What Trellis Strategies does

Trellis Strategies is a private research and technical assistance firm founded in 1984 and headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, dedicated to driving institutional transformation in U.S. higher education through data-driven insights into the student experience from application through graduation. The firm operates with 11–50 employees and a 40-year institutional history, primarily serving open-access higher education institutions, community colleges, nonprofit education organizations, and state and federal government agencies focused on workforce and education policy.

The company's product portfolio centers on a flagship free annual Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) covering basic needs, financial behaviors, paying for college, institutional support perceptions, and mental health — administered across 340+ institutions, 37+ states, and 385,000+ student respondents since 2018, with 9+ million students surveyed cumulatively. Surrounding the SFWS, Trellis offers packaged Subscription Services (Student Success, Enrollment Management, Student Basic Needs, General), Custom Research services (data analysis, focus groups, policy analysis, program evaluation), Campus Support (statistical analysis, predictive modeling, custom survey design), Enrollment Solutions (funnel tracking, market analysis, retention profiling), Student Experience solutions (readiness assessments, customer service training), Economic Impact Studies, and the Some College, No Credential (SCNC) re-enrollment program (which has contacted 168,000 stopped-out students and supported 106,700 re-enrollments). The 2025 acquisition of the Workforce Talent Educators Association (WTEA) added Skills Alignment capabilities including Skills Verified and Career Impact Audit. Technology components include Qualtrics-based survey administration, BRANY IRB oversight for research ethics, and an ArcGIS Experience Builder–powered SCNC Data Explorer.

Trellis monetizes through a hybrid model: the SFWS operates as a freemium funnel (free to institutions, with revenue generated via downstream paid engagements), while Subscription Services and Custom Research function as recurring and professional services revenue streams. The go-to-market is B2B sales-led, reaching institutional leadership, institutional research offices, student affairs departments, and government/association buyers through direct engagement, industry events (including the inaugural Modern Learner Summit co-hosted with the Trellis Foundation in September 2025), and a content-led marketing engine comprising a blog, monthly newsletter, Research Hub, webinars, and earned media. Notable flagship engagements include the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) economic impact study documenting $17.2 billion in FY2022 contributions and 120,000 jobs supported, and a co-authored report with SchoolHouse Connection on hidden homelessness among college students.

Name

Trellis Strategies

Legal name

Trellis Strategies

Website

https://trellisstrategies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trellis Strategies is a 40-year-old higher education research and technical assistance firm that delivers data-driven insights, surveys, and consulting services — anchored by its flagship Student Financial Wellness Survey — to colleges, nonprofits, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Research Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Enrollment Yield, Matriculation & Onboarding Platforms (EDAFAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Enrollment Management & Yield (Matriculation) (EDALAAAD)

Keywords

• Higher education research
• Postsecondary education consulting
• Student success research
• Enrollment management consulting
• Institutional research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Round Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Services: Trellis Strategies offers subscription packages including Student Success Package, Enrollment Management Package, Student Basic Needs Package, and General Subscription Package. These provide recurring access to research, toolkits, and strategic planning resources for institutions.
2. Custom Research Services: Tailored research services for institutions with unique challenges, including data analysis, focus groups, market research, peer comparisons, policy analysis, program evaluation, and survey design and implementation.
3. Student Financial Wellness Survey (Free for Institutions): The SFWS is offered free to participating institutions. Institutions receive survey implementation, personalized insights, full survey frequencies, de-identified data files, and infographics. Revenue is derived from the value generated for institutional partnerships and the expanded dataset.
4. Economic Impact Studies: Custom regional or institution-specific impact reports for colleges and universities, associations, and government agencies seeking to demonstrate economic value and support advocacy efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Trellis Strategies is a research and technical assistance firm that delivers data-driven research services, surveys, and consulting solutions to higher education institutions. Its flagship offering is the Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS), a free annual instrument administered to undergraduate students, complemented by subscription research packages, custom research, enrollment solutions, re-enrollment support, student experience assessments, skills alignment, and economic impact studies.

