleges and universities whose libraries are comparable to the W. L. Lyons Brown Library at Bellarmine University. Last updated: July 2019; new institutions added since the last benchmarking project in 2011 are denoted with an asterisk (*).
- Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX
- *Anderson University, Anderson, SC
- *Concordia University, Austin, TX
- *George Fox University, Newberg, OR
- *Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL
- *La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA
- *Loyola University, New Orleans, LA
- *Marymount University, Arlington, VA
- Maryville University, St. Louis, MO
- *Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY
- *Otterbein University, Westerville, OH
- *Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA
- *Robert Morris University, Moon Township, PA
- Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO
- *Saint Ambrose University, Davenport, IA
- Saint John Fisher College, Rochester, NY
- *Saint Peter's University, Jersey City, NJ
- *Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA
- *Simmons University, Boston, MA
- *The College of Saint Scholastica, Duluth, MN
- University of Evansville, Evansville, IN
- *University of Portland, Portland, OR
- University of Saint Francis, Joliet, IL
- *Utica College, Utica, NY
- Walsh University, North Canton, OH
Updating Benchmark Institution Lists
If you have any questions about these lists, or would like to submit your group's list for inclusion on this website, please contact the Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness.