
Higher Ed
The Next Five Years of Digital Credentialing: Brighter Higher Education Pathways
What do the next five years of digital credentialing look like? Learn how microcredentials, badges, and skills can shape higher education pathways.
As institutions prepare budgets for the upcoming academic year, many are under pressure to stretch limited dollars without sacrificing service. Credentialing—while essential—is often one of the most overlooked cost centers. Between transcript processing and diploma fulfillment, the expenses can add up fast.
But what if one credential could help pay for another?
With platform pricing, transcript revenue can be used to fully offset the cost of issuing diplomas, giving institutions a smarter, more sustainable credentialing model that benefits both staff and students.
Platform pricing is Parchment’s integrated approach to credentialing. Instead of managing transcripts and diplomas separately—or working with multiple vendors—institutions bundle both services into one flexible platform.
Here’s the key: When a student pays for their transcript, that fee can also cover the cost of fulfilling their diploma.
✅ $0 cost to your institution
✅ 15–25% average savings
✅ No compromise in credential quality or delivery
Whether you’re issuing thousands of diplomas or just a few hundred, platform pricing allows you to modernize your process without increasing your credentialing budget.
💰 No Institutional Bills
A small student fee for transcript orders helps support the cost of diploma delivery. That means no added expense for your institution and no separate vendor payments to manage.
📉 Budget-Friendly, Without Compromise
Institutions using platform pricing report saving up to 25% by consolidating vendors, reducing printing costs, and streamlining fulfillment workflows.
🔗 One Platform, One Provider
Transcripts, diplomas, certificates, and even CLRs can all be managed through the Parchment Award platform, reducing administrative strain and the need for multiple vendors.
🚀 Future-Ready Strategy
This isn’t just a cost-saver—it’s a credentialing model that evolves with your needs, whether you’re looking to implement digital diplomas, explore CLRs, or centralize admissions document management.
The Smarter Way to Credential—And Budget
Platform pricing starts with the credentials you already issue—transcripts—and turns them into a funding engine for a modern credentialing strategy.
With $0 cost to your institution, consolidated pricing, and a modern digital experience for students, it’s a smarter way to manage transcripts and diplomas—together, not separately.
Talk to our team to see how much you could save.