Student satisfaction is an indicator of institutional performance. By asking students how satisfied they are with their educational experience in areas such as instructional effectiveness, academic advising, registration, and campus climate, an institution can identify the areas that are performing well and those that need to be a priority for improvement. The responses to a satisfaction survey allow students to have a voice in their college or university's decision making. Traditionally, student satisfaction scores have been analyzed and compared across institution types, including four-year privates, four-year publics, community colleges, and career schools. Typically there are distinct differences in the satisfaction levels at these four institution types--students at one campus type may exhibit significant differences in satisfaction compared to those at a different type of institution. Why is this? This study addresses that question by comparing student satisfaction levels to three key indicators across institution types: (1) Graduation rates; (2) Tuition levels; and (3) Enrollment size. How does the institutional environment influence student satisfaction? This analysis will provide a context for understanding how student satisfaction levels are tied to institutional characteristics. The data set and methodology for this study is appended.