Top Metrics
Measurement: Endowment Value
Definition: Gross investments of endowment funds, term endowment funds, and funds functioning
as endowment for the institution and any of its foundations and other affiliated organizations
and component units reduced by the value of endowment-related liabilities at the end
of the fiscal year. Funds are nonexpendable and are intended to be invested to provide
earnings for institutional use.
Measurement: Full-Time Retention Rates
Definition: A measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program at an
institution, expressed as a percentage. For four-year institutions, this is the percentage
of first-time, full-time bachelors (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduates from
the previous fall who are again enrolled in the current fall.
Measurement: Six Year Graduation Rates
Definition: This rate is calculated as the total number of undergraduate certificate, associate,
and baccalaureate degree completers within 150% of normal time divided by the incoming
cohort adjusted for allowable exclusions.
Measurement: Undergraduate Enrollment
Definition: Students enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree
program, or a vocational or technical program below the baccalaureate level. Exclusions
apply, see Total Enrollment.
Measurement: Graduate Enrollment
Definition: Students who hold a bachelor's degree or above and are taking courses at the postbaccalaureate
level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs. Exclusions
apply, see Total Enrollment.
Measurement: Total Enrollment
Definition: The number of students enrolled in the fall semester at postsecondary institutions.
Students reported are those enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree or other
recognized postsecondary credential; students enrolled in courses that are part of
a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in off-campus or extension
centers; and high school students taking regular college courses for credit. Institutions
report annually the number of full- and part-time students, by gender, race/ethnicity,
and level (undergraduate, graduate, first-professional). Exclusions include students
who are not enrolled for credit. Examples of exclusions include students enrolled
exclusively in courses that cannot be applied towards a recognized postsecondary credential,
enrolled only in ESL programs, enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units
(CEUs), exclusively auditing classes, residents/interns in doctor's professional practice
programs, any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university), or students
in Experimental Pell Programs.
Student
Measurement: First-Time Degree Seeking Undergraduates – Applied
Definition: A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending
any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. This includes students
enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled
in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term,
and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits or recognized postsecondary
credential earned before graduation from high school). Applicants include only those
students who fulfilled all requirements for consideration for admission and who have
been notified of one of the following actions: admission, non-admission, placement
on a wait list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution).
Measurement: First-Time Degree Seeking Undergraduates – Accepted
Definition: A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending
any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. This includes students
enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled
in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term,
and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits or recognized postsecondary
credential earned before graduation from high school). Includes all students who were
admitted to the institution. This would include:
- early decision students who were notified of an admissions decision prior to the
regular notification date and who agreed to accept;
- early action students who were notified of an admission decision prior to the regular
notification date with no commitment to accept; and
- admitted students who began studies during the summer prior.
Measurement: First-Time Degree Seeking Undergraduates – Enrolled
Definition: A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending
any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. This includes students
enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled
in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term,
and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits or recognized postsecondary
credential earned before graduation from high school).
Measurement: Certificates
Definition: Includes postsecondary certificates, postbaccalaureate certificates, post-master's
certificates, and first-professional certificates. Below are the IPEDS definitions
for each award type.
- Certificate: A recognized postsecondary credential that is conferred upon the satisfactory
completion of a postsecondary education program below an associate degree level.
- Postbaccalaureate certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized
program of study beyond the bachelor's. It is designed for persons who have completed
a baccalaureate degree, but does not meet the requirements of a master's degree. NOTE:
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree
for admission, they are considered subbacalaureate undergraduate programs, and students
in these programs are undergraduate students.
- Post-master’s certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized program
beyond the master's degree, but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees
at the doctor's level.
- First-professional certificate: A first-professional certificate was an award that
required completion of an organized program of study designed for persons who had
completed the first-professional degree. Examples could be refresher courses or additional
units of study in a specialty or subspecialty. The use of the term was discontinued
in IPEDS as of the 2010-11 data collection.
Measurement: Associate Degrees
Definition: An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent
college work.
Measurement: Bachelor’s Degrees
Definition: An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S.
Department of Education) that normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years
of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred
in a 5-year cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate
class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows
students to combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes
bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3 years.
Measurement: Master’s Degrees
Definition: An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least
the full-time equivalent of 1 but not more than 2 academic years of work beyond the
bachelor's degree. Some of these degrees, such as those in Theology (M.Div., M.H.L./Rav)
that were formerly classified as "first-professional", may require more than two full-time
equivalent academic years of work.
