Enrollment in Postsecondary 

Institutions, Fall 2009; Graduation 

Rates, 2003 & 2006 Cohorts; and 

Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2009 

First Look

NCES 2011-230 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Enrollment in Postsecondary 

Institutions, Fall 2009; Graduation 

Rates, 2003 & 2006 Cohorts; and 

Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2009

First Look

FEBRUARY 2011

Laura G. Knapp 

Janice E. Kelly-Reid

Scott A. Ginder

RTI International

NCES 2011-320

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education

Arne Duncan

Secretary

Institute of Education Sciences

John Q. Easton

Director

National Center for Education Statistics

Stuart Kerachsky

Acting Commissioner

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Suggested Citation

Knapp, L.G., Kelly-Reid, J.E., and Ginder, S.A. (2011). Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2009; Graduation Rates, 2003 & 

2006 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2009 (NCES 2011-230). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National 

Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved [date] from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

Content Contact

Aurora D’Amico

(202) 502-7334

aurora.damico@ed.gov
iii

Foreword 

This First Look presents findings from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

(IPEDS) spring 2010 data collection. This collection included five components: Student 

Financial Aid for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 

2009-10 academic year; Enrollment for fall 2009; Graduation Rates within 150 percent of 

normal program completion time for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students beginning college in 2003 at 4-year institutions or in 2006 at less-than-4-

year institutions; Graduation Rates within 200 percent of normal program completion time for 

full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students beginning college in 2001 

at 4-year institutions or in 2005 at less-than-4-year institutions; and Finance for fiscal year 2009. 

The data on which this report is based are available to researchers and the public through the 

IPEDS Data Center and the College Navigator. Both of these sources can be found at 

http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds. This First Look report is based on the collection of data from more than 

6,700 postsecondary education institutions that participate in Title IV federal student financial 

aid programs. 

The purpose of this report is to introduce new data through the presentation of tables containing 

descriptive information, only selected findings are presented. These findings have been chosen to 

demonstrate the range of information available when using the IPEDS data rather than to discuss 

all of the observed differences, and they are not meant to emphasize any particular issue.

We hope that the information provided in the report will be useful to a wide range of readers. 

Further, we hope that the results reported here will encourage researchers and others to make full 

use of the IPEDS data for analysis, for comparisons of peer institutions, or to help answer 

questions about postsecondary education institutions. 

Thomas Weko 

Associate Commissioner 

Postsecondary, Adult, and Career Education Division 
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v

Acknowledgments 

The information presented in this publication was provided by either state coordinators for the 

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) or officials at individual institutions. 

In addition, these persons provided much assistance in resolving questions about their submitted 

data, which resulted in more accurate information. Their assistance was invaluable and is much 

appreciated. 

The U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and the 

Office for Civil Rights, with the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, cooperate in 

the collection of racial/ethnic and gender information from all postsecondary institutions that 

participate in the Enrollment and Completions components, and the Fall Staff section of the 

Human Resources component of the IPEDS survey. In this collaboration, data provided by 

postsecondary institutions are designated as Compliance Reports pursuant to the Civil Rights Act 

of 1964 (34 CFR 100.6(b)). 
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vii

Contents 

Page 

Foreword ....................................................................................................................................... iii

Acknowledgments ..........................................................................................................................v

List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. viii

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................1

IPEDS 2009-10 .............................................................................................................................1

Changes in Reporting Categories .................................................................................................1

Student Enrollment .......................................................................................................................2

Revenues and Expenses of Title IV Institutions ...........................................................................2

Graduation Rates...........................................................................................................................2

Graduation Rates 200....................................................................................................................3

Student Financial Aid ...................................................................................................................3

Focus of This Report.....................................................................................................................4

Selected Findings ............................................................................................................................5

Characteristics of Enrolled Students .............................................................................................5

Revenues and Expenses of Title IV Institutions ...........................................................................5

Graduation Rates...........................................................................................................................5

Student Financial Aid ...................................................................................................................6

Appendix A: Survey Methodology .......................................................................................... A-1

Overview .................................................................................................................................. A-1

Universe, Institutions Surveyed, and Response Rates............................................................. A-1

Survey Components ............................................................................................................... A-13

Changes in Reporting Categories .......................................................................................... A-15

Survey Procedures ................................................................................................................. A-16

Edit Procedures ...................................................................................................................... A-18

Imputation Procedures ........................................................................................................... A-19

Graduation Rates 200............................................................................................................. A-31

Appendix B: Glossary of IPEDS Terms...................................................................................B-1
viii

List of Tables 

Table Page

1. Enrollment at Title IV institutions, by control and level of institution, student level, 

attendance status, gender, and race/ethnicity: United States, fall 2009 ...............................7

2. Undergraduate enrollment at Title IV institutions, by first-time student status, 

attendance status, level of institution, institutional category, and control of 

institution: United States, fall 2009 .....................................................................................9

3. Enrollment in Title IV institutions, by attendance status, student age, and sector of 

institution: United States, fall 2009 ...................................................................................10

4. First-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate retention rates at Title IV 

institutions, by attendance status, level of institution, institutional category, and 

control of institution: United States, fall 2009 ...................................................................11

5. Revenues of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting 

standards utilized, and source of funds: United States, fiscal year 2009...........................12

6. Expenses of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting 

standards utilized, and type of expense: United States, fiscal year 2009 ..........................14

7. Graduation rates at Title IV institutions, by race/ethnicity, level and control of 

institution, gender, and degree at the institution where the students started as fulltime, first-time students: United States, cohort years 2003 and 2006 ...............................15

8. Graduation rates of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students at the 4-year 

Title IV institution where the students started as full-time, first-time students, by 

control of institution, gender, and time to degree after entry: United States, cohort 

year 2003 ............................................................................................................................17

9. Number and percentage of students in the full-time, first-time student cohort, 

bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort, and other than bachelor’s or 

equivalent degree-seeking subcohort at 4-year Title IV degree-granting institutions, 

by cohort year, control of institution, and institutional category: United States, 

cohort years 1997, 2000, and 2003 ....................................................................................18

10. Graduation rates of students at the Title IV institution where the students started as 

full-time, first-time students, by control of institution, level of institution, degree 

sought, degree completed, and time to degree: United States, cohort years 2001 and 

2005....................................................................................................................................20

11. Number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled 

and number and percentage of those receiving financial aid at Title IV institutions, 

by sector of institution: United States, academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09 ..................21
ix

List of Tables—Continued 

Table Page

12. Number and percentage of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduates and financial aid recipients and average amounts of financial aid 

received by full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates at 

Title IV institutions, by sector of institution and type of aid: United States, 

academic year 2008-09 ......................................................................................................22

13. Number of undergraduates enrolled, number receiving a Pell grant, percentage 

receiving a Pell grant, and average Pell grant amount at Title IV institutions, by 

control and level of institution and type of undergraduate: United States, academic 

year 2008-09 ......................................................................................................................23

14. Average academic year price of attendance before aid and average academic year 

net price of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students at Title IV 

institutions, by control of institution, level of institution, type of aid received, and 

income level: United States, academic year 2008-09 ........................................................24

A-1. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and 

number and percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices 

responding to the IPEDS spring 2010 data collection, by survey component, 

degree-granting status, and level and control of institution/office: United States and 

other jurisdictions............................................................................................................ A-3

A-1a. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and 

number and percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices 

responding to the IPEDS spring 2010 data collection, by survey component, 

degree-granting status, and level and control of institution/office: United States .......... A-6

A-2. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and 

number and percentage of Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 Enrollment component, by part, degree-granting status, and level and control 

of institution: United States and other jurisdictions ........................................................ A-9

A-2a. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and 

number and percentage of Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 Enrollment component, by part, degree-granting status, and level and control 

of institution: United States .......................................................................................... A-11

A-3. Enrollment and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution, student level, attendance status, gender, degree-granting status, and age 

of student: United States, fall 2009 ............................................................................... A-21

A-4. Entering class of undergraduate students and percentage imputed for all Title IV 

academic year institutions, by control of institution and degree-granting status: 

United States, fall 2009 ................................................................................................. A-22
x

List of Tables—Continued 

Table Page

A-5. Number and percentage of Title IV institutions with imputed 1-year retention rates 

for first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students, by control, degreegranting status, and attendance status: United States, fall 2009 ................................... A-22

A-6. Revenues and expenses and the percentages imputed for Title IV institutions, by 

control of institution and type of funds: United States, fiscal year 2009 ...................... A-24

A-7. Student graduation rate component counts and number and percentage imputed for 

all Title IV institutions, by control of institution and student level: United States, 

cohort years 2003 and 2006 .......................................................................................... A-27

A-8. Number of financial aid recipients and number and percentage imputed for all Title 

IV institutions, by type of aid and level and control of institution: United States, 

academic year 2008-09 ................................................................................................. A-30

A-9. Student graduation rate component counts and number and percentage imputed for 

all Title IV institutions, by control of institution and student level: United States, 

cohort years 2001 and 2005 .......................................................................................... A-32
1

Introduction 

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) collects institution-level data 

from postsecondary institutions in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) and 

other jurisdictions.1For IPEDS, a postsecondary institution is defined as an organization that is 

open to the public and has a primary mission of providing postsecondary education or training 

beyond the high school level. This definition includes institutions that offer academic, 

vocational, and continuing professional education programs and excludes institutions that offer 

only avocational (leisure) and adult basic education programs. IPEDS provides basic statistics on 

postsecondary institutions regarding tuition and fees, number and types of degrees and awards 

conferred, number of students enrolled, number of employees, financial statistics, graduation 

rates, and student financial aid. The Higher Education Amendments of 1992 makes the 

submission of data to IPEDS mandatory for any institution that participates or is applying to 

participate in any federal financial assistance program authorized by Title IV of the Higher 

Education Act of 1965, as amended. As a result of this mandate, IPEDS response rates are nearly 

100 percent, and the resulting database is used as the principal sampling frame for other 

postsecondary surveys.

IPEDS 2009-10

Participation in IPEDS was required for institutions and administrative offices (central or system 

offices) that participated in Title IV federal student financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants or 

Stafford Loans, during the 2009-10 academic year.2 Accordingly, 6,896 institutions and 83

administrative offices (central or system offices) in the United States and other jurisdictions were 

expected to participate in the spring 2010 collection.3See the Survey Components section of 

appendix A for further details regarding which institutions were required to complete each 

component. 

Changes in Reporting Categories 

Beginning in fall 2008, several changes began to take effect regarding reporting of data (1) by 

race/ethnicity, (2) by student level of study (undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional), and 

(3) within the Finance component. These changes are being phased in over several IPEDS 

collections. For more information regarding these changes, please see 

http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/submit_data/changes0809.asp. Data presented in this report on students 

of Two or more races are based on only those institutions that reported using the optional new 

race/ethnicity categories and are not representative of all students who could be classified into 

Two or more races. As a result, data on race/ethnicity distributions reported in this First Look

should be interpreted with caution. The percentage of institutions using new race/ethnicity 

 

1

 The other jurisdictions include American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, 

the Northern Marianas, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

2

 Institutions participating in Title IV programs are accredited by an agency or organization recognized by the 

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, have a program of more than 300 clock hours or 8 credit hours, have 

been in business for at least 2 years, and have a signed Program Participation Agreement (PPA) with the Office of 

Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education. 

3

 Ten additional institutions were not expected to participate because they closed during the 2009-10 academic year. 
2

categories varies by component. The count of institutions using the new categories is included in 

each applicable table in this report and on page A-16 of appendix A. Data on first-professional 

enrollment is no longer collected; students previously reported in the first-professional category 

are now reported under the graduate category. Revisions to the Finance component are intended 

to facilitate comparison between public and private institutions, and consist of additions to and 

deletions of the categories to which revenues and expenses are allocated. No additional sources 

of revenue or expenses are being reported, so total revenues and expenses will not be affected. 

Comparisons of race/ethnicity data, enrollment counts, and financial characteristics from prior 

IPEDS collections to the data presented in this First Look should be undertaken with caution as a 

result of these changes. Please see the Changes in Reporting Categories section of appendix A 

for details. 

Student Enrollment 

The 2010 Enrollment (EF) component collected enrollment data for fall 2009. The EF 

component was required of 6,8834Title IV institutions in the United States and other 

jurisdictions, and 6,876, or 99.9 percent, responded. Of the institutions in the United States 

(excluding any other jurisdictions), 6,730 were required to complete this component and 6,724, 

or 99.9 percent, responded. 

Revenues and Expenses of Title IV Institutions 

The 2010 Finance (F) component collected financial statistics for fiscal year 2009. This 

component was required of 6,8755institutions and 83 administrative offices in the United States 

and other jurisdictions, and 6,944, or 99.8 percent of the 6,958 Title IV entities, responded. Of 

the institutions and administrative offices in the United States (excluding any other jurisdictions), 

6,802 were required to complete this component and 6,789, or 99.8 percent, responded.

The Finance component is designed to follow the format of institutional financial statements 

suggested by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the Governmental 

Accounting Standards Board (GASB). Most public institutions follow GASB, so the figures in 

this report for public institutions represent those following GASB standards.6 Aggregate totals 

for public institutions using FASB standards are included in the footnotes of tables displaying 

Finance data. All private institutions use FASB standards. 

Graduation Rates 

The 2010 Graduation Rates (GRS) component collected counts of full-time, first-time7

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students beginning college in the reference period, and 

their completion status as of August 31, 2009 (150 percent of normal program completion time) 

at the same institution where the students started. Four-year institutions use cohort year 2003 as 

the reference period, while less-than-4-year institutions use cohort year 2006 as the reference 

 

4

 Of the 6,888 institutions eligible for at least one component of the spring data collection, 5 were not eligible for the 

Enrollment component because they closed. 

5

 Of the 6,888 institutions eligible for at least one component of the spring data collection, 13 were not eligible for 

the Finance component because they were not in operation during fiscal year 2009. 

6

 Ninety-nine percent of public institutions used GASB, and 1 percent used FASB. 

7 Throughout this publication, the term “first-time” refers to students who have not attended any institution 

previously. See the glossary for further definition of a first-time student. 
3

period. For 4-year institutions operating on standard academic terms (semester, trimester, 

quarter), students beginning in cohort year 2003 are those who first attended college in the fall of 

the 2003-04 academic year. For 4-year institutions operating on other than standard academic 

terms, students beginning in cohort year 2003 are those who first attended college between 

September 1, 2003, and August 31, 2004. Similarly, for less-than-4-year institutions operating on 

standard academic terms, students beginning in cohort year 2006 are those who first attended 

college in the fall of the 2006-07 academic year. For less-than-4-year institutions operating on 

other than standard academic terms, students beginning in cohort year 2006 are those who first 

attended college between September 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007. The GRS component was 

required of all Title IV institutions that had full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students in the reference period. For this collection, 6,093 institutions in the 

United States and other jurisdictions were required to respond; of these, 6,081, or 99.8 percent, 

responded. Of the institutions in the United States (excluding any other jurisdictions), 5,949 were 

required to complete this component and 5,938, or 99.8 percent, responded.

Graduation Rates 200 

The 2010 Graduation Rates 200 (GR200) component collected counts of full-time, first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students beginning college in the reference period, and 

their completion status as of August 31, 2009 (200 percent of normal program completion time) 

at the same institution where the students started. Four-year institutions report on bachelor’s or 

equivalent degree seeking students and use cohort year 2001 as the reference period, while lessthan-4-year institutions use cohort year 2005 as the reference period and report on all students in 

the cohort. For 4-year institutions operating on standard academic terms, students beginning in 

cohort year 2001 are those who first attended college in the fall of the 2001-02 academic year. 

For 4-year institutions operating on other than standard academic terms, students beginning in 

cohort year 2001 are those who first attended college between September 1, 2001, and August 

31, 2002. Similarly, for less-than-4-year institutions operating on standard academic terms, 

students beginning in cohort year 2005 are those who first attended college in the fall of the 

2005-06 academic year. For less-than-4-year institutions operating on other than standard 

academic terms, students beginning in cohort year 2005 are those who first attended college 

between September 1, 2005, and August 31, 2006. The GR200 component was required of all 

Title IV institutions that had full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate 

students in the reference period. For this collection, 5,638 institutions in the United States and 

other jurisdictions were required to respond; of these, 5,626, or 99.8 percent, responded. Of the 

institutions in the United States (excluding any other jurisdictions), 5,505 were required to 

complete this component and 5,494, or 99.8 percent, responded. 

Student Financial Aid 

The 2010 Student Financial Aid (SFA) component collected data on the number of full-time, 

first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate financial aid recipients for the 2008-09

academic year. The SFA component was required of all Title IV institutions that had 

undergraduate students. As a result, for this collection, 6,565 institutions in the United States and 

other jurisdictions were required to complete the SFA component. Of these, 6,547, or 99.7

percent, responded. Of the institutions in the United States (excluding any other jurisdictions), 

6,417 were required to complete this component and 6,400, or 99.7 percent, responded.
4

See the Survey Components section of appendix A for further details regarding which 

institutions were required to complete each component. In addition, a response and applicability 

indicator variable for each component is available for each institution in the data available for 

download from the IPEDS Data Center. 

Focus of This Report 

Tabulations in this report present selected data items collected from the 6,735 Title IV 

institutions in the United States (excluding those in other jurisdictions) that were required to 

respond to one or more components of the spring 2010 collection. In addition, 80 administrative 

offices in the United States were required to complete the Finance component and are included 

in the Finance tabulations. Additional detailed information is available through the various 

IPEDS web tools, such as the IPEDS Data Center. Information regarding IPEDS survey 

procedures and response rates is provided in appendix A. Detailed definitions of terms used in 

this report are provided in appendix B. 

Table 9 in this First Look displays trends over time. The time points displayed were chosen to 

demonstrate the range of data available from IPEDS for trend analysis, not to emphasize any 

particular period of change.
5

Selected Findings

Characteristics of Enrolled Students 

 In fall 2009, Title IV institutions in the United States enrolled a total of 21 million 

undergraduate and graduate students; 62 percent were enrolled in 4-year institutions, 37 

percent were enrolled in 2-year institutions, and 2 percent were enrolled in less-than-2-year 

institutions (table 1). 

 Overall, 15 percent of undergraduates were first-time students enrolled full-time (table 2). An 

additional 4 percent of undergraduates were first-time students enrolled part-time; 49 percent 

were other than first-time students enrolled full-time; and 32 percent were other than firsttime students enrolled part-time. 

 Among 9.3 million 18- to 24 year-olds enrolled full-time, 49 percent were enrolled at public 

4-year institutions, 22 percent at public 2-year institutions, 22 percent at private not-for-profit 

4-year institutions, and the remaining 7 percent were enrolled across the other sectors (table 

3). The distribution across sectors changes when considering the 2.6 million 18- to 24 yearolds enrolled part-time; 24 percent were enrolled at public 4-year institutions, 65 percent at 

public 2-year institutions, 6 percent at private not-for-profit 4-year institutions, and the 

remaining 5 percent were enrolled across the other sectors. 

 Overall, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate first-year retention rates were 

higher for students attending full-time (72 percent) than for students attending part-time (42

percent) (table 4). 

Revenues and Expenses of Title IV Institutions 

 Four-year public institutions received 20 percent of their revenues from tuition and fees, 

compared to 78 percent at private not-for-profit institutions, and 88 percent at private forprofit institutions (table 5). 

 At public 4-year institutions, 27 percent of expenses were for instruction, compared to 40 

percent of expenses at public 2-year institutions and 55 percent of expenses at public lessthan-2-year institutions (table 6). 

Graduation Rates 

 Approximately 57 percent of full-time, first-time bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seekers in 

2003 attending 4-year institutions completed a bachelor’s or equivalent degree at the 

institution where they began their studies within 6 years (table 7).

 Institutional graduation rates of full-time, first-time bachelor’s or equivalent-seeking students 

attending 4-year institutions in 2003 were higher at private not-for-profit institutions than at 

public or private for-profit institutions (table 8). For example, the 4-year graduation rate of 

all bachelor’s-seeking students was 51 percent at private not-for-profit institutions, 31 

percent at public institutions, and 13 percent at private, for-profit institutions. 

 The proportion of the total cohort made up of bachelors or equivalent degree-seeking 

students at 4-year institutions varied by control of institution. For example, 92 percent of 
6

those attending public institutions in 2003 were seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree, as 

were 94 percent of those attending private not-for-profit institutions and 45 percent of those 

attending private for-profit institutions (table 9). 

