Higher education institutions grapple with how to manage and track prospective student applications and follow-through during the admission process. Depending on the size and resources of an admissions or enrollment team, keeping student engagement high is a major undertaking.

To improve communication with prospective and current students, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems have become the go-to software for college recruiters and admissions. These platforms help schools better manage the entire student lifecycle, from lead generation to enrollment and beyond. Although TargetX has been a trusted CRM tool for years, many alternatives and competitors in the market offer  similar or superior features.

In this installment of our CRM series, we’ll show how Element451 stacks up to top TargetX alternatives.

What is a Higher Ed CRM Platform?

In the education industry, institutions turn to customer relationship management (CRM) platforms like TargetX or Element451 to manage important interactions between students and staff. Similar to how a learning management system offers course management and curriculum delivery, CRM management systems provide important information about the student journey.

CRM software, including top TargetX alternatives, streamline internal administrative tasks, student recruitment, admissions, enrollment, financial aid,and student services. Housing student data in one place makes it easier for different offices to see and understand what students need next in their journey.

Most modern CRM platforms for higher ed are fully digital on the cloud. Administrators, recruiters, and admissions officers can easily (and securely) share data about students in real-time. Not only does this make the internal experience more effective, but it also improves student engagement and campus life.

Let’s take a look at how several TargetX CRM competitors stack up by comparing known characteristics and features, customer input, and cost. 

The Best TargetX CRM Alternatives on the Market

TargetX is a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system designed specifically for higher education institutions. TargetX provides admissions officers and recruiters with a powerful set of tools to manage their enrollment funnel, from the first point of contact with a potential student to enrollment. 

The system integrates with your institution's Student Information System (SIS), providing real-time data and analytics to help make insightful decisions.

The tool also has other features such as an online application review, a built-in appointment scheduler, customizable reports, and a survey builder. Furthermore, TargetX makes it possible to build personalized admission workflows to ensure an improved candidate experience.

1. Element451

Element451 is a modern student engagement and CRM platform that’s perfectly suited for higher education admissions, enrollment, and student life cycle management. Element451’s unique student-first experience includes powerful features, an intuitive user interface, and conversational design elements. Element451 has powered over 20 million separate admissions journeys in the realm of higher education.

Compare to Other Software

Element451 aims to assist higher ed institutions as they attract, reach, and retain more students—all the way to degree attainment and beyond. When compared to other platforms, Element451 takes a multi-channel digital approach that connects with students in ways that are most relevant to them.

Top Features

• Personalization and student-centric marketing campaigns and software
• AI-powered content creation with BoltBot and Bolt Copilot
• No-code forms, microsites, and landing pages for student outreach

What Customers Say

Kristina Faller, Director of Marketing and Brand Experience at RIT Certified says that Element451 is an essential part of communicating effectively with modern learners. 

"Everything that the platform can do helps us do our job easier — it helps get the right message and the right course or program to the student who is searching but doesn't know where to look,” said Kristina.

Pricing Info

Element451's yearly licenses start at $20k per year, with custom quote and pricing available based on need and functionality. The starting price point makes Element 451 one of the most robust yet affordable options on the market.

2. Salesforce for Higher Ed

Salesforce for Higher Ed is a cloud-based platform that offers an exceptional experience for higher education management tasks. The platform offers features for recruitment, retention, and engagement of students, faculty, and staff. With a broad range of tools, including admissions and enrollment management, student success tracking, and fundraising, Salesforce for Higher Ed helps schools centralize data points and take advantage of comprehensive campus insights.

Compare to Other Software

When compared to other higher education CRM tools, this choice comes backed with the power of globally-recognized powerhouse—Salesforce.

Top Features

• Personalized learner relationships through AI tools
• Fundraising and donor contribution management
• Digital campus suite to engage and retain students
• Data security and privacy measures backed by Salesforce CRM

What Customers Say

Salesforce has a worthy track record of helping customers (and educators) succeed. According to a Forrester Consulting ROI report, using Salesforce for Higher Ed can result in a 5.5% increase in student enrollment and a 10% jump in fundraising or investment efforts.

Pricing Info

Salesforce licensing costs are provided by the user, per month. More information can be located on the Salesforce Education Cloud pricing page, although specific customizations and features may not be included in the starting price.

3. Slate

Slate by Technolutions is an all-in-one CRM platform for higher education use cases. Its reliability revolves around helping institutions operate at maximum efficiency through the use of powerful, accessible data. Slate’s automation and modern features make it a great choice for schools that want to invest in cutting-edge technology to improve the student experience. 

