Should You Buy an Email List? The Pros and Cons for Higher Ed

Most enrollment leaders and teams eventually reach a familiar crossroads. When inquiry volume dips or a new academic program comes online and needs immediate visibility, the question comes up: “Should we consider buying an email list?” For many colleges and universities, student list buys have been part of the recruitment toolbox for decades (yeah, seriously). They offer quick access to new prospects and can create the impression of early momentum.

But with rising concerns surrounding student data privacy, increased competition for attention, and shifting expectations around digital communication, it might be time to reassess what an email list purchase really delivers within the framework of your enrollment marketing.

This article breaks down how student list buys work, why institutions use them (and sometimes over-rely on them), and the benefits and drawbacks that matter most today.

Table of contents:

• What an email list purchase means in higher education
• Where email list buying still provides value
• The email list drawbacks that institutions need to recognize
• How to decide whether an email list buy is the right move
• Strengthen your recruitment strategy with a more complete approach

What an email list purchase means in higher education

In higher education, email list purchases have historically been rooted in standardized testing. They typically come from the organizations that administer assessments and manage student search lists. Think College Board, Encoura (formerly NRCCUA & ACT), and ETS for audiences connected to GRE and TOEFL. These companies gather large amounts of student search data, which institutions can filter by geography, academic interests, and performance indicators, along with a litany of other demographic characteristics. The selected contacts are then delivered and added into the CRM for outreach.

While most common in undergraduate recruitment email lists, these list purchases are also widely used in graduate recruitment list buys and continuing education pipelines. For schools and programs trying to extend their reach, buying student email lists can feel like hitting the lead jackpot — an easy and direct method of widening the top of the admissions funnel.

Where email list buying still provides value

There are certain situations where higher education email marketing efforts benefit from list purchases. When institutions know exactly which audiences or personas they need to reach, email list purchases offer precision targeting that is almost impossible to replicate organically. Academic program launches, niche degree offerings, or newly approved modalities often require rapid audience expansion to generate early traction and demonstrate demand.

List buys also help institutions and/or programs build brand visibility with prospects or stakeholder audiences who may otherwise never encounter the institution. For colleges with limited name recognition or programs positioned in competitive markets, the ability to put the institution in front of a student early is valuable. Even a single “cold” touchpoint can create awareness that could later be strengthened through digital ads, social media, email nurturing, or other top-of-funnel interactions.

In that sense, buying an email list can support a broader effort to introduce your institution to brand new audiences, thus ensuring a steady intake of contacts at the top of the funnel.

The email list drawbacks that institutions need to recognize

There’s always a catch, right? Yes, there are several challenges that need to be considered in how institutions should evaluate student list buys today. The first is quality. A larger volume of top-of-funnel contacts does not necessarily produce stronger outcomes. In fact, it will almost always lead to lower conversion rates. It is likely that some prospects will be unengaged from the start, leading to low (or no) engagement with continued outreach.

Saturation is another concern. High school students receive tremendous amounts of recruitment emails, and graduate prospects are targeted across multiple digital platforms, often from many programs. When hundreds of institutions rely on the same student search lists, the volume of communication increases, and institutions risk “becoming the noise.” The result is often a decline in open rates, click-throughs, and meaningful conversions.

Cost and ROI are significant factors to consider. Email list purchases can constitute a substantial investment, and the return on investment can vary widely. Some institutions or programs ultimately determine that reallocating this budget toward SEO, improved messaging for nurturing prospects, or more strategic content development produces stronger, more sustainable results.

As you weigh these disadvantages, it is important not to overlook the ongoing dialogue about student data privacy. Higher education is actively debating how student search data should be collected, sold, and used. Institutions leveraging these methods must remain vigilant with compliance protocols while considering frequency, relevance, and accuracy in their outreach.

How to decide whether an email list buy is the right move

Investing in higher education email marketing lists depends on your institution’s or program’s goals, the audience or offering, and the strength of the overall recruitment strategy. Student list buys can absolutely provide value to your enrollment marketing plan, but they work best when paired with a well-defined outreach strategy, clear goals, and ongoing engagement.

Institutions that see the strongest results usually have a well-defined audience (remember, this is a big advantage of student list buys, but refining the audience takes time), a thoughtful messaging strategy, and a well-designed follow-up plan that nurtures leads after they are entered into the CRM. 

For institutions hoping that a list purchase will fix deeper problems within the recruitment funnel, the results are often disappointing. List buys will never replace the need for strong brand positioning, an effective admissions website, search presence, effective content strategy, or authentic communication pathways.

TL;DR: List purchases are not good or bad in isolation. They are a tool.
👉They can serve the institution well when used in alignment with broader goals and when used in conjunction with effective communication and channels
👉AND, they can also drain resources with little to no impact when used as a shortcut.

Strengthen your recruitment strategy with a more complete approach

If your team is trying to determine where email list purchases fit into your larger strategic enrollment management plan, this is an ideal moment to step back and look at the full funnel. Sustained growth comes from intentional alignment: clear messaging, healthy organic visibility, and strategic pathways that guide prospective students as they explore their options.

If you are evaluating how list buying fits within a holistic plan, Direct Development’s experienced enrollment marketing strategists can help you assess your options and build a strategy with long-term stability and clearer results.