 Institutional graduation rates of students at 2-year institutions who were full-time, first-time 

students in 2005 doubled from 18 percent to 37 percent when the time students were tracked 

was extended from within 100 percent of normal time to program completion to within 200 

percent of normal time (table 10). At less-than-2-year institutions, graduation rates increased 

from 44 percent (at 100 percent of normal completion time) to 71 percent (at 200 percent of 

normal program completion time). 

Student Financial Aid 

 During the 2008-09 academic year, institutions reported that 79 percent of the 3.1 million 

full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates attending Title IV institutions 

located in the United States received financial aid (table 11). 

 Proportions of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates reported by 

institutions to be receiving aid in academic year 2008-09 varied by institution sector: 79 

percent of those attending public 4-year institutions; 87 percent of those attending private 

not-for-profit 4-year institutions; and 86 percent of those attending private for-profit 4-year 

institutions received some type of financial aid (table 11). 

 Institutions reported that approximately 51 percent of full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students borrowed through an education loan program during the 

2008-09 academic year (table 12). Borrowing varied by institution sector: 47 percent of those 

attending public 4-year institutions; 61 percent of those attending private not-for-profit 4-

year institutions; and 81 percent of those attending private for-profit 4-year institutions 

borrowed through an education loan program during the 2008-09 academic year. 

 Proportions of undergraduates reported by institutions to be receiving Pell Grants varied by 

institution sector: 26 percent of those attending public 4-year institutions; 24 percent of those 

attending private not-for-profit 4-year institutions; and 43 percent of those attending private 

for-profit 4-year institutions received a Pell Grant (table 13). Likewise, proportions of 

undergraduates reported by institutions to be receiving Pell Grants varied by type of 

undergraduate: 40 percent of full-time, first-time undergraduates and 26 percent of other 

undergraduates received a Pell Grant. 

 Differences in average price of attendance before aid and average net price of attendance8

after grant aid varied by institution sector for full-time, first-time undergraduate students 

receiving any grant aid. For those attending public 4-year institutions, average price before 

aid was $16,271 and average net price was $10,747; for those attending private not-for-profit 

4-year institutions, average price before aid was $31,401 and average net price was $19,009; 

and for those attending private for-profit 4-year institutions, average price before aid was 

$26,976 and average net price was $23,057 (table 14). 

 

8 Net price of attendance is calculated as the institution’s price of attendance before aid minus the average grant aid 

received by the students whose net price is being described. The calculation of net price of attendance does not 

include loan aid. 
7

Table 1. Enrollment at Title IV institutions, by control and level of institution, student level, attendance 

status, gender, and race/ethnicity: United States, fall 2009

Level of institution, student level, 

attendance status, gender, and 

race/ethnicity

Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Total students 20,966,826 100.0 14,936,382 100.0 3,791,418 100.0 2,239,026 100.0

4-year 12,906,743 61.6 7,709,240 51.6 3,730,666 98.4 1,466,837 65.5

Undergraduate 10,044,034 47.9 6,285,149 42.1 2,558,713 67.5 1,200,172 53.6

Full time 7,894,895 37.7 4,904,272 32.8 2,119,990 55.9 870,633 38.9

Part time 2,149,139 10.3 1,380,877 9.2 438,723 11.6 329,539 14.7

Men 4,398,939 21.0 2,867,053 19.2 1,090,851 28.8 441,035 19.7

Women 5,645,095 26.9 3,418,096 22.9 1,467,862 38.7 759,137 33.9

American Indian or Alaska Native 90,160 0.4 62,676 0.4 17,354 0.5 10,130 0.5

Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific 

Islander 582,604 2.8 420,373 2.8 133,286 3.5 28,945 1.3

Black or African American 1,271,636 6.1 726,377 4.9 294,799 7.8 250,460 11.2

Hispanic or Latino 949,304 4.5 664,245 4.4 171,152 4.5 113,907 5.1

White 5,928,302 28.3 3,889,351 26.0 1,589,786 41.9 449,165 20.1

Two or more races140,759 0.2 26,812 0.2 8,270 0.2 5,677 0.3

Race/ethnicity unknown 907,005 4.3 329,786 2.2 250,063 6.6 327,156 14.6

Nonresident alien 274,264 1.3 165,529 1.1 94,003 2.5 14,732 0.7

Graduate 2,862,709 13.7 1,424,091 9.5 1,171,953 30.9 266,665 11.9

Full time 1,579,602 7.5 745,484 5.0 663,522 17.5 170,596 7.6

Part time 1,283,107 6.1 678,607 4.5 508,431 13.4 96,069 4.3

Men 1,174,107 5.6 592,286 4.0 495,034 13.1 86,787 3.9

Women 1,688,602 8.1 831,805 5.6 676,919 17.9 179,878 8.0

American Indian or Alaska Native 16,356 0.1 9,705 0.1 4,858 0.1 1,793 0.1

Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific 

Islander 168,242 0.8 80,649 0.5 77,382 2.0 10,211 0.5

Black or African American 296,751 1.4 123,719 0.8 104,864 2.8 68,168 3.0

Hispanic or Latino 159,616 0.8 84,429 0.6 61,125 1.6 14,062 0.6

White 1,587,912 7.6 847,564 5.7 640,418 16.9 99,930 4.5

Two or more races15,811 # 2,712 # 2,567 0.1 532 #

Race/ethnicity unknown 322,466 1.5 97,321 0.7 161,606 4.3 63,539 2.8

Nonresident alien 305,555 1.5 177,992 1.2 119,133 3.1 8,430 0.4

2-year27,674,744 36.6 7,160,665 47.9 46,579 1.2 467,500 20.9

Full time 3,372,543 16.1 2,918,050 19.5 33,483 0.9 421,010 18.8

Part time 4,302,201 20.5 4,242,615 28.4 13,096 0.3 46,490 2.1

Men 3,271,579 15.6 3,082,714 20.6 15,157 0.4 173,708 7.8

Women 4,403,165 21.0 4,077,951 27.3 31,422 0.8 293,792 13.1

American Indian or Alaska Native 85,651 0.4 80,555 0.5 1,415 # 3,681 0.2

Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific 

Islander 444,999 2.1 427,096 2.9 2,150 0.1 15,753 0.7

Black or African American 1,090,172 5.2 973,438 6.5 8,357 0.2 108,377 4.8

Hispanic or Latino 1,200,618 5.7 1,109,397 7.4 3,585 0.1 87,636 3.9

White 4,097,963 19.5 3,878,491 26.0 26,495 0.7 192,977 8.6

Two or more races141,008 0.2 35,808 0.2 195 # 5,005 0.2

Race/ethnicity unknown 614,993 2.9 559,894 3.7 3,206 0.1 51,893 2.3

Nonresident alien 99,340 0.5 95,986 0.6 1,176 # 2,178 0.1

See notes at end of table. 
8

Table 1. Enrollment at Title IV institutions, by control and level of institution, student level, attendance 

status, gender, and race/ethnicity: United States, fall 2009—Continued

Level of institution, student level, 

attendance status, gender, and 

race/ethnicity

Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Less-than-2-year 385,339 1.8 66,477 0.4 14,173 0.4 304,689 13.6

Full time 316,180 1.5 40,507 0.3 11,723 0.3 263,950 11.8

Part time 69,159 0.3 25,970 0.2 2,450 0.1 40,739 1.8

Men 107,952 0.5 28,461 0.2 5,418 0.1 74,073 3.3

Women 277,387 1.3 38,016 0.3 8,755 0.2 230,616 10.3

American Indian or Alaska Native 4,384 # 2,228 # 116 # 2,040 0.1

Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific 

Islander 13,938 0.1 2,231 # 1,001 # 10,706 0.5

Black or African American 94,105 0.4 9,660 0.1 3,630 0.1 80,815 3.6

Hispanic or Latino 94,925 0.5 16,246 0.1 5,070 0.1 73,609 3.3

White 146,237 0.7 34,381 0.2 3,891 0.1 107,965 4.8

Two or more races11,978 # 169 # 28 # 1,781 0.1

Race/ethnicity unknown 27,319 0.1 1,446 # 336 # 25,537 1.1

Nonresident alien 2,453 # 116 # 101 # 2,236 0.1

# Rounds to zero.

1

Two or more races was an optional reporting category in IPEDS 2009-10, and a total of 1,931 institutions reported an enrollment of 

89,556 students of Two or more races (0.4 percent of the 20,966,826 total students) using this option. The figures reported here 

should not be considered representative of the total number of individuals who could be classified into Two or more races. 

2

Includes one student enrolled in graduate-level courses at one 2-year institution.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Percentages in the columns of this table use the corresponding count in 

the ‘Total students’ row as the denominator.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Enrollment component.
9

Table 2. Undergraduate enrollment at Title IV institutions, by first-time student status, attendance status, level of 

institution, institutional category, and control of institution: United States, fall 2009

Level of institution, institutional 

category, and control

All students First-time students Other than first-time students

Total Percent Full-time Percent Part-time Percent Full-time Percent Part-time Percent

All institutions 18,104,116 100.0 2,766,099 15.3 657,781 3.6 8,817,519 48.7 5,862,717 32.4

4-year 10,044,034 100.0 1,670,801 16.6 133,274 1.3 6,224,094 62.0 2,015,865 20.1

Public 6,285,149 100.0 1,019,228 16.2 71,541 1.1 3,885,044 61.8 1,309,336 20.8

Private not-for-profit 2,558,713 100.0 491,139 19.2 14,028 0.5 1,628,851 63.7 424,695 16.6

Private for-profit 1,200,172 100.0 160,434 13.4 47,705 4.0 710,199 59.2 281,834 23.5

2-year 7,674,743 100.0 959,210 12.5 499,497 6.5 2,413,333 31.4 3,802,703 49.5

Public 7,160,664 100.0 812,064 11.3 488,151 6.8 2,105,986 29.4 3,754,463 52.4

Private not-for-profit 46,579 100.0 10,839 23.3 1,216 2.6 22,644 48.6 11,880 25.5

Private for-profit 467,500 100.0 136,307 29.2 10,130 2.2 284,703 60.9 36,360 7.8

Less-than-2-year 385,339 100.0 136,088 35.3 25,010 6.5 180,092 46.7 44,149 11.5

Public 66,477 100.0 17,242 25.9 8,150 12.3 23,265 35.0 17,820 26.8

Private not-for-profit 14,173 100.0 4,925 34.7 780 5.5 6,798 48.0 1,670 11.8

Private for-profit 304,689 100.0 113,921 37.4 16,080 5.3 150,029 49.2 24,659 8.1

Degree-granting, graduate 

with no undergraduate 

degrees 1,198 100.0 253 21.1 14 1.2 882 73.6 49 4.1

Public 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 †

Private not-for-profit 1,198 100.0 253 21.1 14 1.2 882 73.6 49 4.1

Private for-profit 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 †

Degree-granting, primarily 

baccalaureate or above 8,888,520 100.0 1,495,989 16.8 73,622 0.8 5,762,021 64.8 1,556,888 17.5

Public 5,642,583 100.0 938,264 16.6 32,859 0.6 3,674,321 65.1 997,139 17.7

Private not-for-profit 2,423,996 100.0 471,080 19.4 11,316 0.5 1,577,019 65.1 364,581 15.0

Private for-profit 821,941 100.0 86,645 10.5 29,447 3.6 510,681 62.1 195,168 23.7

Degree-granting, not primarily 

baccalaureate or above 1,130,281 100.0 171,628 15.2 57,745 5.1 454,149 40.2 446,759 39.5

Public 618,784 100.0 78,075 12.6 36,789 5.9 203,892 33.0 300,028 48.5

Private not-for-profit 133,400 100.0 19,784 14.8 2,698 2.0 50,853 38.1 60,065 45.0

Private for-profit 378,097 100.0 73,769 19.5 18,258 4.8 199,404 52.7 86,666 22.9

Degree-granting, associate's 

and certificates 7,545,321 100.0 918,970 12.2 492,016 6.5 2,339,607 31.0 3,794,728 50.3

Public 7,125,226 100.0 797,767 11.2 482,645 6.8 2,092,584 29.4 3,752,230 52.7

Private not-for-profit 34,767 100.0 8,885 25.6 977 2.8 14,598 42.0 10,307 29.6

Private for-profit 385,328 100.0 112,318 29.1 8,394 2.2 232,425 60.3 32,191 8.4

Non-degree-granting, above 

the baccalaureate 119 100.0 22 18.5 0 0.0 97 81.5 0 0.0

Public 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 †

Private not-for-profit 119 100.0 22 18.5 0 0.0 97 81.5 0 0.0

Private for-profit 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 † 0 †

Non-degree-granting, subbaccalaureate 538,677 100.0 179,237 33.3 34,384 6.4 260,763 48.4 64,293 11.9

Public 125,697 100.0 34,428 27.4 15,549 12.4 43,498 34.6 32,222 25.6

Private not-for-profit 25,985 100.0 6,879 26.5 1,019 3.9 14,844 57.1 3,243 12.5

Private for-profit 386,995 100.0 137,930 35.6 17,816 4.6 202,421 52.3 28,828 7.4

† Not applicable.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Percentages in the rows of this table use the corresponding count in the ‘All students’ 

column as the denominator.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 

Spring 2010, Enrollment component.
10

Table 3. Enrollment in Title IV institutions, by attendance status, student age, and sector of institution: 

United States, fall 2009

Student age and sector of institution

Total students Full-time Part-time

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Total students 20,966,826 100.0 13,163,220 100.0 7,803,606 100.0

Under 18 775,037 100.0 183,327 100.0 591,710 100.0

Public 4-year 183,963 23.7 68,954 37.6 115,009 19.4

Public 2-year 507,742 65.5 73,583 40.1 434,159 73.4

Public less-than-2-year 6,199 0.8 620 0.3 5,579 0.9

Private not-for-profit 4-year 65,185 8.4 31,142 17.0 34,043 5.8

Private not-for-profit 2-year 994 0.1 315 0.2 679 0.1

Private not-for-profit less-than-2-year 217 # 132 0.1 85 #

Private for-profit 4-year 3,267 0.4 2,248 1.2 1,019 0.2

Private for-profit 2-year 3,259 0.4 2,979 1.6 280 #

Private for-profit less-than-2-year 4,211 0.5 3,354 1.8 857 0.1

18-24 11,867,176 100.0 9,300,763 100.0 2,566,413 100.0

Public 4-year 5,148,882 43.4 4,534,695 48.8 614,187 23.9

Public 2-year 3,752,821 31.6 2,078,856 22.4 1,673,965 65.2

Public less-than-2-year 23,225 0.2 14,907 0.2 8,318 0.3

Private not-for-profit 4-year 2,174,611 18.3 2,024,572 21.8 150,039 5.8

Private not-for-profit 2-year 23,726 0.2 19,744 0.2 3,982 0.2

Private not-for-profit less-than-2-year 4,786 # 4,098 # 688 #

Private for-profit 4-year 367,824 3.1 285,914 3.1 81,910 3.2

Private for-profit 2-year 227,539 1.9 210,404 2.3 17,135 0.7

Private for-profit less-than-2-year 143,762 1.2 127,573 1.4 16,189 0.6

25-39 5,919,985 100.0 2,874,887 100.0 3,045,098 100.0

Public 4-year 1,831,883 30.9 906,657 31.5 925,226 30.4

Public 2-year11,934,696 32.7 572,278 19.9 1,362,418 44.7

Public less-than-2-year 23,358 0.4 16,630 0.6 6,728 0.2

Private not-for-profit 4-year 1,057,429 17.9 580,251 20.2 477,178 15.7

Private not-for-profit 2-year 15,920 0.3 10,105 0.4 5,815 0.2

Private not-for-profit less-than-2-year 5,914 0.1 4,933 0.2 981 #

Private for-profit 4-year 758,587 12.8 530,036 18.4 228,551 7.5

Private for-profit 2-year 176,333 3.0 155,830 5.4 20,503 0.7

Private for-profit less-than-2-year 115,865 2.0 98,167 3.4 17,698 0.6

40 and over 2,322,863 100.0 769,660 100.0 1,553,203 100.0

Public 4-year 535,446 23.1 135,728 17.6 399,718 25.7

Public 2-year 946,031 40.7 188,741 24.5 757,290 48.8

Public less-than-2-year 12,074 0.5 7,642 1.0 4,432 0.3

Private not-for-profit 4-year 399,559 17.2 136,345 17.7 263,214 16.9

Private not-for-profit 2-year 5,723 0.2 3,168 0.4 2,555 0.2

Private not-for-profit less-than-2-year 3,137 0.1 2,443 0.3 694 #

Private for-profit 4-year 330,890 14.2 219,178 28.5 111,712 7.2

Private for-profit 2-year 54,923 2.4 46,837 6.1 8,086 0.5

Private for-profit less-than-2-year 35,080 1.5 29,578 3.8 5,502 0.4

Age unknown 81,765 100.0 34,583 100.0 47,182 100.0

Public 4-year 9,066 11.1 3,722 10.8 5,344 11.3

Public 2-year 19,375 23.7 4,592 13.3 14,783 31.3

Public less-than-2-year 1,621 2.0 708 2.0 913 1.9

Private not-for-profit 4-year 33,882 41.4 11,202 32.4 22,680 48.1

Private not-for-profit 2-year 216 0.3 151 0.4 65 0.1

Private not-for-profit less-than-2-year 119 0.1 117 0.3 2 #

Private for-profit 4-year 6,269 7.7 3,853 11.1 2,416 5.1

Private for-profit 2-year 5,446 6.7 4,960 14.3 486 1.0

Private for-profit less-than-2-year 5,771 7.1 5,278 15.3 493 1.0

# Rounds to zero.

1

Includes one student enrolled in graduate-level courses at one institution.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Percentages in the columns of this table use the corresponding count in the 

appropriate student age subtotal row as the denominator.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

(IPEDS), Spring 2010, Enrollment component.
11

Table 4. First-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate retention rates at Title IV 

institutions, by attendance status, level of institution, institutional category, and control 

of institution: United States, fall 2009

Level of institution, institutional 

category, and control

Full-time 

adjusted 

cohort, 

fall 2008

Still enrolled

fall 2009

Full-time 

retention rate

(%)

Part-time 

adjusted 

cohort, 

fall 2008

Still enrolled

fall 2009

Part-time 

retention rate

(%)

All institutions 2,438,579 1,752,561 71.9 553,658 235,283 42.5

4-year 1,512,005 1,176,994 77.8 97,051 45,678 47.1

Public 973,089 765,163 78.6 63,932 31,910 49.9

Private not-for-profit 468,249 373,373 79.7 9,883 4,772 48.3

Private for-profit 70,667 38,458 54.4 23,236 8,996 38.7

2-year 826,354 501,171 60.6 432,391 171,718 39.7

Public 697,721 412,751 59.2 420,794 165,108 39.2

Private not-for-profit 9,833 5,982 60.8 1,571 877 55.8

Private for-profit 118,800 82,438 69.4 10,026 5,733 57.2

Less-than-2-year 100,220 74,396 74.2 24,216 17,887 73.9

Public 15,290 11,809 77.2 9,094 6,949 76.4

Private not-for-profit 7,145 5,728 80.2 1,046 862 82.4

Private for-profit 77,785 56,859 73.1 14,076 10,076 71.6

Degree-granting, graduate with no 

undergraduate degrees 243 220 90.5 8 5 62.5

Public 0 † † 0 † †

Private not-for-profit 243 220 90.5 8 5 62.5

Private for-profit 0 † † 0 † †

Degree-granting, primarily 

baccalaureate or above 1,412,042 1,117,162 79.1 55,461 25,983 46.8

Public 917,538 729,594 79.5 29,441 15,417 52.4

Private not-for-profit 459,931 368,069 80.0 9,174 4,366 47.6

Private for-profit 34,573 19,499 56.4 16,846 6,200 36.8

Degree-granting, not primarily 

baccalaureate or above 93,988 56,541 60.2 31,892 15,379 48.2

Public 49,856 32,524 65.2 24,801 12,182 49.1

Private not-for-profit 8,046 5,063 62.9 701 401 57.2

Private for-profit 36,086 18,954 52.5 6,390 2,796 43.8

Degree-granting, associate's and 

certificates 790,032 473,275 59.9 432,258 169,469 39.2

Public 687,385 405,062 58.9 423,000 164,626 38.9

Private not-for-profit 7,933 4,759 60.0 1,330 705 53.0

Private for-profit 94,714 63,454 67.0 7,928 4,138 52.2

Non-degree-granting, above the 

baccalaureate 29 21 72.4 0 † †

Public 0 † † 0 † †

Private not-for-profit 29 21 72.4 0 † †

Private for-profit 0 † † 0 † †

Non-degree-granting, subbaccalaureate 142,245 105,342 74.1 34,039 24,447 71.8

Public 31,321 22,543 72.0 16,578 11,742 70.8

Private not-for-profit 9,045 6,951 76.8 1,287 1,034 80.3

Private for-profit 101,879 75,848 74.4 16,174 11,671 72.2

† Not applicable.

