Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)

What Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) does

Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) is a state government entity established under Utah state law and governed by the Utah Board of Higher Education, headquartered in Salt Lake City. It coordinates and governs Utah's 16 public colleges and universities and 8 technical colleges, organized since 2026 into five regional clusters under House Bill 352, with the Commissioner of Higher Education serving as CEO. USHE's core products are student-facing programs including Admit Utah (guaranteed admissions), the Utah Transfer Guide, State Aid Programs and scholarships, Talent Ready Utah workforce development, and Custom Fit employer partnerships. Through its wholly-owned Utah Data Research Center (UDRC), transferred to USHE in 2022 via SB226, USHE operates a longitudinal P20W data system that integrates K-12, higher education, workforce, health and human services, and professional licensing data across five state agencies, housed in FedRAMP Moderate cloud infrastructure with FERPA-compliant deidentification. UDRC is currently developing the BRIDGE statewide transactional data platform for late 2027 deployment, extending the system beyond academic research into real-time cross-agency data exchange.

USHE's revenue is derived from Utah legislative appropriations, student tuition and fees across its member institutions, and federal funding. Recent state funding includes $10.7 million for high-demand programs and $8 million for Dixie Technical College through HB352, plus a $23 million net strategic reinvestment in instruction and research in 2026. The customer base is distributed across Utah residents, students, and employer workforce partners, with no commercial customer concentration. The system targets student access and affordability, transfer pathway simplification, workforce alignment, and rural and underserved community reach. In 2026, USHE also launched an AI task force and statewide AI Workforce Credential expansion, positioning AI curriculum and credentials as a strategic priority alongside data infrastructure modernization.

Name

Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)

Legal name

Utah System of Higher Education

Website

https://ushe.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) is a state government governing body that coordinates Utah's 16 public colleges and universities, offering student programs (Admit Utah, transfer pathways, financial aid), workforce initiatives, and operating UDRC, a longitudinal education-workforce data system with five state agency partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Public Administration (92), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Aid Compliance, Verification & Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) (EDALAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Student Billing, Invoicing & Account Statements (EDALAJAC)

Keywords

• Public higher education
• Workforce development
• Longitudinal data systems
• College transfer pathways
• Education policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

USHE coordinates and governs Utah's 16 public colleges, universities, and technical colleges through the Utah Board of Higher Education. It delivers student-facing programs including Admit Utah (guaranteed admissions), the Utah Transfer Guide, state scholarships/financial aid, and Talent Ready Utah workforce alignment. Through its UDRC subsidiary, USHE operates a longitudinal P20W data system and is developing the BRIDGE transactional data platform for cross-agency policy research.

Product overview

Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) operates as a governance system for Utah's 16 public colleges and universities, governed by the Utah Board of Higher Education. The organization offers a portfolio of student-facing products including Admit Utah (guaranteed college admissions), the Utah Transfer Guide (credit transfer pathway), State Aid Programs (scholarships and financial aid), and Talent Ready Utah (workforce development). USHE also operates the Utah Data Research Center (UDRC), a centralized longitudinal data analysis platform that connects education, workforce, and health data systems to inform public policy. The UDRC is developing the BRIDGE System, a statewide transactional data platform scheduled for 2027 deployment. Key initiatives include a new regional framework organizing institutions into five regions and an AI task force for workforce credential expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Utah Data Research Center (UDRC) Centralized longitudinal data analysis resource for Utah, integrating administrative data from five state agencies (K-12, higher education, workforce services, health and human services, and professional licensing) to help policymakers analyze long-term education-to-workforce outcomes. Stewarded by USHE, UDRC adheres to FERPA, the Student Data Protection Act, and uses FedRAMP Moderate cloud architecture; PII is never revealed to external researchers or the public.
• Admit Utah

Quantifiable outcome

• Bachelor's degree graduates earn 64% more than those with only a high school diploma
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Utah LegislaturecoreOthers · 9 July 2026Authorized regional framework through House Bill 352 (2026); provides ongoing state funding for higher education including $10.7 million for high-demand programs and $8 million for Dixie Technical College.
• Utah Department of Commerce Division of Professional LicensingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Fifth data partner added in 2023 through HB355, providing professional licensure data including license type, testing, active status, and licensing time components.
• Utah Board of Higher EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Governing body for USHE institutions; UDRC transferred to USHE in 2022 through SB226, aligning with USHE's subject matter expertise in education and workforce outcomes.
• Utah State Board of Education (USBE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Original data partner established in 2017 through SB194, providing K-12 education data including standardized tests, courses, grades, graduation status, and demographics for longitudinal research.
• Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Original data partner providing unemployment insurance wage and employment data including quarterly wages, employer information, and industry data for workforce outcome analysis.
• Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Original data partner providing vital records (birth and death certificates) and Office of Early Childhood data for comprehensive P20W longitudinal tracking.
• Admit UtahminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner program providing simplified college admissions for high school students; USHE initiative to increase access and enrollment.
• Keys to SuccessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing college preparation resources and information for Utah students.
• my529minorGTM or Marketing PartnerUtah's education savings plan partner helping families save for future education expenses.

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• State University of New York (SUNY): Public system of 64 institutions across New York, including research universities, comprehensive colleges, and community colleges. Comparable to USHE in scale and structure (multi-campus state system combining research universities with technical/community colleges) and in workforce-aligned programming.
• California State University (CSU): The largest public four-year university system in the US, governing 23 campuses and serving ~485,000 students. Directly comparable to USHE as a multi-campus state university system with a similar governance structure, transfer pathway programs, and workforce development mandate.
• City University of New York (CUNY): Public university system of 25 campuses across New York City serving ~240,000 students. Comparable to USHE as a state/municipal public system with strong transfer pathway programs, workforce development, and a single coordinating governance structure overseeing diverse institution types.
• University of North Carolina System: Governing body for 17 public universities across North Carolina, including NC State and UNC Chapel Hill. Comparable to USHE in scale (multi-campus state system) and mission (access, affordability, workforce alignment, and rural community engagement).
• University of Texas System: Governing body for eight public universities and health institutions across Texas, including UT Austin and UT Health. Comparable to USHE in centralized governance of multiple public universities, large state appropriations, and strategic planning authority over research and teaching missions.
• Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE): Governing body for 10 public state universities across Pennsylvania. Comparable to USHE as a multi-campus state system with consolidated governance, transfer pathways, and recent strategic consolidation initiatives analogous to USHE's Regional Framework.
• University of Wisconsin System: State system of 13 public universities across Wisconsin serving ~165,000 students. Comparable to USHE as a multi-campus public university system with a Board of Regents governance model, transfer pathways, and workforce development priorities tied to state economic outcomes.
• University System of Maryland: Governing body for 12 public universities and two regional higher education centers across Maryland. Comparable to USHE in scale and structure (multi-campus state system) and in the strategic alignment between research-intensive universities and workforce-oriented institutions.
• Minnesota State Colleges and Universities: System of 26 state colleges and 7 universities serving ~300,000 students. Comparable to USHE in its combination of technical colleges, community colleges, and universities under a single governing board, with a strong workforce development focus similar to Talent Ready Utah.

Broad incumbents

• University of California (UC): Premier public research university system with 10 campuses across California. Comparable to USHE as a state-coordinated public university system, but operates at a significantly larger scale and with a more research-intensive focus, serving as an aspirational benchmark for Utah's research universities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/higheredutah
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5yDjQH7AS2zjH-4kMUKcbg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/utah-system-of-higher-ed
• Facebookfacebook.com/UtahSystemofHigherEducation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)