Product overview

Trellis Strategies is a research and technical assistance firm offering a portfolio of research services, surveys, and consulting solutions for higher education institutions. The core flagship product is the Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS), a free annual survey instrument administered across hundreds of institutions. Surrounding this centerpiece, Trellis provides research services including Campus Support (data analysis, statistical services, survey implementation), Custom Research (tailored studies), and Subscription Services (packaged toolkits). The company also offers solution-specific services for Enrollment (enrollment funnel tracking, market analysis, retention profiles), Some College No Credential Re-Enrollment (student outreach, SCND Data Explorer), Student Experience (readiness assessments, customer service training), Skills Alignment (acquired via WTEA, including Skills Verified and Career Impact Audit), and Economic Impact Studies. These services are delivered as consultative offerings rather than a unified software platform, with the SCNC Data Explorer being the primary interactive web-based tool. The company operates primarily as a service provider rather than a product software vendor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) A free annual survey instrument administered to undergraduate students that captures data on basic needs security, financial behaviors, paying for college, perceptions of institutional support, and mental health. Participating institutions receive personalized reports, benchmark comparisons, and de-identified data files.
• Campus Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 168,000 students contacted for re-enrollment support through SCNC program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• SchoolHouse ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Trellis Strategies and SchoolHouse Connection co-authored the report 'Removing Barriers, Building Futures' on hidden homelessness among college students. The report found that approximately 14% of college students experience homelessness, with affected students facing compounding barriers including 72% food insecurity, 48% likely major depressive disorder, and 90% financial difficulties.
• Trellis FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2025Trellis Strategies and the Trellis Foundation co-host the Modern Learner Summit, bringing together higher education leaders, nonprofit partners, and policy stakeholders to explore how institutions can adapt to support modern learners. The inaugural event took place September 15-16, 2025 in Austin, TX.
• Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrellis Strategies partnered with ICUT, representing 39 independent colleges and universities, to assess their collective economic footprint. Key findings: $17.2 billion contributed to Texas economy in FY2022, $7.6 billion in direct spending, $2.3 billion in alumni wage gains, nearly 120,000 jobs supported. This analysis became a critical tool for legislative advocacy, communications, and strategic positioning.
• Workforce Talent Educators Association (WTEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrellis Strategies acquired the Workforce Talent Educators Association (WTEA), a respected leader in career-building education. This partnership marks a new chapter in the company's mission to set benchmarks for quality in educational outcomes, focusing on job market success of graduates. The integration expands Trellis's Skills Alignment capabilities including Skills Verified and Career Impact Assessment.
• BRANY IRBminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal Institutional Review Board providing review and approval services for the Student Financial Wellness Survey. The 2026 SFWS study received review and approval from BRANY IRB, ensuring compliance with research ethics standards for human subjects research.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL): Directly competes with Trellis on enrollment management, student success, and retention consulting for colleges and universities; offers surveys, analytics, and strategic consulting that map closely to Trellis' Enrollment Solutions and Campus Support services.
• NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education): National association that publishes research on student affairs, basic needs, and student success. Overlaps with Trellis on producing research reports and policy briefs targeting higher education administrators, though it is membership-driven rather than commercial.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR): Major nonprofit behavioral and social science research organization conducting rigorous studies on education, workforce, and postsecondary outcomes. Comparable in mission, methodology (survey-based research, technical assistance), and customer base (institutions, states, federal agencies).
• Ithaka S+R: Nonprofit research and consulting organization serving higher education on strategy, technology, teaching, and student outcomes. Overlaps with Trellis on research-driven advisory services and thought leadership for college and university leaders.
• Mathematica Policy Research: Nonprofit research and evaluation firm conducting rigorous impact and policy studies for federal, state, and foundation clients, including substantial higher education and workforce work. Comparable methodology (survey design, evaluation) and customer base (government agencies, foundations).
• National Student Clearinghouse Research Center: Produces the signature national research on student persistence, completion, and postsecondary outcomes. Highly comparable to Trellis on longitudinal data collection and student-success analytics for higher education, though broader in scope (covers all sectors, not just open-access).
• Strada Education Foundation: Mission-aligned nonprofit conducting research on the connection between education and employment; Trellis references Strada explicitly as a data-management partner and they co-developed the State Opportunity Index. Closely overlaps on learner-outcome research and policy advocacy.
• Hobsons (now part of EAB): Provides enrollment management, student success, and advising solutions to higher education. Historically a direct competitor to Trellis in enrollment and retention advisory, now operating under EAB.

Broad incumbents

• Huron Consulting Group (Higher Education practice): Global consulting firm with a dedicated higher education practice advising institutions on strategy, enrollment, finance, and student success. Overlaps with Trellis on strategic advisory and institutional transformation, but as part of a much broader consulting portfolio.
• EAB (formerly Advisory Board Company): Large, established consulting and research provider serving higher education with enrollment, student success, and administration advisory. Comparable buyer relationships and product overlap with Trellis' Enrollment and Student Experience solutions, but at much larger scale and with broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trellis-strategies

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Trellis Strategies