NOTE: For 4-year institutions, retention rate is the percentage of first-time bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking 

undergraduates from the previous fall who are again enrolled in the current fall. For all other institutions, retention rate is the 

percentage of first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the previous fall who either re-enrolled or successfully 

completed their program by the current fall. Attendance status (full- or part-time) was determined in fall 2008.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Enrollment component.
12

Table 5. Revenues of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting standards 

utilized, and source of funds: United States, fiscal year 2009

Source of funds

4-year 2-year Less-than-2-year

Revenues

(in thousands) Percent

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent

Public institutions using GASB standards1

Total revenues and other sources $209,210,654 100.0 $51,624,874 100.0 $691,145 100.0

Operating revenues 136,240,127 65.1 15,758,431 30.5 300,902 43.5

Tuition and fees (net of allowances and 

discounts) 41,013,004 19.6 8,438,517 16.3 138,513 20.0

Grants and contracts 37,318,508 17.8 4,456,899 8.6 125,254 18.1

Federal (excludes FDSL loans) 23,066,318 11.0 1,933,218 3.7 33,129 4.8

State 5,226,855 2.5 1,921,640 3.7 53,029 7.7

Local 9,025,335 4.3 602,042 1.2 39,096 5.7

Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises after 

deducting discounts and allowances 18,741,573 9.0 1,965,459 3.8 0 0.0

Sales and services of hospitals 25,274,181 12.1 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations 1,014,727 0.5 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other operating revenues212,878,134 6.2 897,556 1.7 37,136 5.4

Nonoperating revenues 59,623,058 28.5 33,064,312 64.0 370,381 53.6

Federal appropriations 1,912,583 0.9 87,445 0.2 2,611 0.4

State appropriations 50,062,161 23.9 14,836,329 28.7 177,852 25.7

Local appropriations 484,689 0.2 9,458,674 18.3 112,429 16.3

Nonoperating grants 8,286,846 4.0 7,537,384 14.6 61,807 8.9

Federal 6,425,434 3.1 6,396,444 12.4 55,981 8.1

State 1,729,985 0.8 1,006,432 1.9 3,984 0.6

Local 131,427 0.1 134,508 0.3 1,842 0.3

Gifts 5,049,570 2.4 258,947 0.5 3,132 0.5

Investment income -8,774,562 † 474,050 0.9 2,822 0.4

Other nonoperating revenues 2,601,770 1.2 411,483 0.8 9,728 1.4

Total other revenues and additions313,347,46946.4 2,802,13155.4 19,861 2.9

Capital appropriations 4,987,773 2.4 2,050,885 4.0 — —

Capital grants and gifts 2,554,107 1.2 384,498 0.7 — —

Additions to permanent endowments 830,264 0.4 13,263 # — —

Other revenues and additions 4,975,326 2.4 342,236 0.7 — —

Private not-for-profit institutions (FASB standards)

Total revenues and investment return $68,608,216 100.0 $559,369 100.0 $132,088 100.0

Tuition and fees 53,411,156 77.8 361,961 64.7 97,807 74.0

Government appropriations 1,016,643 1.5 22,176 4.0 750 0.6

Federal 497,337 0.7 14,002 2.5 0 0.0

State 516,460 0.8 7,735 1.4 750 0.6

Local 2,846 # 439 0.1 0 0.0

Government grants and contracts 16,929,714 24.7 86,699 15.5 37,726 28.6

Federal 15,078,087 22.0 66,919 12.0 26,810 20.3

State 1,280,237 1.9 19,018 3.4 9,335 7.1

Local 571,389 0.8 762 0.1 1,581 1.2

Private gifts, grants, and contracts 16,359,876 23.8 34,882 6.2 6,478 4.9

Contributions from affiliated entities 1,267,840 1.8 29,592 5.3 597 0.5

Investment return -64,200,292 † -32,372 † -21,675 †

Sales and services of educational activities 4,786,214 7.0 7,572 1.4 10,140 7.7

Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises 13,522,267 19.7 36,816 6.6 0 0.0

Hospital revenue 14,802,999 21.6 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations revenue 5,399,557 7.9 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other revenue 5,312,242 7.7 12,043 2.2 264 0.2

See notes at end of table. 
13

Table 5. Revenues of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting standards 

utilized, and source of funds: United States, fiscal year 2009—Continued

Source of funds

4-year 2-year Less-than-2-year

Revenues

(in thousands) Percent

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent

Private for-profit institutions (FASB standards)

Total revenues and investment return $14,766,434 100.0 $5,543,906 100.0 $3,094,809 100.0

Tuition and fees 12,955,013 87.7 4,532,274 81.8 2,534,731 81.9

Government appropriations, grants, and contracts 977,524 6.6 659,899 11.9 279,862 9.0

Federal 897,503 6.1 605,506 10.9 264,912 8.6

State and local 80,021 0.5 54,393 1.0 14,950 0.5

Private grants and contracts 71,601 0.5 9,227 0.2 4,469 0.1

Investment income and investment gains (losses) 35,464 0.2 4,418 0.1 8,150 0.3

Sales and services of educational activities 327,513 2.2 95,730 1.7 177,039 5.7

Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises 297,764 2.0 97,964 1.8 0 0.0

Other revenue 101,555 0.7 144,394 2.6 90,558 2.9

† Not applicable. Percentages are not calculated for negative revenues (losses).

— Not available. Non-degree-granting institutions report the total other revenues and additions, but not the details.

# Rounds to zero.

1

In addition to the public institutions using Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards, 24 public Title IV institutions 

not displayed in this table reported $7.3 billion in revenue and investment return using Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) 

standards.

2

A total of 854 institutions reported finance data for fiscal year 2009 using the optional aligned GASB form. The aligned form added 

the Sales and services of educational activities operating revenue category, allowing public institutions to separate this revenue from 

other operating revenues. Of the 854 institutions utilizing the aligned form, 369 institutions reported a total of $1.78 billion in the Sales 

and services of educational activities category. This $1.78 billion is reported here for consistency with public institutions not using the 

aligned form.

3Non-degree-granting institutions report the total other revenues and additions, but not the details. As a result, the details will not sum 

to the total.

4No public 4-year non-degree-granting institutions reported revenue in the Other revenues and additions category, hence the details 

for public 4-year institutions are all included in the total.

5

Includes $11.2 million reported by non-degree-granting institutions that is not included in the details.

NOTE: Due to differences between GASB standards and FASB standards, figures from public institutions are not comparable to 

figures from private institutions, even in categories with identical labels. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Percentages in the columns of this table use the corresponding dollar amount in the appropriate total row of each section as the 

denominator.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

(IPEDS), Spring 2010, Finance component.
14

Table 6. Expenses of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting standards 

utilized, and type of expense: United States, fiscal year 2009

Type of expense

4-year 2-year Less-than-2-year

Expenses

(in thousands) Percent

Expenses

(in thousands) Percent

Expenses

(in thousands) Percent

Public institutions using GASB standards1

Total expenses $217,117,141 100.0 $48,325,706 100.0 $573,164 100.0

Instruction 58,029,359 26.7 19,102,738 39.5 314,408 54.9

Research 26,359,220 12.1 22,542 # 0 0.0

Public service 10,635,258 4.9 795,081 1.6 1,167 0.2

Academic support 15,756,932 7.3 3,732,934 7.7 48,965 8.5

Student services 8,819,672 4.1 4,604,132 9.5 42,560 7.4

Institutional support 17,303,455 8.0 7,136,328 14.8 90,788 15.8

Operation and maintenance of plant 8,892,226 4.1 2,661,043 5.5 0 0.0

Depreciation26,620,637 3.0 1,213,468 2.5 0 0.0

Scholarships and fellowships (excluding 

discounts and allowances) 7,142,022 3.3 3,979,277 8.2 10,092 1.8

Auxiliary enterprises 19,092,953 8.8 2,397,789 5.0 0 0.0

Hospital services 24,440,745 11.3 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations 1,194,098 0.5 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other expenses and deductions 12,830,563 5.9 2,680,374 5.5 65,186 11.4

Private not-for-profit institutions (FASB standards)

Total expenses $140,922,980 100.0 $830,053 100.0 $198,463 100.0

Instruction 46,302,124 32.9 259,343 31.2 85,710 43.2

Research 15,262,603 10.8 381 # 2,381 1.2

Public service 2,342,045 1.7 3,651 0.4 2,006 1.0

Academic support 12,538,860 8.9 52,111 6.3 11,608 5.8

Student services 10,943,871 7.8 77,721 9.4 13,364 6.7

Institutional support 19,265,256 13.7 342,327 41.2 72,704 36.6

Auxiliary enterprises 13,670,550 9.7 37,372 4.5 0 0.0

Net grant aid to students 750,842 0.5 7,645 0.9 358 0.2

Hospital services 11,930,840 8.5 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations 5,158,480 3.7 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other expenses 2,757,510 2.0 49,503 6.0 10,333 5.2

Private for-profit institutions (FASB standards)

Total expenses $12,399,655 100.0 $4,805,424 100.0 $2,630,814 100.0

Instruction 2,580,339 20.8 1,583,200 32.9 1,052,859 40.0

Research and public service 7,629 0.1 3,686 0.1 8,196 0.3

Academic support, student services, and 

institutional support 8,832,401 71.2 2,625,984 54.6 1,175,242 44.7

Auxiliary enterprises 276,200 2.2 120,504 2.5 0 0.0

Net grant aid to students 33,417 0.3 14,053 0.3 5,134 0.2

Other expenses 669,669 5.4 457,997 9.5 389,382 14.8

# Rounds to zero.

1

In addition to the public institutions using Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards, 24 public Title IV institutions 

not displayed in this table reported $8.3 billion in expenses using Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) standards.

2

A total of 854 institutions reported finance data for fiscal year 2009 using the optional aligned GASB form. The aligned form forced 

the allocation of depreciation as a natural classification of the expense functions and eliminated the depreciation function. Data in this 

row do not represent the 854 institutions that reported via the aligned form.

NOTE: Due to difference between GASB standards and FASB standards, figures from public institutions are not comparable to figures 

from private institutions, even in categories with identical labels. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Percentages in the 

columns of this table use the corresponding dollar amount in the appropriate total row of each section as the denominator.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

(IPEDS), Spring 2010, Finance component.
15

Table 7. Graduation rates at Title IV institutions, by race/ethnicity, level and control of institution, gender, 

and degree at the institution where the students started as full-time, first-time students: United 

States, cohort years 2003 and 2006

Level and control of institution, 

gender, degree sought, and degree 

completed

Total

(%)

American 

Indian or 

Alaska 

Native

(%)

Asian, 

Native 

Hawaiian, 

or

Pacific 

Islander

(%)

Black or 

African 

American

(%)

Hispanic 

or Latino

(%)

White

(%)

Two or 

more

races1

(%)

Race/

ethnicity

unknown

(%)

Nonresident

alien

(%)

Total 4-year institutions 

(cohort year 2003)255.5 37.7 66.4 37.7 46.2 59.3 38.8 51.2 52.5

Public 53.5 34.5 64.5 36.2 43.0 56.8 23.2 54.3 53.8

Men 50.7 33.0 61.3 30.9 38.6 53.9 21.6 51.5 51.1

Women 55.9 35.7 67.5 39.9 46.3 59.2 24.3 56.9 56.8

Private not-for-profit 64.4 46.5 75.2 43.8 57.4 67.4 45.7 63.5 69.3

Men 61.8 45.2 73.4 37.9 54.7 64.9 42.2 61.0 65.5

Women 66.5 47.4 76.6 47.8 59.2 69.4 49.0 65.7 73.5

Private for-profit 35.4 41.1 41.8 31.0 42.6 39.9 42.6 28.1 12.1

Men 35.5 35.9 43.7 29.2 40.3 40.2 44.0 29.3 13.0

Women 35.4 43.7 40.3 32.0 44.6 39.6 40.8 27.1 11.5

Bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseekers attending 4-year 

institutions and completing 

bachelor’s or equivalent degree 

(cohort year 2003) 57.4 38.3 68.0 39.1 48.7 60.8 40.3 53.7 53.3

Public 55.7 37.1 65.8 38.6 46.9 58.6 37.9 56.4 56.2

Men 52.9 34.9 62.7 32.9 42.3 55.9 38.1 53.8 53.3

Women 58.1 38.8 68.7 42.4 50.4 61.0 37.8 58.9 59.5

Private not-for-profit 65.1 47.6 75.9 45.0 59.4 67.7 48.8 63.7 69.1

Men 62.4 45.4 74.2 38.9 56.6 65.2 43.9 61.1 65.6

Women 67.1 49.2 77.2 49.2 61.2 69.7 53.3 65.8 73.0

Private for-profit 20.4 11.9 31.3 16.1 24.9 24.5 34.0 16.9 9.3

Men 22.7 16.0 33.6 16.6 25.2 26.7 35.6 20.6 9.3

Women 18.7 9.3 29.1 15.8 24.7 22.7 31.4 13.5 9.4

Total 2-year institutions 

(cohort year 2006) 32.4 26.8 36.3 27.1 32.8 32.0 63.7 35.4 30.6

Public 22.1 19.8 26.6 14.6 17.0 24.7 35.4 19.7 24.9

Men 21.4 19.5 24.7 14.4 16.3 23.8 10.9 19.0 22.5

Women 22.7 20.0 28.6 14.7 17.7 25.6 41.5 20.4 27.3

Private not-for-profit 55.3 25.7 45.7 47.2 51.0 59.4 8.3 69.1 63.9

Men 53.7 27.0 52.2 44.2 53.8 56.9 12.5 66.3 63.7

Women 56.4 24.7 41.2 49.9 49.2 61.1 0.0 70.7 64.0

Private for-profit 60.9 57.7 73.1 48.9 63.7 64.8 67.2 57.5 65.1

Men 58.0 57.1 70.3 45.3 59.1 63.1 69.2 56.2 63.5

Women 61.4 58.0 74.9 50.5 65.9 65.6 66.3 58.3 66.5

See notes at end of table. 
16

Table 7. Graduation rates at Title IV institutions, by race/ethnicity, level and control of institution, gender, 

and degree at the institution where the students started as full-time, first-time students: United 

States, cohort years 2003 and 2006—Continued

Level and control of institution, 

gender, degree sought, and degree 

completed

Total

(%)

American 

Indian or 

Alaska 

Native

(%)

Asian, 

Native 

Hawaiian, 

or

Pacific 

Islander

(%)

Black or 

African 

American

(%)

Hispanic 

or Latino

(%)

White

(%)

Two or 

more

races1

(%)

Race/

ethnicity

unknown

(%)

Nonresident

alien

(%)

Less-than-2-year institutions 

(cohort year 2006) 67.0 — — — — — — — —

Public 67.0 — — — — — — — —

Private not-for-profit 74.8 — — — — — — — —

Private for-profit 66.6 — — — — — — — —

— Not available. Graduation rates data are not collected by race/ethnicity for less-than-2-year institutions.

1

Two or more races was an optional reporting category in IPEDS 2009-10, and a total of 295 institutions reported graduation rates using 

this option. The figures reported here should not be considered representative of all individuals who could be classified into Two or more 

races. 

2

The total 4-year institution cohort contains all full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates, regardless of the level of 

the award sought.

NOTE: The rates in this table reflect graduation rates at institutions regardless of the length of programs, unless otherwise indicated. 

The graduation rate was calculated as required for disclosure and reporting purposes under the Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate 

was calculated as the total number of completers within 150 percent of normal time divided by the revised cohort minus any allowable 

exclusions. The revised cohort is the current (spring 2010) estimate of the number of students entering the institution as full-time, firsttime degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates in the reference year. Allowable exclusions include those students who died or were 

totally and permanently disabled; those who left school to serve in the armed forces; those who left to serve with a foreign aid service of 

the federal government, such as the Peace Corps; and those who left to serve on official church missions.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

(IPEDS), Spring 2010, Graduation Rates component.
17

Table 8. Graduation rates of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking 

students at the 4-year Title IV institution where the students 

started as full-time, first-time students, by control of institution, 

gender, and time to degree after entry: United States, cohort 

year 2003

Gender and time to degree

Total

(%)

Public

(%)

Private 

not-for-profit

(%)

Private 

for-profit

(%)

All students

4-year graduation rate 36.7 30.7 51.5 12.7

5-year graduation rate 52.8 50.2 62.1 17.7

6-year graduation rate 57.4 55.7 65.1 20.4

Men

4-year graduation rate 31.9 25.6 46.9 15.3

5-year graduation rate 49.6 46.6 59.3 20.0

6-year graduation rate 54.8 52.9 62.4 22.7

Women

4-year graduation rate 40.6 34.9 55.1 10.6

5-year graduation rate 55.4 53.2 64.4 15.9

6-year graduation rate 59.5 58.1 67.1 18.7

NOTE: The rates in this table reflect only students seeking bachelor’s or equivalent degrees, 

rather than all students at 4-year institutions. The graduation rate was calculated as required 

for disclosure and reporting purposes under the Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate was 

calculated as the total number of completers within the specified time to degree divided by the 

revised cohort minus any allowable exclusions. The revised cohort is the current (spring 2010) 

estimate of the number of students entering the institution as full-time, first-time degree- or 

certificate-seeking undergraduates in the reference year. Allowable exclusions include those 

students who died or were totally and permanently disabled; those who left school to serve in 

the armed forces; those who left to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, 

such as the Peace Corps; and those who left to serve on official church missions.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated 

Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Graduation Rates component.
18

Table 9. Number and percentage of students in the full-time, first-time student cohort, bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseeking subcohort, and other than bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort at 4-year Title IV 

degree-granting institutions, by cohort year, control of institution, and institutional category: United States, 

cohort years 1997, 2000, and 2003

Control of institution and 

institutional category

Cohort year 1997 Cohort year 2000 Cohort year 2003

Total 

Cohort

Bachelors or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Other than 

bachelor’s or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Total 

Cohort

Bachelors or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Other than 

bachelor’s or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Total 

Cohort

Bachelors or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Other than 

bachelor’s or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Public

Number 729,665 686,766 42,899 810,088 758,713 51,375 900,589 826,039 74,550

Percent 100.0 94.1 5.9 100.0 93.7 6.3 100.0 91.7 8.3

Degree-granting, 

graduate with no 

undergraduate 

degrees

Number 11 0 11 † † † † † †

Percent 100.0 0.0 100.0 † † † † † †

Degree-granting, 

primarily 

baccalaureate or 

above 

Number 700,295 682,847 17,448 772,785 754,412 18,373 842,284 818,832 23,452

Percent 100.0 97.5 2.5 100.0 97.6 2.4 100.0 97.2 2.8

Degree-granting, not 

primarily 

baccalaureate or 

above 

Number 29,359 3,919 25,440 37,303 4,301 33,002 58,305 7,207 51,098

Percent 100.0 13.3 86.7 100.0 11.5 88.5 100.0 12.4 87.6

Private not-for-profit

Number 407,975 368,592 39,383 421,958 396,206 25,752 443,556 418,165 25,391

Percent 100.0 90.3 9.7 100.0 93.9 6.1 100.0 94.3 5.7

Degree-granting, 

graduate with no 

undergraduate 

degrees

Number 190 127 63 902 701 201 241 10 231

Percent 100.0 66.8 33.2 100.0 77.7 22.3 100.0 4.1 95.9

Degree-granting, 

primarily 

baccalaureate or 

above 

Number 389,936 365,506 24,430 406,002 392,758 13,244 425,883 414,350 11,533

Percent 100.0 93.7 6.3 100.0 96.7 3.3 100.0 97.3 2.7

Degree-granting, not 

primarily 

baccalaureate or 

above 

Number 17,849 2,959 14,890 15,054 2,747 12,307 17,432 3,805 13,627

Percent 100.0 16.6 83.4 100.0 18.2 81.8 100.0 21.8 78.2

Private for-profit

Number 41,836 10,904 30,932 84,013 26,498 57,515 111,028 50,171 60,857

Percent 100.0 26.1 73.9 100.0 31.5 68.5 100.0 45.2 54.8

See notes at end of table. 
19

Table 9. Number and percentage of students in the full-time, first-time student cohort, bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseeking subcohort, and other than bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort at 4-year Title IV 

degree-granting institutions, by cohort year, control of institution, and institutional category: United States,

cohort years 1997, 2000, and 2003—Continued

Control of institution and 

institutional category

Cohort year 1997 Cohort year 2000 Cohort year 2003

Total 

Cohort

Bachelors or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Other than 

bachelor’s or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Total 

Cohort

Bachelors or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Other than 

bachelor’s or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Total 

Cohort

Bachelors or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Other than 

bachelor’s or 

equivalent 

degreeseeking 

subcohort

Private for-profit—

Continued

Degree-granting, 

graduate with no 

undergraduate 

degrees

Number † † † † † † † † †

Percent † † † † † † † † †

Degree-granting, 

primarily 

baccalaureate or 

above 

Number 14,145 9,960 4,185 28,834 20,353 8,481 54,588 44,331 10,257

Percent 100.0 70.4 29.6 100.0 70.6 29.4 100.0 81.2 18.8

Degree-granting, not 

primarily 

baccalaureate or 

above 

Number 27,691 944 26,747 55,179 6,145 49,034 56,440 5,840 50,600

Percent 100.0 3.4 96.6 100.0 11.1 88.9 100.0 10.3 89.7

† Not applicable.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 

2004, 2007, and 2010, Graduation Rates component.
20

Table 10. Graduation rates of students at the Title IV institution where the students

started as full-time, first-time students, by control of institution, degree 

sought, level of institution, degree completed, and time to degree: United 

States, cohort years 2001 and 2005

Degree sought, level of institution, degree 

completed, and time to degree

Total

(%)

