For more than a decade, cash has been the preferred method of payment in North America. Cash was king, and it had no challengers.  However, in recent years we have seen a huge rise in alternative methods of paying for school items and services such as credit cards and AHC.  All over the world, there has been a rise of contactless payment methods such as Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay. These technologies are making it easier for consumers to pay for goods and services more quickly, which is likely going to cause a huge shift in how people pay for items. So what is the most widely used school payment method in 2022?

ACH is The Most Simple School Payment Method

There are many different tuition payment methods, however, AHC, or Automated Clearing House, is a method of payment that allows for transactions to occur electronically. ACH can be used as an alternative to paper checks and similar items, removing the need for printing and mailing costs associated with those types of payments. ACH works by allowing those who are using it as a form of payment to transfer money from one bank account to another. The scariest part of using ACH is that it can often take several days for the money to get where it needs to go. Lately, more and more people are choosing this payment method for their school payments because not only is it reliable but it is also one of the best systems for education payment processing.

Additionally, ACH is typically free for the consumer. ACH will continue to be a top choice for school payments as time goes on and more and more people begin utilizing this payment method each year.

Say Goodbye to Cash and Checks

Due to these advancements in technology and the rise of contactless payment methods (such as Apple and Android pay), it is inevitable that cash will be falling by the wayside. Cash still dominates payments made to universities, but credit cards have been growing at a faster rate than ACH transactions. In fact, the majority of parents who use any kind of digital method to pay for their educational payments choose credit cards over ACH.

The rise in popularity of smartphones and tablets is advancing the industry in a number of ways, but it does not seem to be affecting how parents pay for school items such as tuition and textbooks. One reason could be that most universities do not offer this type of payment method on their websites.

Over the next five years, ACH payments are expected to more than double. Even though electronic transfer will still be less popular than credit cards, it is on pace to become the most widely used school payment method in 2022. Banks and universities have made a clear effort to accept contactless payments, which will result in consumers choosing these methods over traditional cash and check options.

How to Eliminate Cash and Check Payments in Your School System

If you are looking to simplify the payment process for students, the ACH method is an easy way to start. The first step is setting up your school’s online system so that parents can send tuition payments directly from their bank accounts. Setting this up is usually free with most banks and universities–you just need to set it up with your bank’s ACH department. If you already have a payment system in place, talk with your school’s bookkeeper about how to upgrade it to accept credit cards and ACH payments. If either of these methods are not available on your school system, speak with a web developer or site administrator about making the necessary changes.

It might seem a little daunting at first, especially if you have never dealt with credit cards or online transactions before. However, these changes will pay dividends in the future because they will help your school save time and money.

The majority of parents who use their credit cards to pay for tuition and other school expenses choose the ACH method when it is available. Over the next five years, more people will be using the digital transfer to pay for their children’s education which means that you need a payment platform in place in order to keep up with industry standards.

It is a well-known fact that technology has been advancing at a rapid rate. It is only fitting that the way we pay for things changes just as much if not more.

While it may be easy to stick with cash and check payments, there are many benefits to using the ACH method or credit cards for your tuition payment processing such as textbooks and tuition.

It is best to set up an online system so that parents can pay their children’s expenses directly through their bank accounts or credit cards. Many banks offer this type of service for free, but if not, it only costs a small fee to have it added to your school’s payment system.

These changes will not only make it easier for students and parents to pay, but they will also reduce how much paper is used during the payment process.

 

SchoolCues is an all-in-one school management system for small schools with limited budgets and resources. Our solutions include admissions and enrollment, online payments, student information system, gradebook, communications, parent engagement, donations and fundraising, alumni management, and more. Schedule a demo with us today.