US Education & Training Universities - PPC Market Share Analysis July 2026

Leveraging Adthena’s Whole Market View, this analysis explores recent trends in Google Ads for the US Universities category from the last month. Our Data Analyst, Ask Arlo provides commentary on key findings.

Universities – US

Google AI Overview visibility for Education & Training Universities US

See how often AIOs appear and how search intent is distributed across buying signals.

AIO Frequency

How often a Google AI overview appears on search terms relevant to this category.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 54.7489021088
45.2510978912
54%

Complex Query Frequency

A complex query is a longer, more detailed search that often contains multiple keywords, specific conditions, or multi-part questions.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 40
60
40%

Search Intent Distribution

Breakdown of search queries by their underlying goal.

Intent Distribution
Investigational 16%
Transactional 1%
Navigational 4%
Seasonal 0%
Local 2%
Problem Solving 5%

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

Market Exposure

Share of Clicks for top 10 US Education & Training Universities brands

Here are the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Clicks for the last month.

Share of Clicks - Last month
Share of Clicks - Last month
Domain Share of clicks
collegeboard.org 18.14
phoenix.edu 17.05
asu.edu 8.45
wgu.edu 6.29
snhu.edu 4.53
capella.edu 3.73
gcu.edu 3.17
chamberlain.edu 2.69
devry.edu 2.59
waldenu.edu 1.71
others 31.65
  • collegeboard.org - 18.14%
  • phoenix.edu - 17.05%
  • asu.edu - 8.45%
  • wgu.edu - 6.29%
  • snhu.edu - 4.53%
  • capella.edu - 3.73%
  • gcu.edu - 3.17%
  • chamberlain.edu - 2.69%
  • devry.edu - 2.59%
  • waldenu.edu - 1.71%
  • others - 31.65%

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In the education sector’s PPC landscape, CollegeBoard.org leads with 18.14% click share, closely followed by Phoenix.edu at 17.05%. ASU.edu and WGU.edu trail behind, while ‘others’ collectively hold 31.65%.

Market Exposure

Share of Spend for the top 10 US Education & Training Universities brands

Curious about your market position? Here you can see the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Spend for the last month. 