Public

(%)

Private 

not-for-profit

(%)

Private

for-profit

(%)

Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seekers 

attending 4-year institutions and 

completing bachelor’s or equivalent 

degree (cohort year 2001)

Graduation rate within 100% of normal 

program completion time 36.4 29.5 51.0 19.1

Graduation rate within 150% of normal 

program completion time 57.4 55.0 64.5 27.0

Graduation rate within 200% of normal 

program completion time 60.2 58.4 66.1 29.1

Degree- or certificate-seekers attending 2-

year institutions and completing a 

degree or certificate (cohort year 2005)

Graduation rate within 100% of normal 

program completion time 17.9 11.9 38.6 36.4

Graduation rate within 150% of normal 

program completion time 31.2 22.0 52.7 60.2

Graduation rate within 200% of normal 

program completion time 36.6 28.1 58.5 63.3

Certificate-seekers attending less-than-2-

year institutions and completing a 

certificate (cohort year 2005)

Graduation rate within 100% of normal 

program completion time 43.7 56.4 58.2 41.3

Graduation rate within 150% of normal 

program completion time 67.4 73.5 75.2 66.2

Graduation rate within 200% of normal 

program completion time 70.8 79.3 78.9 69.3

NOTE: The rates in this table reflect graduation rates at institutions regardless of the length of programs, 

unless otherwise indicated. The graduation rate was calculated as required for disclosure and reporting 

purposes under the Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate was calculated as the total number of completers 

within specified time to degree divided by the revised cohort minus any allowable exclusions. The revised 

cohort is the current (spring 2010) estimate of the number of students entering the institution as full-time, 

first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates in the reference year. Allowable exclusions include 

those students who died or were totally and permanently disabled; those who left school to serve in the 

armed forces; those who left to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the 

Peace Corps; and those who left to serve on official church missions.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated 

Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Graduation Rates 200 component.
21

Table 11. Number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled and

number and percentage of those receiving financial aid at Title IV institutions, by sector of 

institution: United States, academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09

Sector of institution

Academic year 2007-081Academic year 2008-092

Number 

enrolled

Number of 

financial aid 

recipients

Percent 

receiving 

financial aid

Number 

enrolled

Number of 

financial aid 

recipients

Percent 

receiving 

financial aid

Total students 2,916,745 2,225,061 76.3 3,096,036 2,432,887 78.6

Public 4-year 976,830 753,643 77.2 1,007,609 792,028 78.6

Public 2-year 702,499 439,437 62.6 725,248 474,742 65.5

Public less-than-2-year 29,201 15,890 54.4 29,075 16,537 56.9

Private not-for-profit 4-year 484,041 416,413 86.0 487,079 424,892 87.2

Private not-for-profit 2-year 12,473 10,494 84.1 12,105 10,425 86.1

Private not-for-profit less-than-2-year 9,222 7,117 77.2 11,307 9,473 83.8

Private for-profit 4-year 210,468 159,991 76.0 258,498 221,487 85.7

Private for-profit 2-year 230,318 200,165 86.9 274,855 234,264 85.2

Private for-profit less-than-2-year 261,693 221,911 84.8 290,260 249,039 85.8

1

The numbers shown reflect the 6,034 institutions that reported having financial aid recipients in academic year 2007-08.

2

The numbers shown reflect the 6,124 institutions that reported having financial aid recipients in academic year 2008-09.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2009 and Spring 2010, Student Financial Aid component.
22

Table 12. Number and percentage of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates and 

financial aid recipients and average amounts of financial aid received by full-time, first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates at Title IV institutions, by sector of institution and type of 

aid: United States, academic year 2008-09

Type of aid

Total 

students

Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

4-year 2-year

Less-than2-year 4-year 2-yearLess-than2-year 4-year 2-yearLess-than2-year

Full-time, first-time 

undergraduates 3,096,036 1,007,609 725,248 29,075 487,079 12,105 11,307 258,498 274,855 290,260

Number receiving

Any financial aid 2,432,887 792,028 474,742 16,537 424,892 10,425 9,473 221,487 234,264 249,039

Federal grants 1,291,795 285,851 301,476 11,616 130,461 6,835 8,157 161,954 183,368 202,077

Pell grants 1,249,125 273,995 291,881 10,678 121,630 6,626 7,816 160,783 176,772 198,944

Other federal 

grants 546,665 192,225 85,404 1,849 97,327 2,223 2,066 28,557 75,107 61,907

State/local grants 838,096 381,633 255,678 5,036 146,790 3,557 2,121 14,913 18,238 10,130

Institutional grants 935,249 374,537 77,900 1,472 376,914 4,274 644 60,710 24,524 14,274

Loans to students11,564,830 472,222 147,217 6,532 295,339 6,855 4,784 210,337 211,691 209,853

Federal loans 1,528,271 460,544 145,637 6,391 286,788 6,753 4,741 208,254 205,130 204,033

Other loans 191,045 57,562 3,495 148 53,290 284 55 16,967 28,206 31,038

Percent receiving

Any financial aid 78.6 78.6 65.5 56.9 87.2 86.1 83.8 85.7 85.2 85.8

Federal grants 41.7 28.4 41.6 40.0 26.8 56.5 72.1 62.7 66.7 69.6

Pell grants 40.3 27.2 40.2 36.7 25.0 54.7 69.1 62.2 64.3 68.5

Other federal 

grants 17.7 19.1 11.8 6.4 20.0 18.4 18.3 11.0 27.3 21.3

State/local grants 27.1 37.9 35.3 17.3 30.1 29.4 18.8 5.8 6.6 3.5

Institutional grants 30.2 37.2 10.7 5.1 77.4 35.3 5.7 23.5 8.9 4.9

Loans to students150.5 46.9 20.3 22.5 60.6 56.6 42.3 81.4 77.0 72.3

Federal loans 49.4 45.7 20.1 22.0 58.9 55.8 41.9 80.6 74.6 70.3

Other loans 6.2 5.7 0.5 0.5 10.9 2.3 0.5 6.6 10.3 10.7

Average amount2

Federal grants $3,846 $4,157 $3,539 $3,150 $4,488 $3,537 $3,418 $3,745 $3,768 $3,668

Pell grants 3,499 3,541 3,432 2,970 3,421 3,367 3,120 3,632 3,575 3,461

Other federal grants 1,092 1,135 764 2,639 1,741 839 1,692 790 784 850

State/local grants 2,686 3,152 1,445 1,903 3,523 3,520 2,953 3,139 3,163 2,847

Institutional grants 7,099 4,186 1,620 1,077 12,780 3,952 2,597 1,296 858 609

Loans to students16,973 5,972 4,162 5,527 7,638 6,223 5,294 9,660 7,886 6,759

Federal loans 6,148 5,065 4,098 5,547 5,810 6,056 5,195 9,031 7,452 6,320

Other loans 7,938 8,465 4,529 4,428 11,063 6,205 12,615 8,909 4,986 4,153

1

Loans to students include only loans made directly to students; federal loans to parents (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students [PLUS]) 

and other loans made directly to parents are not included.

2

Average grants (or loans) were calculated by dividing the total amount of grants (or loans) awarded by the total number of recipients of 

grants (or loans).

NOTE: The numbers shown reflect the 6,124 institutions that reported the number of recipients by types of financial aid and the average 

amounts received.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

(IPEDS), Spring 2010, Student Financial Aid component.
23

Table 13. Number of undergraduates enrolled, number receiving a Pell grant, percentage 

receiving a Pell grant, and average Pell grant amount at Title IV institutions, by control 

and level of institution and type of undergraduate: United States, academic year 

2008-09

Control and level of institution and type of 

undergraduate Students enrolled

Students receiving 

a Pell grant

Percent receiving 

a Pell grant

Average Pell

grant amount1

All institutions 17,744,195 5,049,622 28.5 $3,217

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 3,096,036 1,249,125 40.3 3,499

Other undergraduates 14,648,159 3,800,497 25.9 3,125

Public

4-year 6,074,256 1,569,000 25.8 3,333

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 1,007,609 273,995 27.2 3,541

Other undergraduates 5,066,647 1,295,005 25.6 3,289

2-year 6,659,764 1,656,745 24.9 2,989

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 725,248 291,881 40.2 3,432

Other undergraduates 5,934,516 1,364,864 23.0 2,894

Less-than-2-year 101,443 17,217 17.0 2,930

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 29,075 10,678 36.7 2,970

Other undergraduates 72,368 6,539 9.0 2,866

Private not-for-profit

4-year 2,500,991 606,902 24.3 3,252

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 487,079 121,630 25.0 3,421

Other undergraduates 2,013,912 485,272 24.1 3,209

2-year 45,473 20,213 44.5 3,074

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 12,105 6,626 54.7 3,367

Other undergraduates 33,368 13,587 40.7 2,932

Less-than-2-year 22,995 10,721 46.6 3,177

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 11,307 7,816 69.1 3,120

Other undergraduates 11,688 2,905 24.9 3,332

Private for-profit

4-year 1,284,827 550,624 42.9 3,352

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 258,498 160,783 62.2 3,632

Other undergraduates 1,026,329 389,841 38.0 3,236

2-year 577,920 332,630 57.6 3,450

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 274,855 176,772 64.3 3,575

Other undergraduates 303,065 155,858 51.4 3,307

Less-than-2-year 476,526 285,570 59.9 3,331

Full-time, first-time undergraduates 290,260 198,944 68.5 3,461

Other undergraduates 186,266 86,626 46.5 3,032

1

Average Pell grant amount was calculated by dividing the total amount of the Pell grants awarded by the total number of 

recipients of Pell grants.

NOTE: The numbers shown reflect the 6,124 institutions that reported the number of recipients by types of financial aid and 

the average amounts received.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Student Financial Aid component.
24

Table 14. Average academic year price of attendance before aid and average academic year net price of 

attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students at Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution, level of institution, type of aid received, and income level: United States, academic year 

2008-09

Level of institution, type of aid received, 

and income level1

Public2Private not-for-profit3Private for-profit3

Average price 

before aid

Average net 

price

Average price 

before aid

Average net 

price

Average price 

before aid

Average net 

price

4-year

Students receiving any grant aid $16,271 $10,747 $31,401 $19,009 $26,976 $23,057

Students receiving Title IV aid

$0-30,000 16,287 8,245 31,439 15,163 26,962 23,164

$30,001-48,000 16,287 9,938 31,439 16,329 26,962 24,108

$48,001-75,000 16,287 12,740 31,439 18,999 26,962 25,824

$75,001-110,000 16,287 14,371 31,439 21,795 26,962 26,475

$110,001 and more 16,287 14,840 31,439 24,939 26,962 27,203

2-year

Students receiving any grant aid 10,493 6,780 20,088 14,906 23,804 19,635

Students receiving Title IV aid

$0-30,000 10,518 5,842 20,096 14,021 23,777 19,768

$30,001-48,000 10,518 6,936 20,096 14,363 23,777 20,979

$48,001-75,000 10,518 8,407 20,096 16,506 23,777 22,789

$75,001-110,000 10,518 9,696 20,096 18,145 23,777 23,464

$110,001 and more 10,518 10,113 20,096 18,971 23,777 24,271

Less-than-2-year

Students receiving any grant aid 13,015 9,337 19,075 14,879 21,144 17,782

Students receiving Title IV aid

$0-30,000 12,591 8,798 19,782 15,204 21,166 17,859

$30,001-48,000 12,591 11,204 19,782 17,375 21,166 20,201

$48,001-75,000 12,591 13,715 19,782 17,769 21,166 22,846

$75,001-110,000 12,591 10,923 19,782 17,555 21,166 23,376

$110,001 and more 12,591 17,752 19,782 22,883 21,166 24,737

1

Income level is assigned based on the income used by the institution’s financial aid office to calculate the student’s expected family 

contribution.

2

Average price before aid and average net price for public institutions is displayed for students paying in-state tuition.

3

Average price before aid and average net price for private not-for-profit and private for-profit institutions is displayed for all students.

NOTE: Average price before aid is calculated using the tuition and required fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses 

data from the Institutional Characteristics component. A weighted average of on-campus; off-campus, not with family; and off-campus, with 

family room and board and other expenses values were used to calculate a single average price before aid instead of individual prices by 

living arrangement. The factors used to generate this weighted average were reported in the Student Financial Aid component and were 

identical to the factors used to generate the same weighted average used in calculating the average net price. Institutions with academic 

calendars that differ by program or allow continuous enrollment are not included.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

(IPEDS), Fall 2009, Institutional Characteristics component and Spring 2010, Student Financial Aid component.
A-1 

Appendix A: 

Survey Methodology 

Overview 

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) defines a postsecondary 

institution as an organization that is open to the public and has a primary mission of providing 

education or training beyond the high school level. The primary focus of the IPEDS spring 2010

collection was to collect data from Title IV institutions. These institutions have Program 

Participation Agreements (PPAs) with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) within the 

U.S. Department of Education and thus are eligible to participate in Title IV student financial aid 

programs. There were 6,979 Title IV institutions1and administrative offices located in the 

United States and the other jurisdictions of the United States, such as Puerto Rico,2in the 2009-

10 academic year. 

The spring 2010 collection was entirely web-based. Institutions in the universe were asked to 

enter their survey responses using the IPEDS data collection website. The spring 2010 IPEDS 

data were collected between December 2, 2009 and April 28, 2010. The collection had five 

components: Enrollment, Finance, Graduation Rates (GRS), Graduation Rates 200 (GR200), and 

Student Financial Aid (SFA). 

Universe, Institutions Surveyed, and Response Rates 

The IPEDS universe is established during the fall collection period. For the 2009-10 cycle, 56

postsecondary institutions and one administrative office included in prior IPEDS data collections 

were declared to be outside the scope of IPEDS because they were closed or were merged with 

another institution. Another 251 postsecondary institutions were reported exclusively by a parent 

institution.3In addition, 252 postsecondary institutions were added to the universe. Four of the 

U.S. service academies are included in the IPEDS universe as if they were Title IV institutions.4

These institutions were identified from several sources, including a universe review by state 

coordinators, a review of the data file maintained by OPE, and information provided by the 

institutions themselves. After identification of all of the appropriate institutions, the 2009-10

IPEDS universe consisted of 6,979 postsecondary entities. Although they are part of the 2009-10

IPEDS universe, eight institutions that closed during the 2009-10 academic year were not 

 

1

 Includes 6,896 institutions and 83 administrative (central or system) offices. The central and system offices are 

required to complete the Institutional Characteristics component in the fall, the Employees by Assigned Position 

(EAP) and Fall Staff sections of the Human Resources (HR) component in the winter, and the Finance component in 

the spring (if they have their own separate budget).

2

 The other jurisdictions include American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, 

the Northern Marianas, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

3

 A parent institution reports data for another institution, known as the child institution.

4

 The four U.S. service academies that are not Title IV eligible are the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military 

Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. One academy, the U.S. Merchant 

Marine Academy, is Title IV eligible. Data for all five institutions are included in each of the tables and counts of 

institutions.
A-2 

eligible to complete any of the components collected during the spring 2010 collection, leaving 

6,971 postsecondary entities eligible for the spring 2010 components of IPEDS. 

The initial set of 6,979 Title IV entities was validated by matching the IPEDS universe file with 

OPE’s Postsecondary Education Participation System (PEPS) file. Because most of the studies 

that use IPEDS data concentrate on the Title IV institutions, this group is the main focus of 

IPEDS. Also, according to Section 490 of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 (P.L. 102-

325), IPEDS is mandatory for any institutions that participate in or are applicants for 

participation in any federal financial assistance program authorized by Title IV of the Higher 

Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 USC 1094(a)(17)). 

The IPEDS database includes institutions that do not participate in Title IV financial aid 

programs. These institutions are invited to participate in the IPEDS program, and if they 

voluntarily respond to the components, the institutions are included in the College Navigator 

(http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator). The College Navigator is a website developed to help 

parents and students make informed decisions about postsecondary education. 

Not all 6,971 Title IV postsecondary entities eligible for the spring data collection were required 

to participate in all components. The SFA component is applicable only to those institutions that 

have full-time undergraduate students. The GRS component is applicable to institutions that had 

full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the reference years 

(2003 for 4-year institutions and 2006 for less-than-4-year institutions.) The Finance component 

applies to all institutions and administrative (central or system) offices. See the Survey 

Components section of this appendix for further details regarding which institutions were 

required to complete each component. 

Table A-1 provides the number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices and response 

rates by degree-granting status and by level and control of institution for the United States and 

other jurisdictions for each of the five spring components. Because Title IV institutions are the 

primary focus of IPEDS and they are required to respond, response rates for Title IV institutions 

in the spring 2010 IPEDS collection were high. The response rate for each component was more 

than 99 percent: 99.9 percent for Enrollment; 99.8 percent for Finance, Graduation Rates, and 

Graduation Rates 200; and 99.7 percent for Student Financial Aid. 

Table A-1a provides the number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices and response 

rates by degree-granting status and by level and control of institution for those institutions 

located in the United States only (excluding any other jurisdictions). 

Some responding institutions did not report data for all parts of the Enrollment component,5and 

the missing parts were imputed. Hence, response rates for the Enrollment component are 

provided in table A-2 for the entire IPEDS universe and in table A-2a for those institutions 

located in the United States only (excluding any other jurisdictions). Part C, full-time, first-time 

undergraduate enrollment by state of residency, is not included because Part C was optional this 

year. 

 

5

Please refer to the Survey Components section of this appendix for a description of the parts of the Enrollment 

component. 
A-3 

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) requires that the potential for nonresponse 

bias for all institutions (including those in other jurisdictions) be analyzed for sectors for which 

the response rate is less than 85 percent. As shown in table A-1, no sectors required this analysis. 