Measurement: Doctoral Degrees
Definition: Includes doctoral degrees in professional practice, research/scholarship, other, and
first-professional degrees. Below are the IPEDS definitions for each type.
- Doctor’s degree professional practice: A doctor's degree that is conferred upon
completion of a program providing the knowledge and skills for the recognition, credential,
or license required for professional practice. The degree is awarded after a period
of study such that the total time to the degree, including both pre-professional and
professional preparation, equals at least six full-time equivalent academic years.
Some of these degrees were formerly classified as first-professional and may include:
Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.); Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.); Law (J.D.); Medicine
(M.D.); Optometry (O.D.); Osteopathic Medicine (D.O); Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); Podiatry
(D.P.M., Pod.D., D.P.); or, Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), and others, as designated
by the awarding institution.
- Doctor’s degree research/scholarship: A Ph.D. or other doctor's degree that requires
advanced work beyond the master's level, including the preparation and defense of
a dissertation based on original research, or the planning and execution of an original
project demonstrating substantial artistic or scholarly achievement. Some examples
of this type of degree may include Ed.D., D.M.A., D.B.A., D.Sc., D.A., or D.M, and
others, as designated by the awarding institution.
- Doctor’s degree other: A doctor's degree that does not meet the definition of a
doctor's degree research/scholarship or a doctor's degree professional practice.
- First-professional degree: A first-professional degree was an award that required
completion of a program that met all of the following criteria: (1) completion of
the academic requirements to begin practice in the profession; (2) at least 2 years
of college work prior to entering the program; and (3) a total of at least 6 academic
years of college work to complete the degree program, including prior required college
work plus the length of the professional program itself. First-professional degrees
may be awarded in the following 10 fields: Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), Dentistry
(D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Law (L.L.B., J.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic
Medicine (D.O.), Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.), Theology
(M.Div., M.H.L., B.D., or Ordination), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.). The use of the
term was discontinued in IPEDS as of the 2010-11 data collection.
Measurement: Undergraduate Enrollment
Definition: Students enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree
program, or a vocational or technical program below the baccalaureate level. Exclusions
apply, see Total Enrollment.
Measurement: Graduate Enrollment
Definition: Students who hold a bachelor's degree or above and are taking courses at the postbaccalaureate
level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs. Exclusions
apply, see Total Enrollment.
Measurement: Total Enrollment
Definition: The number of students enrolled in the fall semester at postsecondary institutions.
Students reported are those enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree or other
recognized postsecondary credential; students enrolled in courses that are part of
a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in off-campus or extension
centers; and high school students taking regular college courses for credit. Institutions
report annually the number of full- and part-time students, by gender, race/ethnicity,
and level (undergraduate, graduate, first-professional). Exclusions include students
who are not enrolled for credit. Examples of exclusions include students enrolled
exclusively in courses that cannot be applied towards a recognized postsecondary credential,
enrolled only in ESL programs, enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units
(CEUs), exclusively auditing classes, residents/interns in doctor's professional practice
programs, any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university), or students
in Experimental Pell Programs.
Measurement: Full-Time Enrollment
Definition: Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter
credits, or 24 or more clock hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled
for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter credits, or a student involved
in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution.
Doctor's degree - Professional practice - full-time as defined by the institution.
Measurement: Part-Time Enrollment
Definition: Undergraduate: A student enrolled for either less than 12 semester or quarter credits,
or less than 24 clock hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for less
than 9 semester or quarter credits.
Measurement: Full-Time Fall Retention Rates
Definition: A measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program at an
institution, expressed as a percentage. For four-year institutions, this is the percentage
of first-time, full-time bachelors (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduates from
the previous fall who are again enrolled in the current fall.
Measurement: Six Year Graduation Rates
Definition: This rate is calculated as the total number of undergraduate certificate, associate,
and baccalaureate degree completers within 150% of normal time divided by the incoming
cohort adjusted for allowable exclusions.
Measurement: American Indian Alaskan Native Enrollment
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America
(including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation
or community attachment.
Measurement: Asian Enrollment
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast
Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India,
Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Measurement: Black or African American Enrollment
Definition: A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Measurement: Hispanic Enrollment
Definition: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race.
Measurement: International Enrollment
Definition: A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this
country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.
Measurement: Multiracial Enrollment
Definition: Two or more races.
Measurement: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Enrollment
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or
other Pacific Islands.
Measurement: Race/Ethnicity Unknown Enrollment
Definition: The category used to report students whose race and ethnicity are not known.
Measurement: White Enrollment
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East,
or North Africa.
