SARA Cost Savings Calculator

The SARA Cost Savings calculator may be used by colleges and universities offering interstate distance education to:

  • Estimate the costs associated with state authorization, both for SARA and non-SARA participants.

  • Project changes to costs based on the addition of new distance education programs or expansion of existing programs.

  • Evaluate the cost savings and the return on investment of SARA participation.

Please Note: The Cost Savings methodology assumes that if a student is currently enrolled at an out-of-state institution, that institution must obtain authorization in the student’s state, either because the institution has triggered physical presence via other activity or because state regulations require it.

DIRECTIONS: Use the cost savings calculator here to estimate the cost savings an institution would receive as a result of participating in SARA. You may then print or save the results according to the parameters you select. The cost savings will only be an estimation based on the parameters entered.

What is the U.S. state or territory the institution is located in? (If the institution is located in multiple states, please select the main campus location.)

          Select the institution’s state or territory from the drop-down menu.

How many students does the institution enroll? Enrollment size is based on 12-month FTE as submitted to IPEDS, and is defined as follows:

  • Small = <2,500 FTE
  • Medium =2,500-9,999 FTE
  • Large = 10,000 + FTE

          Select the institution’s enrollment from the drop-down menu.

How many out-of-state students does the institution enroll or anticipate enrolling?

          Select the appropriate range from the drop-down menu.

How many other states does the institution have – or does the institution anticipate having - students in?

          Select the appropriate range from the drop-down menu.

How many distance education programs does the institution offer? (A distance education program is a program for which all of the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education.)

          Enter the number of distance education programs the institution offers.

If the institution is a community college, please select Yes from the drop-down menu.