Criteria and Definitions

General information

Criteria and Definitions

Institutions are assigned to categories using data on program completions from the previous academic year or, for two-year colleges and technical institutes or colleges, using data on estimated full-time equivalent enrollment for the current academic year. To keep the statistical comparison groups relatively stable over time, institutions change categories when they meet the criterion for another category for the third consecutive time.

Four-Year Universities and Colleges
Category Definitions
Four-Year 1 Institutions awarding at least 100 doctoral degrees that are distributed among at least 10 CIP categories (2-digit classification) with no more than 50 percent in any one category.
Four-Year 2 Institutions awarding at least 30 doctoral degrees that are distributed among at least 5 CIP categories (2-digit classification).
Four-Year 3 Institutions awarding at least 100 master’s, education specialist, post-master’s, or doctoral degrees with master’s, education specialist, and post-master’s degrees distributed among at least 10 CIP categories (2-digit classification).
Four-Year 4 Institutions awarding at least 30 master’s, education specialist, post-master’s, or doctoral degrees with master’s, education specialist, and post-master’s degrees distributed among at least 5 CIP categories (2-digit classification).
Four-Year 5 Institutions awarding at least 30 master’s, education specialist, post-master’s or doctoral degrees.
Four-Year 6 Institutions awarding at least 100 bachelor’s degrees that are distributed among at least five CIP categories (2-digit classification) with bachelor’s degrees being at least 30 percent of the total awards (including certificates) and awarding less than 30 master’s, education specialist, post-master’s or doctoral degrees.
Two-Year Colleges
Two-Year with Bachelor’s Institutions awarding primarily associate’s degrees and offering college transfer courses; some bachelor’s degrees also may be awarded.
Two-Year 1  Institutions awarding associate’s degrees and offering college transfer courses with FTE enrollment of 5,000 or more; some certificates and diplomas also may be awarded.
Two-Year 2 Institutions awarding associate’s degrees and offering college transfer courses with FTE enrollment of 2,000 to 4,999; some certificates and diplomas also may be awarded.
Two-Year 3 Institutions awarding associate’s degrees and offering college transfer courses with FTE enrollment of less than 2,000; some certificates and diplomas also may be awarded.
Technical Institutes or Colleges
Technical Institute or College 1 Institutions awarding vocational-technical certificates and diplomas with FTE enrollment of 1,000 or more; some vocational-technical associate degrees also may be awarded.
Technical Institute  or College 2 Institutions awarding vocational-technical certificates and diplomas with FTE enrollment less than 1,000; some vocational-technical associate degrees may also mabe awarded.
Technical Institute or College — size unknown  Institutions awarding vocational-technical certificates and diplomas whose FTE enrollment was not reported; some vocational-technical associate degrees may also be awarded.
Specialized
Specialized Specialized Special purpose institutions with specialized degree programs. These may include medical or health science centers and, in some instances, fine arts schools or military academies.