Share of Spend - Last Month
Share of Spend - Last Month
Date phoenix.edu asu.edu snhu.edu chamberlain.edu devry.edu capella.edu gcu.edu waldenu.edu wgu.edu liberty.edu
2026/07/01 10.98% 13.51% 6.35% 4.69% 3.77% 7.43% 2.49% 4.29% 1.26% 2.79%
2026/07/02 9.93% 14.05% 6.39% 4.81% 4.64% 7.28% 2.72% 4.25% 1.18% 3.2%
2026/07/03 9.52% 12% 5.38% 4.87% 4.52% 6.19% 2.57% 4.6% 1.5% 2.95%
2026/07/04 9.7% 11.31% 5.55% 4.95% 2.44% 7.34% 2.18% 4.57% 3.16% 2.18%
2026/07/05 10.28% 11.88% 3.46% 5.17% 3.55% 7.29% 2.69% 5.12% 2.88% 2.29%
2026/07/06 11.38% 12.06% 2.95% 4.75% 5.78% 7.46% 2.99% 4.6% 1.58% 2.86%
2026/07/07 10.66% 10.89% 4.95% 5.28% 5.96% 7.88% 3.05% 4.68% 1.63% 2.81%
2026/07/08 10.67% 11.37% 6.28% 5.06% 6.51% 9.12% 3.49% 4.69% 1.16% 2.53%
2026/07/09 11.07% 11.74% 9.08% 4.28% 4.94% 9.16% 2.91% 4.1% 1.54% 2.72%
2026/07/10 10.26% 13.45% 6.72% 4.6% 3.84% 7.72% 3.21% 3.46% 1.58% 2.51%
2026/07/11 8.5% 14.07% 6.18% 5.5% 4.3% 6.4% 2.57% 3.25% 2.27% 2.02%
2026/07/12 9.87% 12.87% 6.5% 4.78% 4.29% 6.48% 2.68% 3.29% 2.23% 2.28%
2026/07/13 9.2% 13.25% 7.18% 4.86% 4.73% 6.96% 3.33% 2.75% 1.73% 2.24%
2026/07/14 10.85% 13.02% 6.58% 5.19% 5.12% 7.37% 3.74% 3.36% 1.5% 2.7%
2026/07/15 8.89% 13.74% 7.74% 4.86% 4.4% 5.94% 3.48% 2.94% 2.38% 2.53%
2026/07/16 8.41% 14.49% 7.16% 4.75% 5.28% 4.74% 3.04% 3.69% 2.23% 3.13%
2026/07/17 9.17% 14.21% 6.35% 4.89% 5.47% 3.69% 3.19% 3.48% 1.72% 3.09%
2026/07/18 8.73% 13.69% 6.8% 4.92% 4.82% 4.4% 2.71% 3.17% 2.24% 2.78%
2026/07/19 11.54% 14.82% 5.96% 5.03% 4.76% 3.85% 3.15% 3.54% 2.34% 3.1%
2026/07/20 9.73% 13.97% 6.31% 5.37% 5.31% 3.42% 2.69% 4.15% 2.42% 2.96%
2026/07/21 10.72% 12.84% 6.5% 5.12% 5.05% 7.28% 3.7% 3.31% 1.48% 2.66%
2026/07/22 9.46% 14.41% 6.61% 5.03% 5.29% 5.12% 3% 3.37% 1.91% 2.4%
2026/07/23 9.19% 13.71% 6.69% 4.9% 4.67% 5.61% 3.46% 3.59% 2.31% 2.27%
2026/07/24 9.9% 12.94% 7.13% 5.47% 5.3% 5.97% 2.86% 3.71% 1.71% 2.16%
2026/07/25 9.13% 13.45% 7.6% 4.62% 4.86% 5.7% 3.32% 3.82% 1.9% 1.94%
2026/07/26 9.68% 13.31% 7.15% 4.87% 4.96% 5.57% 3.07% 3.34% 1.95% 2.12%
2026/07/27 10.16% 11.39% 7.72% 4.99% 4.31% 5.58% 2.7% 3.8% 2.13% 2.1%
2026/07/28 9.04% 11.75% 8.47% 5.49% 4.62% 6.51% 3.29% 4.15% 1.72% 1.98%
2026/07/29 9.6% 11.83% 7.18% 5.61% 4.65% 5.76% 3.52% 3.33% 1.92% 2.1%
2026/07/30 9.77% 11.53% 6.23% 5.3% 4.79% 4.91% 3.38% 3.47% 2.22% 1.94%
2026/07/31 11.82% 10.84% 5.98% 5.59% 4.52% 4.38% 4.21% 3.37% 2.95% 1.59%
  • phoenix.edu
  • asu.edu
  • snhu.edu
  • chamberlain.edu
  • devry.edu
  • capella.edu
  • gcu.edu
  • waldenu.edu
  • wgu.edu
  • liberty.edu

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In July 2026, ASU.edu led PPC spend, peaking mid-month. Phoenix.edu fluctuated, ending strong. SNHU.edu saw a mid-month rise, while Chamberlain.edu remained steady. GCU.edu and Liberty.edu showed minor variations, finishing lower.

Market Exposure

Competitor Count for US Education & Training Universities

Ever wondered how many competitors you’re up against in your industry? Well look no further, here we can see the number of advertisers bidding over the last month. 

Competitor Count - Last month
Competitor Count - Last month
Date Competitor Count
2026/07/01 856
2026/07/02 891
2026/07/03 900
2026/07/04 941
2026/07/05 933
2026/07/06 916
2026/07/07 883
2026/07/08 830
2026/07/09 824
2026/07/10 893
2026/07/11 916
2026/07/12 915
2026/07/13 911
2026/07/14 903
2026/07/15 909
2026/07/16 904
2026/07/17 879
2026/07/18 893
2026/07/19 863
2026/07/20 848
2026/07/21 903
2026/07/22 971
2026/07/23 954
2026/07/24 960
2026/07/25 970
2026/07/26 987
2026/07/27 941
2026/07/28 971
2026/07/29 961
2026/07/30 948
2026/07/31 943

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

July saw a dynamic shift in advertisers, starting at 856 and peaking at 987. The month concluded with a robust 943, showcasing a vibrant advertising landscape.