Table A-1. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 data collection, by survey component, degree-granting status, and level and control of 

institution/office: United States and other jurisdictions

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Enrollment Student Financial Aid

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 6,883 6,876 99.9 6,565 6,547 99.7

Public 2,015 2,015 100.0 1,997 1,997 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,862 1,861 99.9 1,617 1,615 99.9

Private for-profit 3,006 3,000 99.8 2,951 2,935 99.5

4-year 2,851 2,850 100.0 2,550 2,549 100.0

Public 690 690 100.0 673 673 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,590 1,589 99.9 1,347 1,346 99.9

Private for-profit 571 571 100.0 530 530 100.0

2-year 2,250 2,250 100.0 2,239 2,236 99.9

Public 1,103 1,103 100.0 1,103 1,103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 182 182 100.0 181 180 99.4

Private for-profit 965 965 100.0 955 953 99.8

Less-than-2-year 1,782 1,776 99.7 1,776 1,762 99.2

Public 222 222 100.0 221 221 100.0

Private not-for-profit 90 90 100.0 89 89 100.0

Private for-profit 1,470 1,464 99.6 1,466 1,452 99.0

Degree-granting 4,571 4,570 100.0 4,273 4,271 100.0

4-year 2,835 2,834 100.0 2,546 2,545 100.0

Public 689 689 100.0 673 673 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,576 1,575 99.9 1,343 1,342 99.9

Private for-profit 570 570 100.0 530 530 100.0

2-year 1,736 1,736 100.0 1,727 1,726 99.9

Public 1,008 1,008 100.0 1,008 1,008 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 91 91 100.0

Private for-profit 637 637 100.0 628 627 99.8

Non-degree-granting 2,312 2,306 99.7 2,292 2,276 99.3

4-year 16 16 100.0 4 4 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 14 14 100.0 4 4 100.0

Private for-profit 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

2-year 514 514 100.0 512 510 99.6

Public 95 95 100.0 95 95 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 90 89 98.9

Private for-profit 328 328 100.0 327 326 99.7

Less-than-2-year 1,782 1,776 99.7 1,776 1,762 99.2

Public 222 222 100.0 221 221 100.0

Private not-for-profit 90 90 100.0 89 89 100.0

Private for-profit 1,470 1,464 99.6 1,466 1,452 99.0

See notes at end of table.
A-4 

Table A-1. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 data collection, by survey component, degree-granting status, and level and control of 

institution/office: United States and other jurisdictions—Continued

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Finance Graduation Rates

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 6,958 6,944 99.8 6,093 6,081 99.8

Public 2,086 2,085 100.0 1,951 1,951 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,868 1,866 99.9 1,491 1,491 100.0

Private for-profit 3,004 2,993 99.6 2,651 2,639 99.5

4-year 2,898 2,898 100.0 2,276 2,276 100.0

Public 730 730 100.0 635 635 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,595 1,595 100.0 1,252 1,252 100.0

Private for-profit 573 573 100.0 389 389 100.0

2-year 2,286 2,285 100.0 2,165 2,164 100.0

Public 1,134 1,134 100.0 1,101 1,101 100.0

Private not-for-profit 182 182 100.0 156 156 100.0

Private for-profit 970 969 99.9 908 907 99.9

Less-than-2-year 1,774 1,761 99.3 1,652 1,641 99.3

Public 222 221 99.5 215 215 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 89 97.8 83 83 100.0

Private for-profit 1,461 1,451 99.3 1,354 1,343 99.2

Degree-granting 4,654 4,653 100.0 3,967 3,966 100.0

4-year 2,882 2,882 100.0 2,274 2,274 100.0

Public 729 729 100.0 635 635 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,581 1,581 100.0 1,250 1,250 100.0

Private for-profit 572 572 100.0 389 389 100.0

2-year 1,772 1,771 99.9 1,693 1,692 99.9

Public 1,039 1,039 100.0 1,006 1,006 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 88 88 100.0

Private for-profit 642 641 99.8 599 598 99.8

Non-degree-granting 2,304 2,291 99.4 2,126 2,115 99.5

4-year 16 16 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 14 14 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

2-year 514 514 100.0 472 472 100.0

Public 95 95 100.0 95 95 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 68 68 100.0

Private for-profit 328 328 100.0 309 309 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,774 1,761 99.3 1,652 1,641 99.3

Public 222 221 99.5 215 215 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 89 97.8 83 83 100.0

Private for-profit 1,461 1,451 99.3 1,354 1,343 99.2

See notes at end of table.
A-5 

Table A-1. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 data collection, by survey component, degree-granting status, and level and control of 

institution/office: United States and other jurisdictions—Continued

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Graduation Rates 200

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 5,638 5,626 99.8

Public 1,888 1,888 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,423 1,423 100.0

Private for-profit 2,327 2,315 99.5

4-year 2,000 2,000 100.0

Public 584 584 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,189 1,189 100.0

Private for-profit 227 227 100.0

2-year 2,115 2,114 100.0

Public 1,093 1,093 100.0

Private not-for-profit 158 158 100.0

Private for-profit 864 863 99.9

Less-than-2-year 1,523 1,512 99.3

Public 211 211 100.0

Private not-for-profit 76 76 100.0

Private for-profit 1,236 1,225 99.1

Degree-granting 3,661 3,660 100.0

4-year 2,000 2,000 100.0

Public 584 584 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,189 1,189 100.0

Private for-profit 227 227 100.0

2-year 1,661 1,660 99.9

Public 998 998 100.0

Private not-for-profit 88 88 100.0

Private for-profit 575 574 99.8

Non-degree-granting 1,977 1,966 99.4

4-year 0 0 †

Public 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 0 0 †

Private for-profit 0 0 †

2-year 454 454 100.0

Public 95 95 100.0

Private not-for-profit 70 70 100.0

Private for-profit 289 289 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,523 1,512 99.3

Public 211 211 100.0

Private not-for-profit 76 76 100.0

Private for-profit 1,236 1,225 99.1

† Not applicable.

NOTE: For the Finance component response rates, administrative offices are included in the counts according to the level of the 

institution(s) they serve because they complete the Finance component. Administrative offices do not complete the Enrollment,

Graduation Rates, Graduation Rates 200, or Student Financial Aid components. Data were imputed for all total nonrespondents. In

addition, data were imputed for institutions that did not respond to all Parts of the Enrollment component (partial nonrespondents). 

The other jurisdictions include American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Northern 

Marianas, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Enrollment, Student Financial Aid, Finance, Graduation Rates, and Graduation Rates 200 

components.
A-6 

Table A-1a. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 data collection, by survey component, degree-granting status, and level and control of 

institution/office: United States 

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Enrollment Student Financial Aid

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 6,730 6,724 99.9 6,417 6,400 99.7

Public 1,989 1,989 100.0 1,971 1,971 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,806 1,805 99.9 1,566 1,564 99.9

Private for-profit 2,935 2,930 99.8 2,880 2,865 99.5

4-year 2,788 2,787 100.0 2,492 2,491 100.0

Public 673 673 100.0 656 656 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,551 1,550 99.9 1,313 1,312 99.9

Private for-profit 564 564 100.0 523 523 100.0

2-year 2,225 2,225 100.0 2,214 2,211 99.9

Public 1,094 1,094 100.0 1,094 1,094 100.0

Private not-for-profit 176 176 100.0 175 174 99.4

Private for-profit 955 955 100.0 945 943 99.8

Less-than-2-year 1,717 1,712 99.7 1,711 1,698 99.2

Public 222 222 100.0 221 221 100.0

Private not-for-profit 79 79 100.0 78 78 100.0

Private for-profit 1,416 1,411 99.6 1,412 1,399 99.1

Degree-granting 4,486 4,485 100.0 4,193 4,191 100.0

4-year 2,772 2,771 100.0 2,488 2,487 100.0

Public 672 672 100.0 656 656 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,537 1,536 99.9 1,309 1,308 99.9

Private for-profit 563 563 100.0 523 523 100.0

2-year 1,714 1,714 100.0 1,705 1,704 99.9

Public 1,000 1,000 100.0 1,000 1,000 100.0

Private not-for-profit 85 85 100.0 85 85 100.0

Private for-profit 629 629 100.0 620 619 99.8

Non-degree-granting 2,244 2,239 99.8 2,224 2,209 99.3

4-year 16 16 100.0 4 4 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 14 14 100.0 4 4 100.0

Private for-profit 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

2-year 511 511 100.0 509 507 99.6

Public 94 94 100.0 94 94 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 90 89 98.9

Private for-profit 326 326 100.0 325 324 99.7

Less-than-2-year 1,717 1,712 99.7 1,711 1,698 99.2

Public 222 222 100.0 221 221 100.0

Private not-for-profit 79 79 100.0 78 78 100.0

Private for-profit 1,416 1,411 99.6 1,412 1,399 99.1

See notes at end of table.
A-7 

Table A-1a. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 data collection, by survey component, degree-granting status, and level and control of 

institution/office: United States—Continued

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Finance Graduation Rates

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 6,802 6,789 99.8 5,949 5,938 99.8

Public 2,059 2,058 100.0 1,926 1,926 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,810 1,808 99.9 1,442 1,442 100.0

Private for-profit 2,933 2,923 99.7 2,581 2,570 99.6

4-year 2,832 2,832 100.0 2,220 2,220 100.0

Public 712 712 100.0 619 619 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,554 1,554 100.0 1,219 1,219 100.0

Private for-profit 566 566 100.0 382 382 100.0

2-year 2,261 2,260 100.0 2,140 2,139 100.0

Public 1,125 1,125 100.0 1,092 1,092 100.0

Private not-for-profit 176 176 100.0 150 150 100.0

Private for-profit 960 959 99.9 898 897 99.9

Less-than-2-year 1,709 1,697 99.3 1,589 1,579 99.4

Public 222 221 99.5 215 215 100.0

Private not-for-profit 80 78 97.5 73 73 100.0

Private for-profit 1,407 1,398 99.4 1,301 1,291 99.2

Degree-granting 4,566 4,565 100.0 3,889 3,888 100.0

4-year 2,816 2,816 100.0 2,218 2,218 100.0

Public 711 711 100.0 619 619 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,540 1,540 100.0 1,217 1,217 100.0

Private for-profit 565 565 100.0 382 382 100.0

2-year 1,750 1,749 99.9 1,671 1,670 99.9

Public 1,031 1,031 100.0 998 998 100.0

Private not-for-profit 85 85 100.0 82 82 100.0

Private for-profit 634 633 99.8 591 590 99.8

Non-degree-granting 2,236 2,224 99.5 2,060 2,050 99.5

4-year 16 16 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 14 14 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

2-year 511 511 100.0 469 469 100.0

Public 94 94 100.0 94 94 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 68 68 100.0

Private for-profit 326 326 100.0 307 307 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,709 1,697 99.3 1,589 1,579 99.4

Public 222 221 99.5 215 215 100.0

Private not-for-profit 80 78 97.5 73 73 100.0

Private for-profit 1,407 1,398 99.4 1,301 1,291 99.2

See notes at end of table.
A-8 

Table A-1a. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2010 data collection, by survey component, degree-granting status, and level and control of 

institution/office: United States—Continued

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Graduation Rates 200

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 5,505 5,494 99.8

Public 1,865 1,865 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,377 1,377 100.0

Private for-profit 2,263 2,252 99.5

4-year 1,951 1,951 100.0

Public 569 569 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,159 1,159 100.0

Private for-profit 223 223 100.0

2-year 2,091 2,090 100.0

Public 1,085 1,085 100.0

Private not-for-profit 152 152 100.0

Private for-profit 854 853 99.9

Less-than-2-year 1,463 1,453 99.3

Public 211 211 100.0

Private not-for-profit 66 66 100.0

Private for-profit 1,186 1,176 99.2

Degree-granting 3,591 3,590 100.0

4-year 1,951 1,951 100.0

Public 569 569 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,159 1,159 100.0

Private for-profit 223 223 100.0

2-year 1,640 1,639 99.9

Public 991 991 100.0

Private not-for-profit 82 82 100.0

Private for-profit 567 566 99.8

Non-degree-granting 1,914 1,904 99.5

4-year 0 0 †

Public 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 0 0 †

Private for-profit 0 0 †

2-year 451 451 100.0

Public 94 94 100.0

Private not-for-profit 70 70 100.0

Private for-profit 287 287 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,463 1,453 99.3

Public 211 211 100.0

Private not-for-profit 66 66 100.0

Private for-profit 1,186 1,176 99.2

† Not applicable.

NOTE: For the Finance component response rates, administrative offices are included in the counts according to the level of the 

institution(s) they serve because they complete the Finance component. Administrative offices do not complete the Enrollment,

Graduation Rates, Graduation Rates 200, or Student Financial Aid components. Data were imputed for all total nonrespondents. In

addition, data were imputed for institutions that did not respond to all Parts of the Enrollment component (partial nonrespondents). 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Enrollment, Student Financial Aid, Finance, Graduation Rates, and Graduation Rates 200 

components.
A-9 

Table A-2. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2010 Enrollment 

component, by part, degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: United States 

and other jurisdictions

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Part A, by race/ethnicity and gender Part B, by student age

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 6,883 6,876 99.9 6,883 6,875 99.9

Public 2,015 2,015 100.0 2,015 2,015 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,862 1,861 99.9 1,862 1,861 99.9

Private for-profit 3,006 3,000 99.8 3,006 2,999 99.8

4-year 2,851 2,850 100.0 2,851 2,850 100.0

Public 690 690 100.0 690 690 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,590 1,589 99.9 1,590 1,589 99.9

Private for-profit 571 571 100.0 571 571 100.0

2-year 2,250 2,250 100.0 2,250 2,250 100.0

Public 1,103 1,103 100.0 1,103 1,103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 182 182 100.0 182 182 100.0

Private for-profit 965 965 100.0 965 965 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,782 1,776 99.7 1,782 1,775 99.6

Public 222 222 100.0 222 222 100.0

Private not-for-profit 90 90 100.0 90 90 100.0

Private for-profit 1,470 1,464 99.6 1,470 1,463 99.5

Degree-granting 4,571 4,570 100.0 4,571 4,570 100.0

4-year 2,835 2,834 100.0 2,835 2,834 100.0

Public 689 689 100.0 689 689 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,576 1,575 99.9 1,576 1,575 99.9

Private for-profit 570 570 100.0 570 570 100.0

2-year 1,736 1,736 100.0 1,736 1,736 100.0

Public 1,008 1,008 100.0 1,008 1,008 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 91 91 100.0

Private for-profit 637 637 100.0 637 637 100.0

Non-degree-granting 2,312 2,306 99.7 2,312 2,305 99.7

4-year 16 16 100.0 16 16 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

Private not-for-profit 14 14 100.0 14 14 100.0

Private for-profit 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

2-year 514 514 100.0 514 514 100.0

Public 95 95 100.0 95 95 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 91 91 100.0

Private for-profit 328 328 100.0 328 328 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,782 1,776 99.7 1,782 1,775 99.6

Public 222 222 100.0 222 222 100.0

Private not-for-profit 90 90 100.0 90 90 100.0

Private for-profit 1,470 1,464 99.6 1,470 1,463 99.5

See notes at end of table.
A-10

Table A-2. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2010 Enrollment 

component, by part, degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: United States 

and other jurisdictions—Continued

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Part D, total entering class1Part E, retention rates2

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 3,677 3,676 100.0 6,127 6,118 99.9

Public 1,642 1,642 100.0 1,957 1,956 99.9

Private not-for-profit 1,326 1,325 99.9 1,476 1,475 99.9

Private for-profit 709 709 100.0 2,694 2,687 99.7

4-year 2,291 2,290 100.0 2,422 2,421 100.0

Public 643 643 100.0 644 644 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,251 1,250 99.9 1,264 1,263 99.9

Private for-profit 397 397 100.0 514 514 100.0

2-year 1,385 1,385 100.0 2,184 2,184 100.0

Public 998 998 100.0 1,099 1,099 100.0

Private not-for-profit 75 75 100.0 140 140 100.0

Private for-profit 312 312 100.0 945 945 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1 1 100.0 1,521 1,513 99.5

Public 1 1 100.0 214 213 99.5

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 72 72 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 1,235 1,228 99.4

Degree-granting 3,676 3,675 100.0 4,145 4,144 100.0

4-year 2,291 2,290 100.0 2,420 2,419 100.0

Public 643 643 100.0 644 644 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,251 1,250 99.9 1,262 1,261 99.9

Private for-profit 397 397 100.0 514 514 100.0

2-year 1,385 1,385 100.0 1,725 1,725 100.0

Public 998 998 100.0 1,007 1,007 100.0

Private not-for-profit 75 75 100.0 87 87 100.0

Private for-profit 312 312 100.0 631 631 100.0

Non-degree-granting 1 1 100.0 1,982 1,974 99.6

4-year 0 0 † 2 2 100.0

Public 0 0 † 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 0 0 † 459 459 100.0

Public 0 0 † 92 92 100.0

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 53 53 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 314 314 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1 1 100.0 1,521 1,513 99.5

Public 1 1 100.0 214 213 99.5

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 72 72 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 1,235 1,228 99.4

† Not applicable.

1

These data are not required for program-reporting institutions.

2

These data are not required for institutions that have only less-than-1-year programs.

NOTE: The other jurisdictions include American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the 

Northern Marianas, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Enrollment component.
A-11

Table A-2a. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2010 Enrollment 

component, by part, degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: United States

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Part A, by race/ethnicity and gender Part B, by student age

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 6,730 6,724 99.9 6,730 6,723 99.9

Public 1,989 1,989 100.0 1,989 1,989 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,806 1,805 99.9 1,806 1,805 99.9

Private for-profit 2,935 2,930 99.8 2,935 2,929 99.8

4-year 2,788 2,787 100.0 2,788 2,787 100.0

Public 673 673 100.0 673 673 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,551 1,550 99.9 1,551 1,550 99.9

Private for-profit 564 564 100.0 564 564 100.0

2-year 2,225 2,225 100.0 2,225 2,225 100.0

Public 1,094 1,094 100.0 1,094 1,094 100.0

Private not-for-profit 176 176 100.0 176 176 100.0

Private for-profit 955 955 100.0 955 955 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,717 1,712 99.7 1,717 1,711 99.7

Public 222 222 100.0 222 222 100.0

Private not-for-profit 79 79 100.0 79 79 100.0

Private for-profit 1,416 1,411 99.6 1,416 1,410 99.6

Degree-granting 4,486 4,485 100.0 4,486 4,485 100.0

4-year 2,772 2,771 100.0 2,772 2,771 100.0

Public 672 672 100.0 672 672 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,537 1,536 99.9 1,537 1,536 99.9

Private for-profit 563 563 100.0 563 563 100.0

2-year 1,714 1,714 100.0 1,714 1,714 100.0

Public 1,000 1,000 100.0 1,000 1,000 100.0

Private not-for-profit 85 85 100.0 85 85 100.0

Private for-profit 629 629 100.0 629 629 100.0

Non-degree-granting 2,244 2,239 99.8 2,244 2,238 99.7

4-year 16 16 100.0 16 16 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

Private not-for-profit 14 14 100.0 14 14 100.0

Private for-profit 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

2-year 511 511 100.0 511 511 100.0

Public 94 94 100.0 94 94 100.0

Private not-for-profit 91 91 100.0 91 91 100.0

Private for-profit 326 326 100.0 326 326 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,717 1,712 99.7 1,717 1,711 99.7

Public 222 222 100.0 222 222 100.0

Private not-for-profit 79 79 100.0 79 79 100.0

Private for-profit 1,416 1,411 99.6 1,416 1,410 99.6

See notes at end of table.
A-12

Table A-2a. Number of Title IV institutions and administrative offices in the universe and number and 

percentage of Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2010 Enrollment 

component, by part, degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: 

United States—Continued

Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office

Part D, total entering class1Part E, retention rates2

Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%)

All institutions 3,602 3,601 100.0 5,983 5,975 99.9

Public 1,618 1,618 100.0 1,932 1,931 99.9

Private not-for-profit 1,288 1,287 99.9 1,428 1,427 99.9

Private for-profit 696 696 100.0 2,623 2,617 99.8

4-year 2,236 2,235 100.0 2,366 2,365 100.0

Public 627 627 100.0 628 628 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,218 1,217 99.9 1,231 1,230 99.9

Private for-profit 391 391 100.0 507 507 100.0

2-year 1,365 1,365 100.0 2,159 2,159 100.0

Public 990 990 100.0 1,090 1,090 100.0

Private not-for-profit 70 70 100.0 134 134 100.0

Private for-profit 305 305 100.0 935 935 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1 1 100.0 1,458 1,451 99.5

Public 1 1 100.0 214 213 99.5

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 63 63 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 1,181 1,175 99.5

Degree-granting 3,601 3,600 100.0 4,067 4,066 100.0

4-year 2,236 2,235 100.0 2,364 2,363 100.0

Public 627 627 100.0 628 628 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,218 1,217 99.9 1,229 1,228 99.9

Private for-profit 391 391 100.0 507 507 100.0

2-year 1,365 1,365 100.0 1,703 1,703 100.0

Public 990 990 100.0 999 999 100.0

Private not-for-profit 70 70 100.0 81 81 100.0

Private for-profit 305 305 100.0 623 623 100.0

Non-degree-granting 1 1 100.0 1,916 1,909 99.6

4-year 0 0 † 2 2 100.0

Public 0 0 † 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 0 0 † 456 456 100.0

Public 0 0 † 91 91 100.0

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 53 53 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 312 312 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1 1 100.0 1,458 1,451 99.5

Public 1 1 100.0 214 213 99.5

Private not-for-profit 0 0 † 63 63 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 1,181 1,175 99.5

† Not applicable.

1

These data are not required for program-reporting institutions.

