Positioning, Not Pricing: Positioning, Not Price: Strengthening Demand and Net Revenue Through the Bellarmine Impact

Bellarmine University clarifies its value proposition to strengthen enrollment demand and improve net tuition revenue

THE CHALLENGE:

Bellarmine University, a private Catholic institution in a highly competitive regional market with strong public institutions, sought to strengthen enrollment demand and improve net tuition revenue amid heightened price sensitivity. Although the University offered the academic and professional breadth of a comprehensive institution, it was often perceived more narrowly in the marketplace, raising questions about whether reducing price was necessary—or whether clearer articulation of value could more effectively support long-term sustainability. As Bellarmine navigated leadership transition, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated enrollment planning, prompting University leadership to seek evidence-based guidance on the role of pricing within a broader strategy for strengthening market position while remaining net-revenue positive.

OUR SOLUTION:

Art & Science Group partnered with Bellarmine in a two-phase engagement—beginning with in-person discovery prior to COVID and continuing through the height of the pandemic—to assess pricing strategies, evaluate opportunities to strengthen institutional positioning, and test market response to both.

Across both phases, findings were consistent. While pricing adjustments could play a supporting role, research indicated that price reduction alone would not materially strengthen Bellarmine’s competitive position. Instead, the most promising opportunity lay in clarifying and amplifying the University’s value proposition.

Working with campus leadership, we helped Bellarmine articulate a positioning framework—later branded the Bellarmine Impact—organized around four interconnected elements: Engagement, Belonging, Wellness, and Purpose. The framework brought greater coherence to Bellarmine’s academic, professional, and experiential offerings and provided students with tools to succeed through highly personalized teaching, advising, mentoring, and career counseling.

Within this context, we evaluated affordability strategies such as student loan caps and selective price-matching as complements to strong positioning. In combination, the recommended initiatives were projected to improve applications and yield while supporting net tuition revenue goals. As Bellarmine acted on these findings, enrollment momentum strengthened following early pandemic disruption, including a 23% increase in fall 2025 enrollment over fall 2024.

By shifting the strategic conversation from price to value, Bellarmine strengthened demand and established a more durable foundation for enrollment and revenue growth.