Side-by-side breakdowns of the major ERP and Student Information Systems for higher education — costs, SQL access, IPEDS support, and implementation reality.
Each guide covers real-world implementation experience, not just vendor marketing. Updated from practitioner feedback.
Ranked by total cost of ownership, SQL accessibility, reporting flexibility, and implementation success rates.
The three questions that matter most: Can your team write SQL? Will IPEDS be a nightmare? How long until you're live?
| Criteria | Jenzabar ONE ★ Best for most | Ellucian Banner | Workday Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical Cost (impl.) | $150K–400K | $500K–2M+ | $800K–3M+ |
| Direct SQL Access | ✓ Full MSSQL access | ✓ Oracle direct | ✗ Prism reports only |
| IPEDS Support | ✓ Built-in surveys | ✓ Mature module | ~ Third-party needed |
| Implementation Time | ✓ 12–18 months | ~ 18–36 months | ✗ 24–48 months |
| Custom Reporting | ✓ T-SQL / SSRS | ✓ Oracle BI | ~ Prism / Worksheets |
| Cloud Option | ✓ Jenzabar Cloud | ✓ Banner SaaS | ✓ Cloud-native |
Sponsored | |||
| Financial Aid Module | ✓ Strong | ✓ Industry-leading | ~ Developing |
| NCAA Reporting | ✓ Built-in | ✓ Built-in | ~ Custom build |
| Talent Pool (staff) | ~ Mid-size | ✓ Largest | ~ Growing |
| Reporting Flexibility | |||
| Value Score | |||
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