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Institutions
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education®
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the nation’s leading framework for categorizing diverse 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.
246 
Institutions are classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions
369 
Institutions hold the Community Engagement Classification
195 
Small, highly residential institutions primarily offer baccalaureate arts & science degrees
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 2 Elective Classifications for which institutions can apply: the Elective Classification for Community Engagement and the Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose.
Community Engagement Application
View application resources and requirements.
From the Blog
February 1, 2024
Rethinking Higher Education Classifications For Today’s Institutions
By: Alison Griffin This piece originally posted on Forbes on January 27, 2024. My 16-year-old son has a piece of paper, thumbtacked to his bedroom wall: a list of about 30 colleges and universities, carefully ordered alongside checkmarks and crosshatches. Upon first glance, the list wouldn’t make much sense to anyone, but perhaps another teenager. The way in which he has ...
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.