2

These data are not required for institutions that have only less-than-1-year programs.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Enrollment component.
A-13

Survey Components 

Enrollment 

This component of the web-based survey has six separate parts. Parts A, B, C, and D data are 

reported as of the institution’s official fall reporting date (or October 15, 2009) for this data 

collection. Part A collects summary data on the number of students enrolled in the fall, including 

the number of first-time6degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate (freshmen) students; the total 

number of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates; total undergraduates; and total graduate 

students—all by race/ethnicity, gender, and enrollment status (full or part time). Part B (which is 

required this year, but optional when data correspond to the fall of an even-numbered year) 

collects summary data on the number of students enrolled in the fall in each student level 

(undergraduate and graduate) by age category, gender, and enrollment status. Part C (which is 

optional this year, but is required when data correspond to the fall of an even-numbered year) 

collects summary data on the residence of first-time degree/certificate-seeking (undergraduate) 

students and the number of those students enrolled in the fall who completed high school in the 

last 12 months, by state of residence. Part D collects data on the total number of undergraduate 

students who entered the institution for the first time in the fall term. This includes both full-time 

and part-time undergraduate students, whether degree/certificate-seeking or not, and any students 

who transferred into the institution. 

Part E collects data on retention rates. Four-year institutions report one rate for full-time, firsttime bachelor’s-seeking undergraduate students and another for part-time, first-time bachelor’sseeking undergraduate students. Less-than-4-year institutions report one rate for full-time, firsttime degree/certificate-seeking students and another for part-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students. 

Part F requests an estimated undergraduate program student-to-faculty ratio. A worksheet is 

provided to assist the institution in calculating the ratio requested. 

Finance 

This component of the web-based survey collects summary data on each institution’s financial 

status in fiscal year 2009. The Finance component has different versions of the form based 

mainly on control of the institution: public, private not-for-profit, and private for-profit. This 

year public institutions were allowed to choose between two versions of the component 

depending on which standards they used for their internal accounting: (1) Governmental 

Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statements 34 and 35 reporting standards or (2) Financial 

Accounting Standards Board (FASB) reporting standards. 

For public institutions that use GASB reporting standards to prepare their financial statements, 

data are collected on statement of net assets, plant, property, and equipment (Part A), revenues 

and other additions (Part B), expenses and other deductions (Part C), summary of changes in net 

assets (Part D), scholarships and fellowships (Part E), component units7that report using FASB 

standards (Part F), component units that report using GASB standards (Part G), and endowment 

 

6 Throughout this publication, the term “first-time” refers to students who have not attended any institution 

previously. See the glossary for further definition of a first-time student. 

7

 Component units are separate entities for which the institution is financially accountable. These units may not use 

the same accounting standards as the institution (i.e., an institution using GASB accounting standards may have a 

component unit that uses GASB or FASB standards.)
A-14

assets (Part H). Additionally, certain data are collected for the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 

including revenue data (Part J), expenditure data (Part K), and debts and assets (Part L).8

Private not-for-profit institutions and public institutions that use FASB reporting standards to 

prepare their financial statements report data on their statement of financial position (Part A), 

summary of changes in net assets (Part B), student grants (Part C), revenues and investment 

return (Part D), expenses by functional and natural classification (Part E), and endowment assets 

(Part H). A shortened version of the not-for-profit form has been developed for private for-profit 

institutions, and data are collected on balance sheet information (Part A), summary of changes in 

equity (Part B), student grants (Part C), revenues and investment return (Part D), and expenses 

by function (Part E). 

Graduation Rates 

This component collects the number of students entering the institution as full-time, first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking students in a particular year (cohort), by race/ethnicity and gender; the 

number of students in this cohort completing within 150 percent of normal time to program 

completion; and the number who transferred to other institutions. This component was developed 

to help institutions comply with requirements of the Student Right-to-Know legislation. In 2009-

10, for 4-year institutions, the cohort consists of those students who first started in the 2003-04

academic year, and for 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions, the cohort is those students 

starting in the 2006-07 academic year. Institutions operating on standard academic terms 

(semester, trimester, quarter) report on a fall cohort; all other institutions report on a full 12-

month cohort (September 1 through August 31). 

Graduation Rates 200 

This component collects the number of students entering the institution as full-time, first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking students in a particular year (cohort); the number of students in this 

cohort completing within 100, 150, and 200 percent of normal program completion time; and the 

number of cohort exclusions. In 2009-10, for 4-year institutions, the cohort consists of those 

students who first started in the 2001-02 academic year, and for 2-year and less-than-2-year 

institutions, the cohort is those students starting in the 2005-06 academic year. For 4-year 

institutions the information collected is limited to bachelor’s degree-seeking students only, while 

less-than-4-year institutions report on the entire cohort. Institutions operating on standard 

academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter) report on a fall cohort; all other institutions report 

on a full 12-month cohort (September 1 through August 31). 

Student Financial Aid 

This component of the web-based survey has seven parts: a section to establish student count 

totals for subsequent parts (part A); sections on financial aid for all undergraduates (part B); fulltime, first-time undergraduates (part C); full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving any type 

of grant aid (part D); full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving Title IV federal aid (part E); 

and sections on net price of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving any type 

of grant aid (part F) and full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV federal aid (part G). 

 

8

 Part I has been discontinued and is no longer applicable.
A-15

Data were collected based on the 2008-09 academic year for those institutions that were part of 

the IPEDS universe and indicated that they enrolled full-time undergraduate students in 2008-09. 

Student counts were collected based on fall 2008 enrollment or unduplicated counts for 2008-09, 

and institutions that charge tuition based on residency were asked to provide student counts by 

in-district, in-state, and out-of-state residency status. In part B, student counts and aid totals were 

collected for overall grant aid, Pell grant aid, and federal student loans. Part C collected student 

counts and aid totals for Pell grant, other federal grants, total federal grants, state/local grants, 

institutional grants, federal loans to students, other loans to students, and total loans to students. 

For part D, student counts by residency (on campus, off campus, and off campus with family) are 

collected, as well as total grant and scholarship aid. Part E, similarly to part D, collects student 

counts by residency and total grant and scholarship aid. In addition, part E collects student 

counts and total grant and scholarship aid by income level. For parts D and E, public institutions 

report only on students paying in-state tuition and fees. Private institutions report on all full-time, 

first-time students meeting the criteria for inclusion in the relevant part. Parts F and G don’t 

actually collect any additional data. Instead, they display the calculated net price of attendance 

for students reported in parts D and E, respectively, and allow institutions to provide comments 

for contextualizing the net prices. 

The 2009-10 survey forms are available at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/surveys/2009.asp. 

Changes in Reporting Categories 

Beginning in fall 2008, several changes began to take effect regarding reporting of data (1) by 

race/ethnicity, (2) by level of study, and (3) within the Finance component.9

These changes are 

being phased in, and began with the option during the 2008-09 IPEDS collection year to report 

race/ethnicity, level of study, and the Finance component data using the historical categories or 

using the new categories. For the 2009-10 IPEDS collection, use of the new race/ethnicity 

categories is still optional, as is the new Finance aligned form. However, the change to level of 

study is now mandatory. 

Regarding the changes to race/ethnicity reporting, institutions can report via the historical 

categories, with seven race/ethnicity categories; the new categories, with nine race/ethnicity 

categories; 10 or a combination of the old and new categories. The seven historic categories are 

American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander; Black or African 

American; Hispanic or Latino; White; race/ethnicity unknown; and nonresident alien. The nine 

new categories are American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; 

Hispanic or Latino; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; White; Two or more races; 

race/ethnicity unknown; and nonresident alien. During the phase-in period, the new Asian and 

new Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander categories will not be displayed separately for 

reporting purposes, but will be combined to correspond to the historic category of Asian, Native 

Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. For the spring 2010 collection, the Enrollment and Graduation 

Rates components are both affected by these race/ethnicity reporting options. 

 

9

 For more information, see http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/submit_data/changes0809.asp. 

10 The Department of Education’s final guidance on implementing the Office of Management and Budget’s 1997 

Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity officially adopted the new 

categories and prescribed the implementation schedule. This guidance took effect on December 3, 2007.
A-16

The use of the Two or more races category will likely decrease aggregate counts in the other 

race/ ethnicity categories because students classified into the Two or more races category might 

previously have been classified into one of the other categories. For the Enrollment component, 

1,931 institutions in the United States and other jurisdictions utilized the Two or more races 

category and reported a total of 6,840,256 students enrolled, of which 89,556 (1.3 percent) were 

classified into the Two or more races category. The total number of students reported at these 

institutions make up 32.2 percent of the 21,248,394 students reported to be enrolled at all Title 

IV institutions, and students classified into the Two or more races category represent 0.4 percent 

of the total enrollment at Title IV institutions. For the Graduation Rates component, 295 

institutions utilized the Two or more races category, reporting an adjusted cohort of 2,852

students and 1,675 completers in that category. The students in the adjusted cohort who were 

classified into the Two or more races category represent 2.0 percent of the 142,919 total students 

in the adjusted cohort at these institutions, and the completers classified into the Two or more 

races category make up 2.1 percent of the 79,162 completers at these institutions. The total 

adjusted cohort at these 295 institutions represents 6.1 percent of the 2,352,984 students in the 

adjusted cohort at all Title IV institutions, and the total completers make up 7.2 percent of the 

1,093,903 completers at all Title IV institutions. Individuals classified into the Two or more 

races category form 0.1 percent of the total adjusted cohort at Title IV institutions, and 0.2

percent of the total completers. 

The change to level of study eliminates the first-professional category and affects only the 

Enrollment component. This change is required for the spring 2010 collection. All students 

formerly classified as first-professional students must now be reported as graduate students. 

Revisions to the Finance component are intended to facilitate comparison between public and 

private institutions. No new data are being reported, so aggregate totals will not be affected. 

The lengths of the optional reporting periods for these changes differ by component and by the 

type of change. For the 2010-11 IPEDS collection, the use of the new race/ethnicity categories 

will become mandatory for the Enrollment component and the changes to the Finance 

component will be required; and for the 2011-12 IPEDS collection, the use of the new 

race/ethnicity categories will become mandatory for the Graduation Rates component. 

As a result of these optional reporting categories, caution should be exercised when drawing 

conclusions from the data presented in this First Look. Data presented in this report on students 

of Two or more races are based on only those institutions that reported using the optional new 

race/ethnicity categories and are not representative of all students who could be classified into 

Two or more races. In light of the required reporting changes and remaining optional periods, 

comparisons between data from prior IPEDS collections and the data presented in this First Look 

should be undertaken with caution. 

Survey Procedures 

The IPEDS spring 2010 data collection was entirely web-based. Each institution designated a 

keyholder, who was the person responsible for ensuring that data submitted by the institution 

were correct. The keyholder could generate UserIDs and passwords for up to six additional 

survey respondents who could also enter and review data. For most institutions, keyholders were 

also required to edit and “lock” the data; locking is equivalent to submitting completed data to 

NCES. 
A-17

Additionally, many states or systems had one or more coordinators who took responsibility for a 

specified group of institutions to ensure that all data were entered correctly. Some coordinators 

may be responsible for a system of institutions (e.g., SUNY—the State University of New York); 

others may coordinate all or some institutions in a state. Also, coordinators may elect to provide 

different levels of review. For example, some may only view data provided by their institutions, 

while others may upload data from state databases, review, and/or lock data for their institutions. 

For the 2009-10 IPEDS data collections, keyholders were asked to register prior to the fall 2009 

data collection. Registration information, including UserIDs and passwords, were e-mailed to 

existing keyholders in early August. Also in early August, letters were sent to chief executive 

officers (CEOs) at institutions without preregistered keyholders requesting that they appoint a 

keyholder for the 2009-10 collection year. The package included a letter for the keyholder and a 

registration certificate with the institution’s UserID and password for the entire 2009-10

collection period. Subsequent registration mailings were sent to CEOs at institutions at which a 

keyholder had still not been registered in late August and late September. At the beginning of the 

winter and spring collections (in early December and early March, respectively), e-mail 

messages were sent to registered keyholders and coordinators requesting that they update or 

confirm their registration contact information when the collections opened. Schools were 

allowed to designate a new keyholder at any time during the collection year, if needed. As with 

previous IPEDS studies, follow-up for nonresponse was conducted with CEOs, coordinators, and 

keyholders via mail, e-mail, and telephone throughout all three collection periods. 

The web-based survey instruments offered many features designed to improve the quality and 

timeliness of the data. As indicated above, survey respondents were required to register before 

entering 2009-10 data to ensure a point of contact between NCES/IPEDS and the institution. 

Online data entry forms were tailored to each institution based on characteristics such as degreegranting status, control of institution (public, private not-for-profit, private for-profit), and level 

of institution (4-year, 2-year, and less-than-2-year). 

When data from previous years were available for an institution, they were preloaded on the 

customized forms for easy reference and comparison purposes. Once the 2009-10 data were 

entered, either manually or through file upload, the keyholders were required to run edit checks 

(programmed into the web system based on criteria determined by NCES) and resolve all 

identified errors before they were able to lock (submit) their data. Once data were locked, they 

were considered submitted, regardless of whether or not the coordinator had reviewed the 

submission. 

Once the data were complete and all locks were applied, IPEDS help desk staff conducted a final 

review of all edit error explanations and of all caveats. Additionally, a randomly selected sample 

of institutions had their complete data visually reviewed. If any additional problems were 

detected, the help desk staff contacted the institutions to resolve any remaining questions. Once 

the data were reviewed and, if necessary, problems resolved, most data were migrated to the 

IPEDS Data Center, where they were made available to other responding institutions for 

comparison purposes. 
A-18

Edit Procedures 

Edit checks are built into the web-based data collection instrument to detect major reporting 

errors. The system automatically generates percentages for many data elements, and totals for 

each survey page. Based on these calculations, edit checks compared current responses to 

previously reported data. The percent variance necessary to trigger an edit check varied 

depending on the data element being compared, but typically were considered out of the 

expected range if the variance was greater than 25 percent. Edit checks can be run by the 

keyholder at any time during the collection, and all edit failures were required to be resolved 

before the keyholder could lock the data. As edit checks are executed, survey respondents are 

allowed to correct any errors detected by the system. If data were entered correctly but failed the 

edit checks, the survey respondents were asked either to confirm that the data were correct as 

entered or to key in a text message explaining why the data appeared to be out of the expected 

data range. Additionally, some edit failures were “fatal”; in these cases, the data had to be 

corrected by the keyholder rather than confirmed or explained. For the Graduation Rates 

component, respondents were permitted to change the initial cohort (previously reported 

numbers brought forward from responses to the Enrollment component) if the data were 

originally reported incorrectly. Survey respondents are also provided with a caveats box for each 

survey component and are encouraged to use this area to explain any special circumstances that 

might not be evident in their reported data. 

Enrollment 

The Enrollment component had several automated edit checks designed to ensure internal 

consistency. Among them, the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students had to be less than or equal to the total number of students. Student 

counts, by level, were compared to activity hours reported in earlier components to ensure that 

the numbers of undergraduate and graduate students were reported in a way that was consistent 

with previously reported data. For this collection cycle, Part C (first time students reported by 

state of residence, U.S. territory, or foreign country) data were optional. However, if reported, 

total students from Part C had to equal the number reported in Part A (reported by 

race/ethnicity), by full-time/part-time status. In addition, total first-time degree/certificateseeking students in Part A (reported by race/ethnicity) had to equal total first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking students in Part B (reported by age). If the system detected 

discrepancies in the numbers reported in Parts A, B, and C, balance amounts were generated and 

these balances were entered into “unknown” fields. Additionally, current year data for all 

sections were compared to data from previous years, and large discrepancies (typically 25 

percent or greater) had to be justified by the keyholder in the edit explanations. 

Finance 

For the Finance component, current year data were compared to the previous year’s data and 

large changes from one year to the next had to be justified in the edit explanations. In the version 

of the Finance component for private not-for-profit institutions, total net assets had to equal total 

unrestricted net assets plus total restricted net assets. Total net assets also had to equal total 

assets minus total liabilities. For all versions of the Finance component, selected fields—such as 

other sources of revenue, other expenses, and long-term debt outstanding at the end of the fiscal 

year—were generated by the collection system using predetermined formulas. Institutions were 

instructed to review the generated totals and resolve any data entry errors. 
A-19

Graduation Rates 

For the Graduation Rates component, the initial cohort of full-time/first-time degree- or 

certificate-seeking students was preloaded using data collected in the Enrollment survey for the 

applicable cohort year in order to ensure consistent reporting. Revisions to the initial cohort were 

permitted if better data had become available, and such revisions were to be explained in the 

caveat boxes. Individual cells were summed to ensure that they did not exceed the revised cohort 

for any race/ethnicity or gender classification. Institutions reporting very high or very low 

numbers of completers (as a percentage of the total cohort) were required to explain this 

anomaly. Finally, if cohort members were reported for either section of the Graduation Rates 

component (bachelor’s-seeking or other-than-bachelor’s-seeking), data had to be reported in 

each applicable section. 

Graduation Rates 200 

For the Graduation Rates 200 component, data on the cohort of full-time, first-time degree- or 

certificate-seeking students, exclusions from the cohort, and completers within 150 percent of 

normal program completion time were preloaded from the Graduation Rates component covering 

the appropriate cohort year. Individual cells were summed to ensure that they did not exceed the 

revised cohort. Institutions reporting very high or very low numbers of completers within 150 to 

200 percent of normal program completion time, or reporting high numbers of additional cohort 

exclusions (as a percentage of the cohort), were required to explain this anomaly and make 

necessary corrections. 

Student Financial Aid 

For the Student Financial Aid component of the survey, the number of full-time, first-time 

students had to be less than or equal to the total number of undergraduate students enrolled. The 

number of full-time, first-time students who received any financial aid during the full academic 

year had to be less than or equal to the number of full-time, first-time undergraduate students, 

and the total aid received by the first-time, full-time students had to be less than the total aid 

received by the total undergraduates. For public institutions that charged by residency, the sum 

of in-district, in-state, and out-of-state full-time, first-time undergraduate students could not 

exceed the number of full-time, first-time undergraduate students as reported in Part B. The 

number of full-time, first-time undergraduate students receiving federal grants could not exceed 

the number of full-time, first-time undergraduate students who received any financial aid during 

the full academic year. The same criteria applied to state/local grants, institutional grants, and 

loans to students. In Part D, the average amount of aid received by first-time, full-time students 

was compared to the previous year, and large discrepancies (typically 15 percent or greater) had 

to be justified by the keyholder in the edit explanations. In Part E, average aid received in each 

income category was compared to the next lower income category, and instances where higher 

average aid was received by students with higher incomes had to be justified by the keyholder in 

the edit explanations 

Imputation Procedures 

The Enrollment data, Finance data, Graduation Rates data, Graduation Rates 200 data, and 

Student Financial Aid data were all subject to imputation for nonresponse—both institutional 

nonresponse and item nonresponse. In addition, the set of institutions eligible for imputation or 

to serve as a donor was restricted to institutions satisfying all of the following conditions: 
A-20

 The institution must participate in Title IV student financial aid programs. 

 The institution must be currently active11 in IPEDS. 

 The institution must not be an administrative office. 

 The institution must not be a child institution (a child institution’s data are reported by 

another institution, referred to as the parent). 

 For the Graduation Rates and Graduation Rates 200 components, the institution must have 

enrolled full-time, first-time students for the appropriate cohort year.

Enrollment 

For the Enrollment component, 81 imputation groups were formed primarily based on 

institutional sector and undergraduate, and graduate offerings. 

The following imputation methods were used (in order of preference) to impute missing 

enrollment data: 

 Carry Forward—Reported 2008 (or 2007) enrollment data were carried forward to the 

current year. The number of students reported in 2008 (or 2007) was used as the base value 

for the imputation. This base value was then multiplied by either the ratio of current year to 

past year median part-time students or the ratio of current year to past year median full-time 

students (whichever was applicable) within the imputation group to adjust for year-to-year 

change. Medians were determined within imputation groups. 

 Nearest Neighbor—The completions data for academic year 2008-09 were used in defining 

the distance measure for this method. In particular, the distance between two institutions was 

defined as the maximum relative difference in award count among the levels of study 

(undergraduate and graduate). The nearest neighbor of the imputee was selected from the 

responding institutions in the same imputation group as the donor. The donor’s fall 

enrollment counts were multiplied by the ratio of the imputee’s award count to the donor’s 

award count to adjust for the difference between the two institutions. These adjusted values 

were used as the imputed values. 

 Group Median—For each imputation group, the median enrollment count of all responding 

institutions was calculated. The responding institution that had the closest enrollment count 

to this median was designated as the median institution. Enrollment counts were imputed 

using the values from the median institution. For public institutions, if there were at least 

three donors from the imputee’s state, the median institution was chosen from the institutions 

within the same state as the imputee. Otherwise, the median institution was chosen from the 

entire imputation group. 

