Jacquelyn Elias

What I Cover

As the news applications developer for The Chronicle for over half a decade, I work on stories that are at the intersection of higher ed and data. Some of my work includes projects on legislation that affect diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; race-conscious admissions; student-loan debt; and faculty pay.

I frequently collaborate with reporters and editors to offer data expertise for their reporting and to develop visualizations and interactives. You will frequently find me deep in my SQL queries as I dig into the most recent IPEDS data, or debugging my latest visualization.

My Background

I joined The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2018. Previously, I interned with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s data team, where I reported on topics such as the consolidation of voting precincts.

I graduated from Southern Methodist University, in my hometown of Dallas, where I studied computer science, journalism, and creative computation. While there, I got my start as a journalist at the student-run newspaper, The Daily Campus. What started as indecisiveness in choosing between coding and journalism turned into a career pursuing storytelling with data, code, and graphics.

I am a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors. When I’m not talking about data, I can regularly be found with homemade baked goods to share (or not) and coffee.

Connect

Email: jacquelyn.elias@chronicle.com
X: @JacquelynRElias
LinkedIn: @JacquelynElias

Highlights

How Far Does Your Pay Go?

By Jacquelyn Elias November 6, 2024

Data

Who Does Your College Think Its Peers Are?

By Jacquelyn Elias May 16, 2024

Recent Stories

A collage of charts and tables from this article.

Data

No, Colleges Haven’t Rushed Back to Requiring Standardized Tests

By Jacquelyn Elias January 10, 2025

It’s one of four things revealed in federal data about admissions for the fall of 2023.

Collage of visual details from a $100 bill and a university building, a student, a researcher, and a man working on a laptop

Data

Colleges Gave Out Nearly $8 Billion in Covid Aid in 2022. Here’s Who Got the Money.

By Jacquelyn Elias April 5, 2024

Most funds from the latest round of emergency grants went to students of color and recipients of Pell Grants.

Quiz

Do You Know What the Public Really Thinks of College?

By Jacquelyn Elias February 2, 2024

Last summer The Chronicle polled the population about how colleges serve students and society, and more than 1,000 American adults answered. In this quiz, see if you can guess what they said.

America's Views on College

Where the Public Sees Value in Higher Ed

By Jacquelyn Elias, Brian O’Leary November 6, 2023

The Chronicle asked more than a thousand adults how well colleges serve students and society. Explore the data to find points of confidence and doubt, consensus and divergence.

Public Perception

What the Public Really Thinks About Higher Education

By Eric Kelderman, with graphics by Jacqueline Elias and Brian O'Leary September 5, 2023

Americans still believe in the value of a college credential, but they aren’t convinced higher education is fulfilling its promise to society, The Chronicle’s national survey shows.

Photo illustration of (clockwise from top): H. Fred Walker, M. Katherine Banks, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., Margaret Spellings, and Dale Whittaker. At bottom are the words Lasted 0017 Days, presented as a counter.

Executive Exits

These Are the Factors That End College Presidencies

By Jacquelyn Elias, Audrey Williams June August 21, 2023

One certainty about the job of college president, known for its unpredictability, is that every one must eventually come to an end.

Data Visualization

The Supreme Court’s Admissions Ruling Mainly Affects Selective Colleges. They’re a Tiny Slice of Higher Ed.

By Audrey Williams June, Jacquelyn Elias June 30, 2023

Institutions selective enough to use race in admissions are influential, but most students never experience a process that considers race.

Data

How Enrollment Changed in States That Banned Race-Conscious Admissions

By Jacquelyn Elias, Nick Perez June 22, 2023

Ten states enacted bans on colleges considering race in their admissions policies. Here’s what happened next.

Data

For These Colleges, Covid-Relief Money Was a Lifeline

By Jacquelyn Elias May 30, 2023

More than $76 billion in federal aid during the Covid-19 pandemic helped keep many colleges afloat. But which institutions relied on these funds the most?