Campaign Efficiency

Market Loss & Market Gains for US Education & Training Universities

Here we’re looking at the Top 10 biggest industry movers by market share gains and losses for the last 30 days.

Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Name Market Trend
collegeboard.org 3.75%
wgu.edu 0.51%
snhu.edu 0.36%
post.edu 0.13%
nu.edu 0.13%
arizona.edu -0.26%
chamberlain.edu -0.27%
waldenu.edu -0.29%
capella.edu -0.9%
phoenix.edu -1.1%

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

Collegeboard.org surged with a 3.75% click share increase, while phoenix.edu dropped by 1.1%.

Campaign Efficiency

US Education & Training Universities Share of Impressions

Take a look at the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Impressions over the last month.

Date phoenix.edu asu.edu capella.edu devry.edu wgu.edu snhu.edu chamberlain.edu gcu.edu collegeboard.org waldenu.edu
2026/07/01 12.47% 10.11% 6.83% 4.12% 1.51% 4.96% 3.12% 2.29% 5.08% 3.17%
2026/07/02 10.54% 10.44% 7.03% 5.15% 1.5% 4.67% 3.66% 2.59% 3.92% 3.59%
2026/07/03 10.59% 8.01% 5.68% 5.45% 1.96% 3.62% 3.74% 2.28% 3.44% 3.79%
2026/07/04 10.35% 8.04% 6.91% 2.8% 3.44% 3.96% 3.57% 1.81% 4.03% 3.96%
2026/07/05 11.68% 8.23% 7.11% 3.84% 2.99% 2.19% 3.57% 2.41% 2.89% 4.32%
2026/07/06 12.48% 8.6% 6.85% 6.5% 2.08% 2.41% 3.36% 2.6% 2.56% 4.04%
2026/07/07 12.06% 7.74% 7.84% 6.08% 2.3% 3.91% 3.83% 2.78% 2.17% 4.11%
2026/07/08 11.98% 8.23% 9.33% 6.72% 1.97% 4.67% 3.68% 3.49% 2.07% 3.86%
2026/07/09 13.02% 8.68% 9.78% 5.19% 2.32% 6.48% 2.99% 2.57% 2.6% 3.75%
2026/07/10 11.33% 10.12% 7.68% 3.64% 1.87% 4.63% 3.22% 2.83% 4.74% 2.98%
2026/07/11 9.37% 11.01% 6.78% 4.43% 3.08% 4.19% 3.85% 2.24% 4.36% 2.55%
2026/07/12 11.47% 9.86% 6.23% 4.36% 3.31% 4.65% 3.19% 2.33% 4.15% 2.65%
2026/07/13 10.42% 10.06% 6.9% 5.23% 2.41% 5.32% 3.35% 2.82% 4.03% 2.7%
2026/07/14 11.92% 9.88% 7.49% 5.82% 2.27% 4.43% 3.49% 3.37% 3.44% 2.93%
2026/07/15 9.92% 10.68% 5.5% 4.95% 2.89% 5.65% 3.73% 3.06% 3.43% 2.67%
2026/07/16 9.67% 10.77% 4.26% 6.36% 2.66% 5.01% 3.42% 2.86% 4.97% 2.87%
2026/07/17 10.68% 10.61% 3.14% 6.12% 1.98% 4.56% 3.42% 3.09% 4.82% 2.73%
2026/07/18 10% 10.52% 4.19% 5.07% 2.7% 4.86% 3.36% 2.69% 5.05% 2.8%
2026/07/19 13.52% 11.12% 4.14% 4.98% 3.05% 4.2% 3.34% 3.14% 3.83% 3.2%
2026/07/20 9.99% 10.26% 3.56% 5.36% 3.42% 4.14% 3.51% 2.42% 7.95% 2.82%
2026/07/21 11.92% 9.88% 7.49% 5.82% 2.27% 4.43% 3.49% 3.37% 3.44% 2.93%
2026/07/22 11.26% 11.25% 5.37% 5.78% 2.41% 4.66% 3.37% 2.68% 3.84% 2.98%
2026/07/23 10.58% 10.39% 5.88% 4.76% 3.31% 4.59% 3.52% 3.24% 3.77% 3.26%
2026/07/24 11.37% 9.74% 6.4% 5.77% 2.28% 5.25% 3.8% 2.64% 4.16% 2.93%
2026/07/25 11.41% 10.42% 6.37% 5.37% 2.59% 5.52% 3.18% 3.24% 2.13% 3.08%
2026/07/26 11.31% 9.9% 5.81% 5.63% 3.03% 4.85% 3.35% 2.63% 5.36% 2.78%
2026/07/27 11.21% 8.58% 6.12% 4.66% 2.75% 5.41% 3.57% 2.34% 5.17% 3.04%
2026/07/28 9.92% 8.72% 7.11% 5.08% 2.21% 5.91% 3.91% 2.9% 5.17% 3.63%
2026/07/29 10.55% 8.72% 6.31% 5.03% 2.56% 5.08% 4.01% 2.98% 6.81% 2.99%
2026/07/30 10.83% 8.72% 6.27% 5.25% 2.45% 4.4% 3.71% 3.32% 5.7% 3.04%
2026/07/31 13.56% 8.39% 5.85% 4.69% 4.19% 4.03% 3.78% 3.41% 3.27% 2.68%
  • phoenix.edu
  • asu.edu
  • capella.edu
  • devry.edu
  • wgu.edu
  • snhu.edu
  • chamberlain.edu
  • gcu.edu
  • collegeboard.org
  • waldenu.edu

