In recent years, the AMA Prism Awards, PRSA Paper Anvils and MBJA have delivered the highest win rates, consistently offering strong returns on investment. The Hearst Awards also stand out as a valuable opportunity, covering all entry costs and awarding prize money.
While the average entry fee across all competitions is around $30, additional expenses—such as travel and banquet attendance—raise the total average cost per entry to approximately $99. The Murrow Awards are by far the most expensive, with total costs reaching $4,167 in 2022 and $8,982 in 2023. Their respective win rates were 7% and 33%. When Murrow entries are excluded, the average cost per entry across all other competitions drops to $55.
Financial overview:
2022: $8,887 spent | $4,000 revenue
2023: $17,542 spent | $3,500 revenue
2024: $7,579 spent | $2,500 revenue
If current spending patterns continue, the competition budget will be depleted in about six years.
Time and labor required to prepare entries, while harder to quantify, represent a significant additional investment. The Student Competitions Committee will use this data to conduct a deeper review, identifying where the college sees the strongest return and reassessing how future entries are selected. The goal is to balance student recognition with sustainable use of time and resources.