Compare to Other Software

Slate is a popular CRM tool because it comes loaded with features that streamline administrative processes for college admissions teams. Slate is considered easier to adopt than a major platform like Salesforce, and it offers helpful customer support options to customers. The all-in-one approach combines admissions, recruitment, and student retention into one centralized spot.

Top Features

• Single intuitive interface for faster adoption in one location
• Ability to access real-time data and end-to-end communication with students
• Cloud-based solution with no hardware required

What Customers Say

Slate has received a “High Performer” badge on G2 for maintaining its popularity among customers and end users in admissions and recruitment.

Pricing Info

The Slate pricing model is one of the most transparent on the market. Licensing options start at around $30,000 per year for average institutions. 

4. Ellucian

Ellucian is a “Saas-enabled ecosystem” that’s designed with the complete student and campus experience in mind. What's more, the platform is built to be scalable and customizable, making it a popular choice for institutions of any size. Community colleges, small liberal arts universities, and large state schools can leverage Ellucian’s capabilities for both internal and external processes. 

Compare to Other Software

Ellucian's solution isn’t a generic CRM platform. Instead, it was designed precisely for higher education goals and education-related ERP systems. Admissions officers, student success directors, and college recruiters will appreciate the intuitive feature set that helps unify campus operations and success. 

Top Features

• Dashboards and analytics that easily showcase important student metrics (for example, applicant yield and demographic insights)
• Automated communication and collaboration between important parties, including follow-up campaigns and interview scheduling
• Predictive campus analytics through the use of machine learning

What Customers Say

Ellucian offers various products that go by different names on the market, including Banner, Colleague, and CRM Advance. Although some products have high consumer ratings, others come with a few concerns. Overall, Ellucian is a powerful name in the market, and the company 

Pricing Info

Ellucian’s pricing model depends on the size and needs of each institution. Modular pricing allows schools to only pay for the software solutions and features they need, making it a cost-effective choice for institutions of all sizes that want to “test drive” key tools.

5. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a higher ed CRM vendor that helps educational institutions make data-driven decisions about the admissions and enrollment processes. Schools can use Pipedrive to oversee activities like lead management, scheduling, sales automation, and student communications. Although Pipedrive doesn’t specialize in higher education exclusively, the platform’s primary selling point is that it helps organizations and companies grow.

Compare to Other Software

Pipedrive offers a highly customizable system that is easy to use, making it a popular choice for schools that want to get up to speed quickly. Pipedrive prides itself on being more intuitive for users and value-driven when compared to other top choices like Salesforce.

Top Features

• Sales software for a fully customizable sales cycle
• Best-in-class email marketing software suite
• 400+ integrations to other tools and services with one-click integration

What Customers Say

Tech.Co rates Pipedrive highly, with a 9.5 satisfaction rating and user-friendly reviews. Potential higher education customers should keep in mind that many of Pipedrive’s user reviews are cross-industry and may depend on different use cases than in an academic setting.

Pricing Info

Pipedrive’s pricing plans are publicly available, with the most popular option starting at around $50 USD per month, per user. The customer support experience is greater on higher-tier subscriptions.

6. PeopleGrove

PeopleGrove is a cloud-based platform that helps higher education institutions build and manage networks among students, staff, alumni, and career mentors. The PeopleGrove software solution includes a range of tools that foster community outreach, engagement, and career development. As a CRM solution, it can also be integrated with other campus systems to help institutions understand the impact of learner involvement and career outcomes. 

Compare to Other Software

When compared to other TargetX CRM alternatives, PeopleGrove is much more targeted in its approach. The focus is clearly on navigating career and alumni relationships as these questions pertain to current students on the path to graduation. PeopleGrove is not the ideal technology solution for schools that want to manage new student outreach or admissions exclusively.

Top Features

• Mentorship programs to engage students more proactively during college years
• PathwayU tool to assist students in the academic journey and course selection
• Event management and promotion suite to connect with the campus community

What Customers Say

PeopleGrove currently maintains a 95% customer renewal rate. Large state and public institutions like the University of Kansas and Virginia Commonwealth University have been able to successfully expand career services and offer more experiential, focused learning opportunities to students.

Pricing Info

The starting price for PeopleGrove is only available through a direct inquiry. Submit a request to receive a customized quote or pricing estimate.

Which TargetX CRM Alternatives are Right for You?

Many top competitors in the CRM market offer robust tools and features for institutions that want to grow and improve. As you explore TargetX alternatives, make sure that your chosen CRM tool aligns with your institution’s growth mindset and management systems goals.

Element451 is here to help you adopt a modern, fully digital experience that connects with students wherever they are on the road to degree attainment. Top-notch communications and student engagement capabilities make Element451 an easy choice in the fast-moving world of higher ed software.

>> Schedule an Element451 demo today. <<