Higher education payments in 2026: How students and parents want to pay

New ACI/YouGov research shows what “good” looks like in tuition payments

Billing and payments aren’t just back-office utilities anymore, they’re a front-line experience that shapes trust, satisfaction, and on-time payments behavior. Download the 2026 ACI Speedpay Higher Education Payment Trends Report to benchmark what students and parents expect in 2026, including digital-first (not digital-only) options, shared payer experiences, fee sensitivity, and refund preferences.

What you’ll learn in the full report

• How to design authorized payer experiences that support shared payment responsibility without sacrificing auditability.
• What students and parents value most—convenience, trust, and fees—and how to message and prioritize improvements.
• Where auto-pay works (and where payers want guardrails, alerts, and visibility).
• How to modernize refunds with ACH as the default while offering speed-forward options for those who want them.

Key takeaways from the report:

Digital-first (but not digital-only) is now the baseline

68% prefer digital tuition payment options overall, while 32% still lean toward traditional options, reinforcing the need for choice.

Generational expectations diverge sharply

79% of Gen Z prefer digital payment options vs. 54% of Boomers, so a single experience won’t fit every payer.

Shared responsibility is the norm

68% prefer digital tuition payment options overall, while 32% still lean toward traditional options, reinforcing the need for choice.

Bank rails still anchor tuition payments

48% use a personal checking account to pay tuition/fees (most-used method overall), with credit and debit at 26% each.

Refund expectations are clear, direct deposit wins

77% prefer refunds via ACH, while speed-forward options are emerging among younger payers (push-to-debit: Gen Z 21%; wallets: Millennials 26%).