For total nonrespondents, if there were past enrollment data, then the Carry Forward method was 

used. Alternately, if there were past completions data, the Nearest Neighbor method was used. 

Otherwise the Group Median method was used. Partial imputations were also conducted using 

the above methods when an entire part of the Enrollment component was missing. 

 

11 Institutions that did not respond were verified as currently active (open for business) prior to imputation through 

telephone calls and e-mail. 
A-21

Table A-3 provides the fall enrollment counts (reported and imputed) and percentages that were 

imputed for all Title IV institutions in the United States, by control of institution, student level, 

attendance status, gender, degree-granting status, and age of student. 

Table A-4 provides counts of students enrolling for the first time at an institution (reported and 

imputed) and percentages that were imputed for all Title IV academic year institutions, by 

control of institution and degree-granting status. 

Table A-5 provides the number and percentage of institutions with imputed 1-year retention rates 

for first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for all Title IV institutions in the 

United States, by control, degree-granting status, and attendance status. 

Table A-3. Enrollment and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of institution, student level, 

attendance status, gender, degree-granting status, and age of student: United States, fall 2009

Student level, 

attendance status, 

gender, degreegranting status, and 

age of student

Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

Fall 

enrollment

Imputed

Fall 

enrollment

Imputed

Fall 

enrollment

Imputed

Fall 

enrollment

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

All students 20,966,826 615 # 14,936,382 0 0.0 3,791,418 35 # 2,239,026 580 #

Undergraduate 18,104,116 599 # 13,512,290 0 0.0 2,619,465 19 # 1,972,361 580 #

First-time, first-year 3,423,880 244 # 2,416,376 0 0.0 522,927 4 # 484,577 240 #

Other 

undergraduate 14,680,236 355 # 11,095,914 0 0.0 2,096,538 15 # 1,487,784 340 #

Graduate 2,862,710 16 # 1,424,092 0 0.0 1,171,953 16 # 266,665 0 0.0

Full time 13,163,220 395 # 8,608,313 0 0.0 2,828,718 23 # 1,726,189 372 #

Part time 7,803,606 220 # 6,328,069 0 0.0 962,700 12 # 512,837 208 #

Men 8,952,577 199 # 6,570,514 0 0.0 1,606,460 17 # 775,603 182 #

Women 12,014,249 416 # 8,365,868 0 0.0 2,184,958 18 # 1,463,423 398 #

Degree-granting 20,427,711 35 # 14,810,642 0 0.0 3,765,083 35 # 1,851,986 0 0.0

Non-degree-granting 539,115 580 0.1 125,740 0 0.0 26,335 0 0.0 387,040 580 0.1

Age of student

Under 18 775,037 0 0.0 697,904 0 0.0 66,396 0 0.0 10,737 0 0.0

18-19 4,382,891 42 # 3,390,708 0 0.0 807,949 1 # 184,234 41 #

20-21 4,083,922 93 # 3,038,779 0 0.0 805,680 2 # 239,463 91 #

22-24 3,400,363 204 # 2,495,441 0 0.0 589,494 3 # 315,428 201 0.1

25-29 3,054,863 169 # 2,006,465 0 0.0 577,063 4 # 471,335 165 #

30-34 1,694,576 143 # 1,063,847 0 0.0 298,099 4 # 332,630 139 #

35-39 1,170,546 72 # 719,625 0 0.0 204,101 2 # 246,820 70 #

40-49 1,495,255 53 # 933,567 0 0.0 268,029 6 # 293,659 47 #

50-64 755,796 11 # 498,177 0 0.0 133,853 10 # 123,766 1 #

65 and over 71,812 3 # 61,807 0 0.0 6,537 3 # 3,468 0 0.0

Age unknown 81,765 9 # 30,062 0 0.0 34,217 0 0.0 17,486 9 0.1

# Rounds to zero.

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. One institution in other jurisdictions required imputation. This table is based on the enrollment by 

race/ethnicity and gender section (Part A) of the Enrollment component. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 

Spring 2010, Enrollment component.
A-22

Table A-4. Entering class of undergraduate students and percentage imputed for all Title IV academic year 

institutions, by control of institution and degree-granting status: United States, fall 2009

Degree-granting 

status

Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

Entering 

class

Imputed Entering 

class

Imputed Entering 

class

Imputed Entering 

class

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

All institutions 5,045,210 7 # 4,039,814 0 0.0 738,619 7 # 266,777 0 0.0

Degree-granting 5,045,210 7 # 4,039,814 0 0.0 738,619 7 # 266,777 0 0.0

Non-degree-granting † † † † † † † † † † † †

† Not applicable.

# Rounds to zero.

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. No institutions in other jurisdictions required imputation. This table is based on the total entering 

class section (Part D) of the Enrollment component. Total entering class consists of all first-time, first-year undergraduate students and students 

transferring into any undergraduate classification (if the student had not previously attended the institution) enrolling at a particular institution in the 

fall term, regardless of degree/certificate-seeking status and full/part-time status. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 

Spring 2010, Enrollment component.

Table A-5. Number and percentage of Title IV institutions with imputed 1-year retention rates for first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students, by control, degree-granting status, and attendance 

status: United States, fall 2009

Degree-granting 

status and 

attendance status

Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

All 

institutions

Imputed All 

institutions

Imputed All 

institutions

Imputed All 

institutions

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

All institutions 5,835 9 0.2 1,918 2 0.1 1,414 1 0.1 2,503 6 0.2

Full-time students 5,796 8 0.1 1,913 2 0.1 1,406 1 0.1 2,477 5 0.2

Part-time students 3,680 6 0.2 1,781 2 0.1 707 1 0.1 1,192 3 0.3

Degree-granting 3,949 2 0.1 1,615 1 0.1 1,297 1 0.1 1,037 0 0.0

Full-time students 3,930 2 0.1 1,615 1 0.1 1,290 1 0.1 1,025 0 0.0

Part-time students 2,750 2 0.1 1,570 1 0.1 677 1 0.1 503 0 0.0

Non-degree-granting 1,886 7 0.4 303 1 0.3 117 0 0.0 1,466 6 0.4

Full-time students 1,866 6 0.3 298 1 0.3 116 0 0.0 1,452 5 0.3

Part-time students 930 4 0.4 211 1 0.5 30 0 0.0 689 3 0.4

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. One institution in other jurisdictions required imputation. This table is based on the retention rate 

section (Part E) of the Enrollment component.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 

Spring 2010, Enrollment component.

Finance 

For the Finance component, Parts A through E of the public GASB reporting form, the private 

not-for-profit FASB reporting form, and the private for-profit F-3 reporting form were subject to 

imputation. The imputation groups were created separately for public, private not-for-profit, and 

private for-profit institutions. Forty-seven imputation groups were formed based primarily on 

institutional sector, graduate offering, medical degree offering, state (for public only), and 

religious affiliation (for private not-for-profit only). 
A-23

The following imputation methods were used (in order of preference) to impute missing data in 

the Finance component of the survey: 

 Carry Forward—Reported prior finance data were carried forward to the current year. The 

values were then multiplied by a median inflation adjustment from within the imputation 

group to account for year-to-year change. For variables deemed proportional to enrollment, 

such as total tuition and fees or total student grants, further adjustment by full-time 

equivalent (FTE) enrollment ratios was made. 

 Nearest Neighbor FTE—Data from a nearest neighbor of the imputee based on previous 

years’ FTE enrollment values within the imputation group were used as the imputed values. 

An imputee/donor FTE adjustment for variables closely related to FTE was made to the 

imputed values. For public imputees, only institutions within the same state as the imputee 

were considered as potential donors. If there were no potential donors within the same state, 

then this restriction did not apply. 

 Nearest Neighbor EAP (Employees by Assigned Position)—Data from a nearest neighbor of 

the imputee based on the current or previous year EAP data within the imputation group were 

used as the imputed values. The number of total employees reported in the EAP dataset was 

used in defining the distance measure. An imputee/donor adjustment, based on the EAP data, 

was made to the imputed values. For public imputees, only institutions within the same state 

as the imputee were considered as potential donors. If there were no potential donors within 

the same state, then this restriction did not apply. 

If an institution was a nonrespondent and had finance data from at least 1 of the previous 2 years, 

then the Carry Forward method was used. If finance data from the previous 2 years were not 

available but enrollment data were, then the Nearest Neighbor-FTE method was used. If neither 

finance nor enrollment data were available, the Nearest Neighbor-EAP method was used if the 

EAP data for the previous years were available. Partial nonresponse was determined by 

comparison with the existing past data. Partial nonrespondents were imputed by applying the 

above methods to the missing parts. 

Because no information was available on whether nonrespondents adopted GASB or FASB to 

prepare their financial statements, public imputees were imputed using data from public GASB 

donors. Private not-for-profit imputees were imputed using data from private not-for-profit 

donors, not from public FASB donors. 

Table A-6 provides the revenues and expenditures/expenses (reported and imputed) as well as 

the percentages of these amounts that were imputed for all Title IV institutions in the United 

States, by control of institution and type of funds. 
A-24

Table A-6. Revenues and expenses and the percentages imputed for Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution and type of funds: United States, fiscal year 2009

Type of funds

Total Public (GASB)1Public (FASB)2

Total funds

(in 

thousands)

Imputed

Total funds

(in 

thousands)

Imputed

Total funds

(in 

thousands)

Imputed

Amount

(in 

thousands) Percent

Amount

(in 

thousands) Percent

Amount

(in 

thousands) Percent

Total revenues 

and 

investment 

returns $361,489,368 $13,419 # $261,526,673 $4,689 # $7,257,874 $0 0.0

Tuition and fees 125,957,274 6,054 # 49,590,033 45 # 2,474,299 0 0.0

Government 

appropriations, 

grants, and 

contracts 157,198,621 1,997 # 134,921,471 1,935 # 2,266,157 0 0.0

 Federal 58,506,979 60 # 39,913,162 30 # 1,142,739 0 0.0

 State and local 98,691,642 1,936 # 95,008,309 1,905 # 1,123,417 0 0.0

Private gifts, grants, 

and contracts 22,384,340 30 # 5,311,649 0 0.0 586,158 0 0.0

Sales and services of 

educational 

activities 5,571,133 71 # † † † 166,924 0 0.0

Auxiliary enterprises 35,313,131 0 0.0 20,707,032 0 0.0 651,288 0 0.0

Hospitals 42,104,882 0 0.0 25,274,181 0 0.0 2,027,702 0 0.0

Contributions from 

affiliated entities 1,298,036 266 # † † † 7 0 0.0

Investment return -73,687,562 1 # -8,297,690 0 0.0 -1,183,564 0 0.0

Independent 

operations 

revenue 6,436,217 0 0.0 1,014,727 0 0.0 21,933 0 0.0

Other revenue 38,913,296 1,718 # 33,005,269 -422 # 246,971 0 0.0

Total expenses 436,080,805 10,143 # 266,016,012 3,129 # 8,277,403 0 0.0

Instruction 131,464,816 3,099 # 77,446,506 155 # 2,154,737 0 0.0

Research and public 

service 57,129,163 13 # 37,813,267 0 0.0 1,683,316 0 0.0

Academic support, 

student services, 

and institutional 

support 115,150,213 2,419 # 57,535,766 358 # 1,662,997 0 0.0

Operation and 

maintenance of 

plant 11,553,269 0 0.0 11,553,269 0 0.0 † † †

Scholarships and 

fellowships/aid 11,957,128 38 # 11,131,390 12 # 14,289 0 0.0

Auxiliary enterprises 36,218,684 0 0.0 21,490,742 0 0.0 623,317 0 0.0

Hospitals 38,477,845 0 0.0 24,440,745 0 0.0 2,106,259 0 0.0

Independent 

operations 6,374,918 0 0.0 1,194,098 0 0.0 22,340 0 0.0

Other expenses 27,754,769 2,743 # 23,410,228 1,561 # 10,147 0 0.0

See notes at end of table. 
A-25

Table A-6. Revenues and expenses and the percentages imputed for Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution and type of funds: United States, fiscal year 2009—Continued

Type of funds

Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

Total funds

(in 

thousands)

Imputed

Total funds

(in 

thousands)

Imputed

Amount

(in 

thousands) Percent

Amount

(in 

thousands) Percent

Total revenues and 

investment 

returns $69,299,673 $1,307 # $23,405,149 $7,423 #

Tuition and fees 53,870,924 884 # 20,022,017 5,125 #

Government 

appropriations, 

grants, and contracts 18,093,709 61 # 1,917,285 0 0.0

 Federal 15,683,156 30 # 1,767,921 0 0.0

 State and local 2,410,552 31 # 149,364 0 0.0

Private gifts, grants, and 

contracts 16,401,236 30 # 85,297 0 0.0

Sales and services of 

educational activities 4,803,926 # # 600,283 71 #

Auxiliary enterprises 13,559,084 0 0.0 395,728 0 0.0

Hospitals 14,802,999 0 0.0 † † †

Contributions from 

affiliated entities 1,298,029 266 # † † †

Investment return -64,254,340 0 0.0 48,031 1 #

Independent operations 

revenue 5,399,557 0 0.0 † † †

Other revenue 5,324,549 66 # 336,507 2,074 0.6

Total expenses 141,951,497 1,281 # 19,835,893 5,733 #

Instruction 46,647,176 798 # 5,216,397 2,146 #

Research and public 

service 17,613,067 0 0.0 19,512 13 0.1

Academic support, 

student services, and 

institutional support 43,317,822 447 # 12,633,628 1,614 #

Operation and 

maintenance of plant † † † † † †

Scholarships and 

fellowships/aid 758,844 0 0.0 52,604 26 #

Auxiliary enterprises 13,707,921 0 0.0 396,704 0 0.0

Hospitals 11,930,840 0 0.0 † † †

Independent operations 5,158,480 0 0.0 † † †

Other expenses 2,817,346 35 # 1,517,048 1,147 0.1

† Not applicable.

# Rounds to zero.

1

Public institutions that use Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards to prepare their financial statements.

2

Public institutions that use Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) standards to prepare their financial statements.

NOTE: All public FASB data are reported, not imputed, because public imputees are imputed using data from public GASB donors. 

This table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. One institution in other jurisdictions required imputation.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Finance component.
A-26

Graduation Rates 

For the GRS component, all sections were subject to imputation. Missing data on cohort size, 

completers, transfers, and exclusions were imputed, as was the associated detailed information 

(e.g., completers within a specified number of years from entry). The variables used to define 

imputation groups for the GRS component were 

 sector; 

 medical offering; 

 graduate offering; 

 bachelor’s degree offering; and 

 less-than-1-year or at-least-1-but-less-than-2-years or associate’s degree or at-least-2-butless-than-4-years offerings. 

Each combination of the above criteria formed a unique imputation group. Imputation groups for 

institutions in sector 9 (private for-profit less-than-2-year institutions) were also defined by the 

combination of less-than-1-year and at-least-1-but-less-than-2-year offerings. A donor was 

selected from the same imputation group as the imputee. 

The following imputation methods were used (in order of preference) to impute missing data in 

the GRS component of the survey: 

 Carry Forward—The imputed school’s previous year’s data were used as the donor values. 

No year-to-year adjustment was necessary because the graduation rate for last year’s cohort 

is the best estimate of the graduation rate for this year’s cohort.

 Nearest Neighbor—The responding institution with the nearest “distance” to the imputee 

within the imputee’s imputation group was used as the donor. The distance was calculated 

from a predicted graduation rate and either the Completions data or the Enrollment data. The 

predicted rate was developed using a logistic model with covariates from the Completions 

and Enrollment components. 

 Group Median—A median institution in each imputation group was determined and used as 

a donor for imputees in that imputation group. 

If a nonrespondent institution had GRS data in either of the previous 2 years, then the Carry 

Forward procedure was used. When previous years’ data were not available, the Nearest 

Neighbor imputation method was used if sufficient data were available. Otherwise, the Group 

Median imputation procedure was used. Group Median and Nearest Neighbor imputations were 

performed within the 24 imputation groups formed for the GRS component. 

Table A-7 provides the GRS graduation rate component counts (reported and imputed) and 

percentages that were imputed for all Title IV institutions in the United States, by control of 

institution and student level. 
A-27

Table A-7. Student graduation rate component counts and number and percentage imputed for all Title 

IV institutions, by control of institution and student level: United States, cohort years 2003 

and 2006

Student level

Total Public

Students

Imputed

Students

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent

Section II—Bachelor’s degree-seeking

Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort 1,299,560 0 0.0 828,769 0 0.0

Total exclusions 5,185 9 0.2 2,730 0 0.0

Adjusted bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking 

subcohort 1,294,375 116 # 826,039 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 750,069 27 # 463,033 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 1,893 0 0.0 787 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 5,444 4 0.1 1,884 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 742,732 23 # 460,362 0 0.0

Completed the program in 4 years or less 474,921 50 # 253,345 0 0.0

Completed the program in 5 years 208,613 5 # 161,436 0 0.0

Completed the program in 6 years 59,198 0 0.0 45,581 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 109,311 0 0.0 89,917 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled1434,995 100 # 273,089 0 0.0

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 1,480 0 0.0 796 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1

433,515 100 # 272,293 0 0.0

Section III—Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking at 4-year 

institutions

Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 164,613 0 0.0 77,804 0 0.0

Total exclusions 1,246 0 0.0 750 0 0.0

Adjusted other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 163,367 0 0.0 77,054 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 58,399 0 0.0 20,231 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 16,227 0 0.0 1,481 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 34,926 0 0.0 14,221 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 7,246 0 0.0 4,529 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 13,734 0 0.0 12,229 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled191,234 0 0.0 44,594 0 0.0

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 41 0 0.0 9 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1

91,193 0 0.0 44,585 0 0.0

Section IV—Degree/certificate-seeking at less-than-4-year 

institutions

Degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 852,818 14 # 635,663 0 0.0

Total exclusions 2,145 0 0.0 1,600 0 0.0

Adjusted degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 850,673 14 # 634,063 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 269,726 11 # 139,881 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 148,173 11 # 39,185 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 121,553 0 0.0 100,696 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 114,153 1 # 111,836 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled1466,794 2 # 382,346 0 0.0

Still enrolled in programs of 3 years or longer 1,582 0 0.0 1,462 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1

465,212 2 # 380,884 0 0.0

See notes at end of table.
A-28

Table A-7. Student graduation rate component counts and number and percentage imputed for all Title 

IV institutions, by control of institution and student level: United States, cohort years 2003 

and 2006—Continued

Student level

Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

Students

Imputed

Students

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent

Section II—Bachelor’s degree-seeking

Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort 420,546 0 0.0 50,245 0 0.0

Total exclusions 2,381 9 0.4 74 0 0.0

Adjusted bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking 

subcohort 418,165 116 # 50,171 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 275,624 27 # 11,412 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 468 0 0.0 638 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 3,044 4 0.1 516 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 272,112 23 # 10,258 0 0.0

Completed the program in 4 years or less 215,225 50 # 6,351 0 0.0

Completed the program in 5 years 44,664 5 # 2,513 0 0.0

Completed the program in 6 years 12,223 0 0.0 1,394 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 18,781 0 0.0 613 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled1123,760 100 0.1 38,146 0 0.0

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 681 0 0.0 3 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1

123,079 100 0.1 38,143 0 0.0

Section III—Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking at 4-year 

institutions

Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 25,594 0 0.0 61,215 0 0.0

Total exclusions 178 0 0.0 318 0 0.0

Adjusted other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 25,416 0 0.0 60,897 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 10,228 0 0.0 27,940 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 1,246 0 0.0 13,500 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 7,086 0 0.0 13,619 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 1,896 0 0.0 821 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 1,013 0 0.0 492 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled114,175 0 0.0 32,465 0 0.0

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 32 0 0.0 0 0 †

Other noncompleters1

14,143 0 0.0 32,465 0 0.0

Section IV—Degree/certificate-seeking at less-than-4-year 

institutions

Degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 12,019 0 0.0 205,136 14 #

Total exclusions 50 0 0.0 495 0 0.0

Adjusted degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 11,969 0 0.0 204,641 14 #

Total completers within 150% 6,620 0 0.0 123,225 11 #

Completers of programs of <2 years 4,228 0 0.0 104,760 11 #

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 2,392 0 0.0 18,465 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 1,092 0 0.0 1,225 1 0.1

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled14,257 0 0.0 80,191 2 #

Still enrolled in programs of 3 years or longer 16 0 0.0 104 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1

4,241 0 0.0 80,087 2 #

† Not applicable.

# Rounds to zero.

1

This line is calculated from the numbers in the table. It is not represented in the dataset.

