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Home > Definitions and Methods > Size & Setting Classification

Size & Setting Classification Description

The Size and Setting Classification describes institutions' size (student population) and residential character. Because residential character applies to the undergraduate student body, exclusively graduate institutions are not included. For the full definition and methodology, please see below.

Size matters. It is related to institutional structure, complexity, culture, finances, and other factors. Residential or nonresidential character reflects aspects of the campus environment, student population served, and the mix of programs and services that an institution provides.

Four-year institutions are divided into four categories of full-time equivalent (FTE*) enrollment and three categories of residential character. Neither characteristic implies differences in the quality of undergraduate education, but an institution's location along the two continua generally corresponds to a distinctive mix of educational challenges and opportunities. Because few two-year institutions serve a residential population, these institutions are classified solely based on FTE enrollment.

The residential character measure is based on two attributes: the proportion of degree-seeking undergraduates who attend full-time and the proportion living in institutionally-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing. It is important to note the variety of situations of students who do not live in college or university housing. Some are true "commuting" students, while others may live with other students in rental housing on the periphery of campus, and still others are distance education students who rarely or never set foot on a campus. A chart illustrating the residential character categories can be found here.

Size & Setting Methodology

For a flowchart illustrating the logic of the six all-inclusive Classifications, click here.

Data Sources

Data are from the IPEDS Completions, Institutional Characteristics, and Fall Enrollment surveys corresponding to degree conferrals from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 (the most recent data available for all institutions) and Fall 2020 institutional characteristics and enrollments. Because the residential character attribute used in this classification refers to undergraduate students, exclusively graduate/professional institutions were not classified with respect to size and setting.

Level of Institution

Institutions were identified as two- or four-year based on a combination of IPEDS Completions and Institutional Characteristics data. If an institution awarded no bachelor's or higher-level degrees and was designated within institutional characteristics as at the two-year level, it was included among two-year institutions.

Enrollment Size

Full-time equivalent (FTE*) enrollment is based on IPEDS Fall 2020 enrollment data, with FTE calculated as full-time headcount plus one-third part-time headcount. For two-year colleges, enrollment is based on all undergraduates. For four-year institutions, it is based on degree-seeking students at all levels. (We found that for some four-year institutions, including all undergraduates led to anomalous results.) Although we endeavored to use equivalent cut points for two- and four-year institutions, we were unable to do so while maintaining a reasonably balanced number of institutions in the final categories.

Residential Character

For four-year institutions with undergraduates, residential character is based on two attributes: the institution’s dormitory capacity (IPEDS Admissions) divided into the total headcount of degree-seeking undergraduates (full- and part-time) and the proportion of degree-seeking undergraduates who attend full-time (IPEDS enrollment data).

Institutions with fewer than 25% of degree-seeking undergraduates living on campus or fewer than 50% enrolled full-time were classified as primarily nonresidential. At the other extreme, institutions where at least half of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus and where at least 80% attend full-time were classified as highly residential. The remaining four-year institutions with degree-seeking undergraduates were classified as primarily residential. It is important to note that "nonresidential" can represent three distinct populations: those who live in neighborhoods close to campus (often in rental housing with other students), those who commute some distance to campus, and those who participate via distance education. Please see this chart for an illustration of the three residency categories.

The categories are as follows:

Two-year

  • Very small

    • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of fewer than 500 students at these associate's degree granting institutions.

  • Small

    • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 500–1,999 students at these associate's degree granting institutions.

  • Medium

    • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 2,000–4,999 students at these associate's degree granting institutions.

  • Large

    • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 5,000–9,999 students at these associate's degree granting institutions.

  • Very large

    • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of at least 10,000 students at these associate's degree granting institutions.

Four-year

  • Very small

    • Primarily nonresidential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of fewer than 1,000 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. Fewer than 25 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and/or fewer than 50 % attend full time (includes exclusively distance education institutions).

    • Primarily residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of fewer than 1,000 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. 25-49 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 50 % attend full time.

    • Highly residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of fewer than 1,000 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. At least half of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 80 % attend full time.

  • Small

    • Primarily nonresidential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 1,000–2,999 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. Fewer than 25 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and/or fewer than 50 % attend full time (includes exclusively distance education institutions).

    • Primarily residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 1,000–2,999 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. 25-49 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 50 % attend full time.

    • Highly residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 1,000–2,999 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. At least half of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 80 % attend full time.

  • Medium

    • Primarily nonresidential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 3,000–9,999 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. Fewer than 25 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and/or fewer than 50 % attend full time (includes exclusively distance education institutions).

    • Primarily residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 3,000–9,999 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. 25-49 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 50 % attend full time.

    • Highly residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of 3,000–9,999 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. At least half of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 80 % attend full time.

  • Large

    • Primarily nonresidential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of at least 10,000 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. Fewer than 25 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and/or fewer than 50 % attend full time (includes exclusively distance education institutions).

    • Primarily residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of at least 10,000 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. 25-49 % of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 50 % attend full time.

    • Highly residential

      • Fall enrollment data indicate FTE* enrollment of at least 10,000 degree-seeking students at these bachelor's or higher degree granting institutions. At least half of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus** and at least 80 % attend full time.

Exclusively graduate/professional

Fall enrollment data indicate that there are no undergraduates enrolled at these institutions. All enrolled students are in graduate-level programs.

*FTE: Full-time equivalent enrollment was calculated as full-time plus one-third part-time.

**On campus is defined as institutionally-owned, -controlled, or -affiliated housing.

Classifications are time-specific snapshots of institutional attributes and behavior based on 2019-20 data.

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