CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATION OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION®
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the nation’s leading framework for categorizing U.S. higher education institutions.
Classification Lookup
About the Carnegie Classification®
The Carnegie Classification® is the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education. In 1970, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education began developing a classification of colleges and universities to support its program of research and policy analysis. The framework was first published in 1973 and is now updated every 3 years to reflect changes among colleges and universities. Learn more about us >
2025 Institutional Classification
Organizes the landscape of American colleges and universities into groupings of similar types of institutions.
2025 Student Access and Earnings Classification
Examines the access an institution provides and the economic outcomes of its former students.
2025 Research Activity Designations
Identifies the research capacity of colleges and universities.
Elective Classifications
The Carnegie Elective Classifications are recognitions earned by institutions that have made extraordinary commitments to their public purpose. Institutions apply for recognition from the Carnegie Foundation through a particular Elective Classification theme and make extraordinary commitments to that theme. There are currently three Elective Classifications: the Elective Classification for Community Engagement, the Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose, and the Elective Classification for Sustainability.
Data and Resources
View all available resources for the Carnegie Classifications.
Includes data files and methodology documents for the 2025 and historic Carnegie Classifications.
Contains case studies, white papers, and other takeaways from the Carnegie Classifications.
From the Blog
-
How Top Colleges and Universities Make Economic Mobility a Reality for Low-income Students
In the last few years, researchers and education leaders have increased their focus on the role of higher education in advancing economic mobility. Organizations such as Opportunity Insights and Third Way have published ratings of institutions based on the degree to which they promote economic mobility for low-income students, and the new Carnegie Student Access… Continue Reading >
-
Meet the Host Institutions of the Carnegie Elective Classifications
The Carnegie Elective Classifications recognize colleges and universities that demonstrate extraordinary commitments to their public purpose. Unlike the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which includes the Institutional Classification, Research Activity Designations, and Student Access and Earnings Classification, campuses voluntarily pursue elective designations through an evidence-based application process that examines how their institutional policies… Continue Reading >
-
How the Student Access and Earnings Classification Measures Economic Mobility
Among the many reasons students seek a postsecondary education, the promise of economic mobility is front and center. In fact, the majority say higher earning potential is a primary reason they enrolled. We designed the Student Access and Earnings Classification to study whether institutions are making good on this fundamental promise. To be clear, we… Continue Reading >
About the Site
The Carnegie Classification site provides an Institution Search tool that allows users to search and filter institutions based on one or more Carnegie Classifications. You can also find a wealth of knowledge and resources on the Carnegie Classifications at the links below.
Find answers to the most common Carnegie Classification questions.
Access blog posts and press releases with information on higher education.
Read about the history of Carnegie Classifications.