Measurement: ACT
Definition: Previously known as the American College Testing program, measures educational development
and readiness to pursue college-level coursework in English, mathematics, natural
science, and social studies. Student performance does not reflect innate ability and
is influenced by a student's educational preparedness. Scores are based on first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking students in the fall term.
Measurement: SAT
Definition: Previously known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, this is an examination administered
by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and used to predict with which an individual
will progress in learning college-level academic subjects. Please note the testing
components were restructured in 2016. Scores are based on first-time, degree/certificate-seeking
students in the fall term.
Employee
Measurement: Total Faculty Excluding Medical
Definition: Persons identified by the institution as such and typically those whose initial assignments
are made for the purpose of conducting instruction, research or public service as
a principal activity (or activities). They may hold academic rank titles of professor,
associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, lecturer or the equivalent of
any of those academic ranks. Counts exclude medical employees.
Measurement: Full-Time Faculty Excluding Medical
Definition: The number of full-time, non-medical school persons identified by the institution
as such and typically those whose initial assignments are made for the purpose of
conducting instruction, research or public service as a principal activity (or activities).
They may hold academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor,
instructor, lecturer or the equivalent of any of those academic ranks.
Measurement: Part-Time Faculty Excluding Medical
Definition: The number of part-time, non-medical school persons identified by the institution
as such and typically those whose initial assignments are made for the purpose of
conducting instruction, research or public service as a principal activity (or activities).
They may hold academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor,
instructor, lecturer or the equivalent of any of those academic ranks.
Measurement: Men Full-Time Faculty
Definition: The number of men full-time faculty identified by the institution as such and typically
those whose initial assignments are made for the purpose of conducting instruction,
research or public service as a principal activity (or activities). They may hold
academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor,
lecturer or the equivalent of any of those academic ranks. Counts include medical
employees.
Measurement: Women Full-Time Faculty
Definition: The number of women full-time faculty identified by the institution as such and typically
those whose initial assignments are made for the purpose of conducting instruction,
research or public service as a principal activity (or activities). They may hold
academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor,
lecturer or the equivalent of any of those academic ranks. Counts include medical
employees.
Measurement: American Indian Alaska Native Full-Time Faculty
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America
(including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation
or community attachment. Please note this is based on full-time faculty (including
medical).
Measurement: Asian Full-Time Faculty
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast
Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India,
Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. Please
note this is based on full-time faculty (including medical).
Measurement: Black or African American Full-Time Faculty
Definition: A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Please note this
is based on full-time faculty (including medical).
Measurement: Hispanic Full-Time Faculty
Definition: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race. Please note this is based on full-time faculty
(including medical).
Measurement: International Full-Time Faculty
Definition: A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this
country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.
Please note this is based on full-time faculty (including medical).
Measurement: Multiracial Full-Time Faculty
Definition: Two or more races. Please note this is based on full-time faculty (including medical).
Measurement: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Full-Time Faculty
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or
other Pacific Islands. Please note this is based on full-time faculty (including medical).
Measurement: Race/Ethnicity Unknown Full-Time Faculty
Definition: The category used to report faculty whose race and ethnicity are not known. Please
note this is based on full-time faculty (including medical).
Measurement: White Full-Time Faculty
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East,
or North Africa. Please note this is based on full-time faculty (including medical).
Measurement: Full-Time Professors
Definition: All full-time (including medical) faculty holding the rank of professor. The ranks
of professor, associate professor and assistant professor are regular tenure-accumulating
faculty ranks.
Measurement: Full-Time Associate Professors
Definition: All full-time (including medical) faculty holding the rank of associate professor.
The ranks of professor, associate professor and assistant professor are regular tenure-accumulating
faculty ranks.
Measurement: Full-Time Assistant Professors
Definition: All full-time (including medical) faculty holding the rank of assistant professor.
The ranks of professor, associate professor and assistant professor are regular tenure-accumulating
faculty ranks.
Measurement: Full-Time Instructors
Definition: All full-time (including medical) faculty holding the rank of instructor. The ranks
of instructor and lecturer are non-tenured positions.
Measurement: Full-Time Lecturers
Definition: All full-time (including medical) faculty holding the rank of lecturer. The ranks
of instructor and lecturer are non-tenured positions.
Measurement: Full-Time No Rank
Definition: All full-time (including medical) faculty from institutions without standard academic
ranks.
Measurement: Total Staff Excluding Medical
Definition: All staff employed by or employees working in a postsecondary institution, except
those employed by or working in the medical school component of the institution. Institutions
report the numbers as of November 1 of the reporting year.