NOTE: This table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. Cohort year 2003 is applicable to 4-year institutions, while cohort year 2006 

is applicable to 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions. One institution in other jurisdictions required imputation. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Graduation Rates component.
A-29

Student Financial Aid 

For the SFA component, all student counts and aid amounts were subject to imputation. To 

conduct imputations, 66 imputation groups were formed primarily based on institution sector; 

calendar system; medical degree offering; and graduate, bachelor, associate, and less-than-2-year 

award offerings. 

The following imputation procedures were used to impute missing data in the SFA component of 

the survey. 

If available, we first obtained 

 for academic year reporters, the total number of undergraduates and number of full-time, 

first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates from the enrollment data for fall 2008; 

and 

 for program reporters, the unduplicated count of all students enrolled from the 12-Month 

Enrollment component unduplicated count data for academic year 2008-09. 

Then the following imputation methods, in order, were used to impute the remaining missing 

data:

 Carry Forward—This method was for institutions that responded to the previous years’ SFA 

component. Reported prior student financial aid data were carried forward to the current 

year. The values were then adjusted for year-to-year changes. 

 Nearest Neighbor—The responding institution with the nearest distance to the imputee 

within the imputee’s imputation group was used as the donor. The distance was calculated 

from the Finance data or the Enrollment data. An imputee/donor adjustment was made to the 

imputed values, which consists of the ratio of the imputee’s distance measure to the donor’s 

distance measure. 

 Group Median—A median institution in each imputation group based on ranks of “student 

count” and “average aid amount” variables was determined and used as a donor for imputees 

in that imputation group. The donor’s values were assigned to the imputee with no 

adjustments. 

Table A-8 provides the number of financial aid recipients (reported and imputed) and 

percentages that were imputed for all Title IV institutions in the United States, by type of aid and 

level and control of institution. 
A-30

Table A-8. Number of financial aid recipients and number and percentage imputed for all Title IV 

institutions, by type of aid and level and control of institution: United States, academic year 

2008-09

Level and control of institution

Federal grants State/local grants

Number 

receiving

Imputed Number 

receiving

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent

Total recipients 1,291,795 1,065 0.1 838,096 337 #

4-year 578,266 15 # 543,336 0 0.0

Public 285,851 0 0.0 381,633 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 130,461 15 # 146,790 0 0.0

Private for-profit 161,954 0 0.0 14,913 0 0.0

2-year 491,679 71 # 277,473 32 #

Public 301,476 0 0.0 255,678 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 6,835 16 0.2 3,557 16 0.4

Private for-profit 183,368 55 # 18,238 16 0.1

Less-than-2-year 221,850 979 0.4 17,287 305 1.8

Public 11,616 0 0.0 5,036 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 8,157 0 0.0 2,121 0 0.0

Private for-profit 202,077 979 0.5 10,130 305 3.0

Level and control of institution

Institutional grants Loans to students

Number 

receiving

Imputed Number 

receiving

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent

Total recipients 935,249 10 # 1,564,830 1,050 0.1

4-year 812,161 4 # 977,898 18 #

Public 374,537 0 0.0 472,222 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 376,914 4 # 295,339 18 #

Private for-profit 60,710 0 0.0 210,337 0 0.0

2-year 106,698 4 # 365,763 229 0.1

Public 77,900 0 0.0 147,217 224 0.2

Private not-for-profit 4,274 0 0.0 6,855 0 0.0

Private for-profit 24,524 4 # 211,691 5 #

Less-than-2-year 16,390 2 # 221,169 803 0.4

Public 1,472 0 0.0 6,532 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 644 0 0.0 4,784 0 0.0

Private for-profit 14,274 2 # 209,853 803 0.4

# Rounds to zero.

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. One institution in other jurisdictions required imputation. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Student Financial Aid component.
A-31

Graduation Rates 200 

For the GR200 component, all fields were subject to imputation. Missing data on cohort size, 

completers, and exclusions were imputed, as was the associated detailed information (e.g., 

completers within a specified number of years from entry). The variables used to define 

imputation groups for the GR200 component were 

 sector; 

 degree granting status; 

 graduate offering; 

 bachelor’s degree offering; and 

 less-than-1-year or at-least-1-but-less-than-2-years or associate’s degree or at-least-2-butless-than-4-years offerings. 

Each combination of the above criteria formed a unique imputation group. Imputation groups for 

institutions in sector 9 (private for-profit less-than-2-year institutions) were also defined by the 

combination of less-than-1-year and at-least-1-but-less-than-2-year offerings. A donor was 

selected from the same imputation group as the imputee. 

The following imputation methods were used (in order of preference) to impute missing data in 

the GR200 component of the survey: 

 Carry Forward—The imputed school’s previous year’s GRS data were used as the donor 

values to impute data items pertaining to cohort, exclusions within 150 percent of normal 

program completion time, and completers within 150 percent of normal program completion 

time. No year-to-year adjustment was necessary because the graduation rate for the prior 

cohort is the best estimate of the graduation rate for the current cohort. Variables pertaining 

to exclusions and completers at 200 percent of normal program completion time were 

imputed by multiplying the imputed data covering 150 percent of normal program 

completion time by an adjustment ratio derived from the reported data in the imputee’s 

imputation group. 

 Nearest Neighbor—The responding institution with the nearest “distance” to the imputee 

within the imputee’s imputation group was used as the donor. The distance was calculated 

from Completions component data. 

If a nonrespondent institution had GRS data in either of the previous two years, then the Carry 

Forward procedure was used. When previous years’ data were not available, the Nearest 

Neighbor imputation method was used. Imputations were performed within 24 imputation groups 

formed for the GR200 component. 

Table A-9 provides the GR200 graduation rate component counts (reported and imputed) and 

percentages that were imputed for all Title IV institutions in the United States, by control of 

institution and student level. 
A-32

Table A-9. Student graduation rate component counts and number and percentage imputed for all 

Title IV institutions, by control of institution and student level: United States, cohort years 

2001 and 2005

Student level

Total Public

Students

Imputed

Students

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent

Bachelor’s degree seeking students at 4-year institutions 

Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort 1,211,807 0 0.0 779,003 0 0.0

Total exclusions 4,326 0 0.0 2,595 0 0.0

Adjusted bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking 

subcohort 1,207,481 0 0.0 776,408 0 0.0

Total completers within 200% 726,918 0 0.0 453,470 0 0.0

Completed the program in 100% of normal program 

completion time or less 438,819 0 0.0 229,226 0 0.0

Completed the program in 150% of normal program 

completion time 254,293 0 0.0 197,959 0 0.0

Completed the program in 200% of normal program 

completion time 33,806 0 0.0 26,285 0 0.0

Degree/certificate-seeking at less-than-4-year institutions

Degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 1,096,792 999 0.1 687,824 0 0.0

Total exclusions 3,353 6 0.2 1,793 0 0.0

Adjusted degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 1,093,439 993 0.1 686,031 0 0.0

Total completers within 200% 475,927 854 0.2 206,062 0 0.0

Completed the program in 100% of normal program 

completion time or less 253,106 425 0.2 93,416 0 0.0

Completed the program in 150% of normal program 

completion time 168,829 355 0.2 71,404 0 0.0

Completed the program in 200% of normal program 

completion time 53,992 74 0.1 41,242 0 0.0

Student level

Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

Students

Imputed

Students

Imputed

Number Percent Number Percent

Bachelor’s degree seeking students at 4-year institutions 

Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort 401,953 0 0.0 30,851 0 0.0

Total exclusions 1,671 0 0.0 60 0 0.0

Adjusted bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking 

subcohort 400,282 0 0.0 30,791 0 0.0

Total completers within 200% 264,483 0 0.0 8,965 0 0.0

Completed the program in 100% of normal program 

completion time or less 203,701 0 0.0 5,892 0 0.0

Completed the program in 150% of normal program 

completion time 53,908 0 0.0 2,426 0 0.0

Completed the program in 200% of normal program 

completion time 6,874 0 0.0 647 0 0.0

Degree/certificate-seeking at less-than-4-year institutions

Degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 18,948 0 0.0 390,020 999 0.3

Total exclusions 119 0 0.0 1,441 6 0.4

Adjusted degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 18,829 0 0.0 388,579 993 0.3

Total completers within 200% 12,582 0 0.0 257,283 854 0.3

Completed the program in 100% of normal program 

completion time or less 8,796 0 0.0 150,894 425 0.3

Completed the program in 150% of normal program 

completion time 2,883 0 0.0 94,542 355 0.4

Completed the program in 200% of normal program 

completion time 903 0 0.0 11,847 74 0.6

NOTE: This table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. Cohort year 2001 is applicable to 4-year institutions, while cohort year 2005 

is applicable to 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions. For institutions in other jurisdictions, 161 students in the cohort were 

imputed and 161 completers were imputed.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), Spring 2010, Graduation Rates 200 component.
B-1 

Appendix B: 

Glossary of IPEDS Terms 

academic year: The period of time generally extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 

semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.

adjusted cohort: In the Graduation Rates component of IPEDS, an institution’s revised cohort minus 

any allowable exclusions. 

administrative office: The system or central office in a multicampus environment. 

auxiliary enterprises revenues: Revenues generated by or collected from the auxiliary enterprise 

operations of the institution that exist to furnish a service to students, faculty, or staff and that charge 

a fee that is directly related to, although not necessarily equal to, the cost of the service. Auxiliary 

enterprises are managed as essentially self-supporting activities. Examples are residence halls, food 

services, student health services, intercollegiate athletics, college unions, college stores, and movie 

theaters. 

bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking cohort: In the Graduation Rates component of IPEDS, a 

cohort of students who were seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree upon entry.

child institution: An institution that has its data reported by another institution, known as the parent 

institution. 

cohort: A specific group of students established for tracking purposes. 

completers within 150 percent of normal time: Students who completed their program within 150 

percent of the normal (or expected) time for completion at the same institution where the student 

started. 

component unit: This term applies to GASB institutions only. A component unit is a legally separate 

organization for which the governing board and/or management of the primary institution is 

financially accountable. It can be another organization for which the nature and significance of its 

relationship with a primary institution is such that exclusion would cause the primary institution’s 

financial statements to be misleading or incomplete. 

control (of institution): A classification of whether an institution is operated by publicly elected or 

appointed officials (public control) or by privately elected or appointed officials and derives its major 

source of funds from private sources (private control). 

coordinator: The person responsible for Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 

survey related coordination activities for a specified group of schools within a state. This person may 

have certain viewing, verifying, and locking privileges on the data collection system. 

degree/certificate-seeking students: Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by 

the institution as seeking a degree or other formal award. At the undergraduate level, this is intended 

to include students enrolled in vocational or occupational programs. 

degree-granting institution: An institution offering an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctor’s 

degree. 
B-2 

donor: A responding institution whose values are assigned to the imputee. 

exclusions: Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the 

Graduation Rates data collection, students may be removed from a cohort if they left the institution 

for one of the following reasons: died or were totally and permanently disabled; to serve in the armed 

forces; to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the Peace Corps; or to 

serve on official church missions. 

fall cohort: The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the 

Graduation Rates component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, firsttime degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. 

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB): FASB is recognized by the American Institute of 

Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as the body authorized to establish accounting standards. In 

practice it defers to the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) for the setting of 

accounting standards for local and state government entities. 

federal grants: Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, 

including Title IV Pell Grants and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). Also 

includes need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and training vouchers provided 

from other federal agencies and/or federally sponsored educational benefits programs, including the 

Veteran’s Administration, Department of Labor, and other federal agencies. (Used for reporting on 

the Student Financial Aid component.) 

financial aid: Grants, loans, assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers, tuition 

discounts, veteran’s benefits, employer aid (tuition reimbursement) and other monies (other than 

from relatives/friends) provided to students to meet expenses. This includes Title IV subsidized and 

unsubsidized loans made directly to students. 

first-time student (undergraduate): A student attending any institution for the first time at the 

undergraduate level. Includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. Also includes 

students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, as 

well as students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from 

high school). 

full-time student: Undergraduate—A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or 

more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact 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. 

full-year cohort: The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 

1 through August 31 that is established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GRS) data for 

institutions that primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full time 

and first time to be considered in the cohort. 

Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB):The Governmental Accounting Standards 

Board (GASB) establishes accounting standards for local and state entities including governmental 

colleges and universities. 

government appropriations (revenues): Revenues received by an institution through acts of a 

legislative body, except grants and contracts. These funds are for meeting current operating expenses 
B-3 

and not for specific projects or programs. The most common example is a state’s general 

appropriation. Appropriations primarily to fund capital assets are classified as capital appropriations. 

government grants: Transfers of money or property from a government agency to the education 

institution without a requirement to receive anything in return. These grants may take the form of 

grants to the institutions to undertake research or they may be in the form of student financial aid. 

(Used for reporting on the Finance component.) 

graduate student: A student who holds a bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, and is taking courses at 

the post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs. 

graduation rate: The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-toKnow. This rate is calculated as the total number of completers within 150 percent of normal time 

divided by the revised cohort minus any allowable exclusions. 

imputation: A method of estimating data for an entity that did not respond to a data item or survey. 

imputee: A nonresponding institution that has its values imputed. 

in-district student: A student who is a legal resident of the locality in which he/she attends school 

and thus is entitled to reduced tuition charges if offered by the institution. 

in-state student: A student who is a legal resident of the state in which he/she attends school and 

thus is entitled to reduced tuition charges if offered by the institution. 

institutional affiliation: A classification that indicates whether a private not-for-profit institution is 

associated with a religious group or denomination. Private not-for-profit institutions may be either 

independent or religiously affiliated. 

institutional grants: Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution and/or 

individual departments within the institution (i.e., instruction, research, public service) that may 

contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs. Includes scholarships targeted to certain 

individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major field of study, athletic team participation) for 

which the institution designates the recipient. 

keyholder: The person designated by an official institutional representative to have in their 

possession the necessary UserID and password to gain access to the Integrated Postsecondary 

Education Data System (IPEDS) data collection system to complete the survey. The keyholder is 

responsible for entering data and locking the site by each survey completion date. 

level (of institution): A classification of whether an institution’s programs are 4 years or more (4-

year), at least 2 but less than 4 years (2-year), or less than 2 years (less-than-2-year). 

loans to students: Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is 

the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all 

institutionally and privately sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made directly 

to parents.

nonresident alien: 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. 
B-4 

normal time to completion: The amount of time necessary for a student to complete all 

requirements for a degree or certificate according to the institution’s catalog. This is typically 4 years 

(8 semesters or trimesters, or 12 quarters, excluding summer terms) for a bachelor’s degree in a 

standard term-based institution; 2 years (4 semesters or trimesters, or 6 quarters, excluding summer 

terms) for an associate’s degree in a standard term-based institution; and the various scheduled times 

for certificate programs. 

non-degree-granting institution: An institution offering only postbaccalaureate or post-master’s

certificates, or certificates or diplomas of 4 years or less. 

Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): OPE formulates federal postsecondary education policy 

and administers programs that address critical national needs in support of its mission to increase 

access to quality postsecondary education. 

other degree-seeking subcohort: A cohort of students who were seeking a degree or certificate 

other than a bachelor’s degree upon entry. 

out-of-state student: A student who is not a legal resident of the state in which he/she attends 

school. 

parent institution: An institution that reports data for another institution, known as the child 

institution. 

part-time student: Undergraduate—A student enrolled for either 11 semester credits or less, or 11 

quarter credits or less, or less than 24 contact hours a week each term. Graduate—A student enrolled 

for either 8 semester credits or less, or 8 quarter credits or less, excluding those involved in thesis or 

dissertation preparation that is considered full time by the institution. 

Postsecondary Education Participation System (PEPS): Database used by OPE to track all 

institutions eligible for Title IV federal student financial aid programs. 

postsecondary institution: An institution that has as its sole purpose, or one of its primary missions, 

the provision of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is the provision of a formal 

instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory 

age for high school. This includes programs whose purpose is academic, vocational, and continuing 

professional education, and excludes avocational and adult basic education programs. For IPEDS, 

these institutions must be open to the public. 

Program Participation Agreement (PPA): A written agreement between a postsecondary 

institution and the Secretary of Education. This agreement allows institutions to participate in any of 

the Title IV student assistance programs other than the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) and the 

National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs. The PPA conditions the 

initial and continued participation of an eligible institution in any Title IV program upon compliance 

with the General Provisions regulations, the individual program regulations, and any additional 

conditions specified in the program participation agreement that the Department of Education 

requires the institution to meet. Institutions with such an agreement are referred to as Title IV 

institutions. 

private for-profit institution: A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in control 

receives compensation other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. 
B-5 

private not-for-profit institution: A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in 

control receives no compensation, other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of 

risk. These include both independent not-for-profit schools and those affiliated with a religious 

organization. 

programs of less than 2 years: Programs requiring less than 2 years of full-time-equivalent collegelevel work (4 semesters or 6 quarters) or less than 1,800 contact hours to obtain a degree, diploma, 

certificate, or quarter in the summer. 

public institution: An educational institution whose programs and activities are operated by publicly 

elected or appointed school officials and which is supported largely by public funds. 

race/ethnicity: Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that 

are used to describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the 

community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The 

designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens. 

Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as: 

 Hispanic or Latino or 

 Not Hispanic or Latino 

Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following: 

 American Indian or Alaska Native 

 Asian 

 Black or African American 

 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 

 White

resident alien (and other eligible noncitizens): A person who is not a citizen or national of the 

United States but who has been admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of obtaining permanent 

resident alien status and who holds one of the following: an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I151), a Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a 

notation that conveys legal immigrant status such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, 

Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian.

retention rate: A measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program at an 

institution, expressed as a percentage. For 4-year institutions, this is the percentage of first-time 

bachelors (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduates from the previous fall who are again 

enrolled in the current fall. For all other institutions, this is the percentage of first-time degree/ 

certificate-seeking students from the previous fall who either reenrolled or successfully completed 

their program by the current fall. 

revised cohort: Initial cohort after revisions are made. This is the number from which graduation 

and transfer-out rates are calculated. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that incorrect 

data were reported in an earlier year. 

sector: One of nine institutional categories resulting from dividing the universe according to control 

and level. Control categories are public, private not-for-profit, and private for-profit. Level categories 

are 4 years and higher (4-year), at least 2 but less than 4 years (2-year), and less than 2 years (lessthan-2-year). For example: public 4-year institutions. 
B-6 

state and local government grants: State and local monies awarded to the institution under state 

and local student aid programs, including the state portion of State Student Incentives Grants (SSIG) 

(used for reporting Student Financial Aid data). 

student charges: Average amount for tuition and fees, room or board charged to all students by the 

institution. Tuition and fees may vary by the level of student (undergraduate or graduate). 

Student Right-to-Know Act: Also known as the “Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security 

Act” (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires 

institutions eligible for Title IV funding to disclose completion or graduation rates of certificate- or 

degree-seeking, full-time students entering an institution to all students and prospective students. 

Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any Title IV program and is 

attended by students receiving athletically related student aid to annually submit a report to the 

Secretary. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of all students as 

well as students receiving athletically related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, 

and the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These data are also 

required to be disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the institution offers 

athletically related student aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was developed 

specifically to help institutions respond to these requirements. 

subcohort: A predefined subset of the initial cohort or the revised cohort established for tracking 

purposes on the Graduation Rates (GRS) component of IPEDS (e.g., athletic subcohort). 

Title IV institution: An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that 

allows the institution to participate in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance 

programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant [SSIG] and the National Early Intervention 

Scholarship and Partnership [NEISP] programs). 

transfer-in student: A student entering the reporting institution for the first time but known to have 

previously attended a postsecondary institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate). The 

student may transfer with or without credit. 

transfer-out rate: Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting 

institution within 150 percent of normal time to completion divided by the revised cohort minus 

allowable exclusions. 

transfer-out student: A student who leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another 

institution. 

undergraduate student: A student 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.

UserID: A series of numbers possibly with an alpha prefix that is created for a specific user to be 

able to access a system. For security purposes, each user is required to have a UserID and a password 

in order to access the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data collection 

system. 

2-year institution: A postsecondary institution that offers programs of at least 2 but less than 4 

years’ duration. Includes occupational and vocational schools with programs of at least 1,800 hours 

and academic institutions with programs of less than 4 years. Does not include bachelor’s degreegranting institutions where the baccalaureate program can be completed in 3 years. 
B-7 

4-year institution: A postsecondary institution that offers programs of at least 4 years’ duration or 

one that offers programs at or above the baccalaureate level. Includes schools that offer 

postbaccalaureate certificates only or those that offer graduate programs only. Also includes freestanding medical, law, or other first-professional schools.