# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for student information systems (colleges) on 2026-09-12

## In short

On 2026-09-12, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best student information systems for colleges". It named 11 brands, in this order: Ellucian, Ellucian Banner, you're, Jenzabar, Ellucian Colleague, Oracle.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best student information systems for colleges |
| Asked on | 2026-09-12 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 11 |
| Sources cited | 9 |
| Audience | colleges |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-12 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/student-information-systems-colleges-2026-09-12
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-09-12 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> ## The short list
> 
> The honest answer is that the "best" college SIS is mostly a function of your size and complexity - the market is stratified, and the products don't really compete across tiers. Here's who I'd name, in order:
> 
> **1. Ellucian Banner** - The default for large and complex institutions (multi-campus systems, research universities, big community college districts). Roughly 24% of the North American higher-ed market, the biggest installed base by far, and correspondingly the deepest ecosystem of consultants, integrations, and people who already know it. It's also the safe political choice. Downside: it's old, and modernization means Banner SaaS on Ellucian's terms.
> 
> **2. Workday Student** - The one I'd name if you're doing a full ERP replacement and want finance, HR, and student on one data model. Only about 3% share, but it's the clear share-gainer, taking accounts from Banner, Colleague, PeopleSoft, and Jenzabar. Named a Gartner MQ Leader for higher-ed SIS two years running (2026 report, published March 31, 2026). Caveat: implementations are long and expensive, and the student module is the least mature piece of the Workday suite - the cloud ERP shift in higher ed has

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ellucian | mentioned |
| 2 | Ellucian Banner | mentioned |
| 3 | you're | mentioned |
| 4 | Jenzabar | mentioned |
| 5 | Ellucian Colleague | mentioned |
| 6 | Oracle | mentioned |
| 7 | Oracle PeopleSoft Campus Solutions | mentioned |
| 8 | Populi | recommended |
| 9 | Thesis Elements | mentioned |
| 10 | Skyward | mentioned |
| 11 | Infinite Campus | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://listedtech.com/blog/north-american-sis-highered-market-share-january-2025-update/ (other)
- https://investor.workday.com/news-and-events/press-releases/news-details/2026/Workday-Named-a-Leader-in-2026-Gartner-Magic-Quadrant-for-Higher-Education-Student-Information-Systems/default.aspx (other)
- https://www.ellucian.com/ellucian-named-leader-2026-gartner-magic-quadrant-two-consecutive-years (vendor)
- https://campustechnology.com/articles/2026/01/05/ellucian-officially-acquires-anthologys-sis-and-erp-business.aspx (other)
- https://www.ellucian.com/newsroom/ellucian-completes-acquisition-anthologys-sis-and-erp-business (vendor)
- https://erp.today/higher-education-erp-cloud-student-system-workday-oracle (other)
- https://www.fullfabric.com/articles/top-student-information-systems-2026 (other)
- https://www.siselements.com/best-student-information-systems-small-colleges-2026 (other)
- https://www.softwarereviews.com/products/populi?c_id=161 (review)

The question page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/student-information-systems/colleges

Answer Watch records what one AI answer engine said on one date, nothing more. Each page names the engine and the model, carries the date the question was asked, and lists the brands that appeared in the answer in the order the engine gave them, with the sources it cited. It is a measurement, not a ranking, not a recommendation and not a claim about the world. Brands that did not appear in an answer are not named on any public page. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.