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

Phoenix.edu led July with fluctuating impressions, peaking at 13.56%. ASU.edu maintained steady growth, while Capella.edu saw a mid-month dip. Collegeboard.org spiked on July 20th, finishing strong.

Campaign Efficiency

Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for US Education & Training Universities

Ever wondered how your rivals’ ads are doing? Here we can see the top-performing ads in the industry over the last month.

Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for US Education & Training Universities - Last month
  1. 1
    Accredited Online University - FlexPath Self-Paced Learning https://www.capella.edu

    Earn Your Degree Online, On Demand, And On Your Terms At Capella University. Get Started.

  2. 2
    Official College Board® SAT | Register for the SAT Today https://satsuite.collegeboard.org › sat › registration

    SAT Can Help You Build A Strong College Application And Get On The Right Track To College. SAT Is An Important Part Of Your College App Process ...

  3. 3
    Grand Canyon University https://explore.gcu.edu › gcu › degrees

    Online Degree Programs — Learn how you can earn your degree online from GCU, an accredited university. Serve Communities.

  4. 4
    University of Phoenix® https://www.phoenix.edu

    Online University Programs — Let Us Assess Your Training or Life Experience and You Could Earn College Credits! See How. Don't Let Prior Credits or Relevant Life Experiences go to Waste with Our PLA.

  5. 5
    SNHU® - Southern NH University https://degrees.snhu.edu › online

    See Yourself Succeed at SNHU — Learn More & Apply 100% Online Now! Offering One of the Lowest Online Tuition Rates in the Nation...

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In the competitive landscape of online education, Capella University stands out with its FlexPath self-paced learning, emphasizing flexibility and personalization. College Board’s SAT ad highlights the test’s role in strengthening college applications. Grand Canyon University and University of Phoenix focus on accredited online degrees, with Phoenix offering credit for life experiences. SNHU promotes affordability with low tuition rates, appealing to cost-conscious students.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Success Stories

Get the full picture

See this data specific to your brand performance

The data on this page is just a sample of the billions of data points we hold at Adthena. The insights generated by Ask Arlo, leverage real-time GenAI to answer questions about your search data.

Our search consultants can introduce you to Whole Market View data that is specific to your organization, based on the size of the relevant search term and competitor universe, and the locations that you need monitoring.

Related reports