Measurement: Full-Time Staff Excluding Medical
Definition: All full-time staff employed by or employees working in a postsecondary institution,
except those employed by or working in the medical school component of the institution.
Institutions report the numbers as of November 1 of the reporting year.
Measurement: Part-Time Staff Excluding Medical
Definition: All part-time staff employed by or employees working in a postsecondary institution,
except those employed by or working in the medical school component of the institution.
Institutions report the numbers as of November 1 of the reporting year.
Measurement: Men Full-Time Staff
Definition: All men full-time staff employed by or employees working in a postsecondary institution,
including those employed by or working in the medical school component of the institution.
Institutions report the numbers as of November 1 of the reporting year.
Measurement: Women Full-Time Staff
Definition: All women full-time staff employed by or employees working in a postsecondary institution,
including those employed by or working in the medical school component of the institution.
Institutions report the numbers as of November 1 of the reporting year.
Measurement: American Indian Alaska Native Full-Time Staff
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America
(including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation
or community attachment. Please note this is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Measurement: Asian Full-Time Staff
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast
Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India,
Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. Please
note this is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Measurement: Black or African American Full-Time Staff
Definition: A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Please note this
is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Measurement: Hispanic Full-Time Staff
Definition: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race. Please note this is based on full-time staff
(including medical).
Measurement: International Full-Time Staff
Definition: A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this
country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.
Please note this is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Measurement: Multiracial Full-Time Staff
Definition: Two or more races. Please note this is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Measurement: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Full-Time Staff
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or
other Pacific Islands. Please note this is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Measurement: Race/Ethnicity Unknown Full-Time Staff
Definition: The category used to report staff whose race and ethnicity are not known. Please note
this is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Measurement: White Full-Time Staff
Definition: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East,
or North Africa. Please note this is based on full-time staff (including medical).
Research
Measurement: R&D Expenditures Business
Definition: R&D expenditures from domestic or foreign for-profit organizations. Funds from a company’s
nonprofit foundation are excluded; they are reported under Nonprofit organizations.
Measurement: R&D Expenditures Federal Government
Definition: R&D expenditures from any agency of the U.S. government. Federal funds that are passed
through to the reporting institution from another institution are included. Federal
agencies include the US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Defense, US Department
of Energy, US Department of Health and Human Services, National Aeronautics & Space
Administration, National Science Foundation, and other federal sources.
Measurement: R&D Expenditures Institutional Funds
Definition: R&D expenditures from institutionally financed research (all R&D funded by the institution
from accounts that are only used for research, excluding institution research administration
and support), cost sharing (committed), and unrecovered indirect costs (the portion
of indirect costs associated with a sponsored project that was not reimbursed by the
sponsor in accordance with the institution’s negotiated indirect cost rate).
Measurement: R&D Expenditures Non-Profit Organizations
Definition: R&D expenditures from domestic or foreign nonprofit foundations and organizations,
except universities and colleges. Funds from the reporting institution’s 501(c)3 foundation
are reported under Institutional funds. Funds from other universities and colleges
are reported under All other sources.
Measurement: R&D Expenditures Other Sources
Definition: R&D expenditures from sources not reported in other categories, such as funds from
foreign governments, foreign or U.S. universities, and gifts designated by the donors
for research.
Measurement: R&D Expenditures State and Local Government
Definition: R&D expenditures from any state, county, municipality, or other local government entity
in the United States, including state health agencies. State funds that supported
R&D at agricultural and other experiment stations are included. Public institutions
reported state appropriations restricted for R&D activities in this category.
Finance
Measurement: Endowment per FTE
Definition: This measures the endowment net assets at year-end per full-time equivalent student
(FTE). The number of FTE students is calculated based on the credit and/or clock hours
reported by the institution on the IPEDS 12-month enrollment submission.
Measurement: Tuition and Fees per FTE
Definition: This measures the net current fund tuition and fees per full-time equivalent student
(FTE). The number of FTE students is calculated based on the credit and/or clock hours
reported by the institution on the IPEDS 12-month enrollment submission.
Measurement: IRP as a Percent of Core
Definition: Captures instruction, research, and public service Current Fund expenditures as a
percent of core expenditures. Core expenditures is defined as total expenditures minus
auxiliary expenditures.
Measurement: Age of Plant
Definition: This ratio measures as a proxy the average age of total plant facilities by measuring
the relationship of current depreciation to total depreciation. The ratio is calculated
as Accumulated Depreciation ÷ Annual Depreciation Expense.