Archer Education Partners with Augusta University to Fuel AU Online Enrollment Growth

Strategic collaboration and data-driven strategy boosts enrollment and helps scale AU Online

KANSAS CITY, Kan., Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Archer Education, a leading partner in online growth enablement for higher education institutions, today announced that its collaboration with Augusta University (AU), the Augusta-Ga.-based public research university, has helped drive significant enrollment momentum and improved marketing efficiency for AU Online.

Since launching in 2023 to extend Augusta's high-quality education to online and adult learners across Georgia and beyond, AU Online has expanded to offer 11 graduate level programs and has enrolled nearly 2,000 students. Partnering with Archer to fuel growth through a data-driven strategy has helped AU Online achieve a 46% increase in enrollments.

"We partnered with Archer Education early on to help position AU Online as a leader in accessible, workforce-aligned education and meet ambitious enrollment goals," said Luke Urbani, Director, Online Enrollment, Augusta University Online. "Archer's data-driven approach gave us a pathway to scale quickly, build sustainable growth, and create a foundation for long-term online success."

A key focus of the partnership is aligning program offerings with market demand. By leveraging data insights, Augusta expanded and refined its online portfolio each academic year—creating a continuous feedback loop between student demand and academic development. This initiative has resulted in the addition of two additional School of Public Health programs in Data Science and Epidemiology along with a Doctorate of Education program with concentrations in Leadership and Higher Education.

"As institutions face increasing competition and evolving student expectations, Augusta University has taken a disciplined, outcomes-based approach to online growth, staying focused on program relevance, student demand, and measurable outcomes," said Brian Hartnack, Archer Education CEO. "We're proud to help power that momentum with a data-driven strategy that scales."

The collaboration also delivered measurable marketing efficiency gains for AU Online, including a 30% reduction in cost per application, propelled by Archer's adult learner targeting that generates higher-quality inquiries.

About Augusta University

Located in the historic city of Augusta and across regional campuses throughout the state, Augusta University stands as Georgia's premier public health sciences and medical research university. It is home to the state's flagship medical school, the Medical College of Georgia; Georgia's only dental school, the Dental College of Georgia; and the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center. Augusta University's multi-disciplinary research enterprise and its innovative partnerships with corporate, community, and government leaders fuel groundbreaking discoveries and real-world solutions to today's most urgent health, security, economic, and social challenges to advance and enrich the human experience. Learn more at augusta.edu.

About Archer Education

Since 2006, Archer Education has helped bridge more than 20 million students to a higher education institution. Archer continues to grow and bring innovative advisory, enrollment marketing, admissions, and retention services to higher education partners across the nation. Archer's online growth enablement approach includes organizational development, consulting, and market research. With a deep understanding of the higher education landscape, Archer is the best-fit partner for institutions looking to enhance operations and better serve their communities and students. Learn more at archeredu.com.

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SOURCE Archer Education