Employees in Postsecondary 

Institutions, Fall 2011 and Student 

Financial Aid, Academic Year 2010–11

First Look (Preliminary Data)

NCES 2012-156 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Employees in Postsecondary 

Institutions, Fall 2011 and Student 

Financial Aid, Academic Year 

2010–11

First Look (Preliminary Data)

AUGUST 2012

Laura G. Knapp 

Janice E. Kelly-Reid

Scott A. Ginder

RTI International

NCES 2012-156

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

Jack Buckley

Commissioner

Postsecondary, Adult, and Career Education Division

Sharon A. Boivin

Acting Associate Commissioner

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Suggested Citation

Knapp, L.G., Kelly-Reid, J.E., and Ginder, S.A. (2012). Employees in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2011 and Student Financial 

Aid, Academic Year 2010-11 (NCES 2012-156). 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

Contents 

Page

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

IPEDS 2011-12 .............................................................................................................................1

Human Resources: Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff, and Salaries ............................1

Student Financial Aid ...................................................................................................................2

Selected Findings ............................................................................................................................3

Appendix A: Data Collection Procedures ............................................................................... A-1

Appendix B: Glossary of IPEDS Terms ..................................................................................B-1
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 U.S. jurisdictions (see appendix A for a list of other U.S. jurisdictions). This First Look

presents findings from the preliminary data of the IPEDS winter 2011-12 data collection, which 

included two survey components: Human Resources, which collects staff counts for fall 2011 

and salary information for full-time instructional staff covering academic year 2011-12; and 

Student Financial Aid, which collects the number of undergraduate students receiving aid as well 

as the amount of aid received by those students. Data for both components were collected 

through the IPEDS web-based data collection system. Detailed information about the study 

methodology can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2012293. 

This First Look using IPEDS preliminary data provides users with an opportunity to obtain 

access to IPEDS data soon after the close of data collection. Preliminary data have not been 

extensively reviewed or edited. Provisional data for this collection, containing fully reviewed, 

edited, and imputed data, will be released approximately 3 months after the preliminary data. 

Final data, including revisions to the provisional data submitted by institutions after the close of 

data collection, will be available during the next collection year (2012-13). 

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

descriptive information. Selected 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. Not all data collected 

during the winter 2011-12 collection are displayed in this First Look; however, all data from the 

winter 2011-12 collection are publicly available through the IPEDS Data Center, found at 

http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter. 

IPEDS 2011-12

Participation in IPEDS was required for institutions and administrative offices that participated 

in Title IV federal student financial aid programs such as Pell Grants or Stafford Loans during 

the 2011-12 academic year.1

Detailed definitions of terms used in this report are available in the glossary (appendix B).

A total of 7,398 institutions and 81 administrative offices (central or 

system offices) in the United States and other U.S. jurisdictions were expected to participate in 

the winter collection. Tables in this report focus on institutions in the United States; however, 

data from institutions in both the United States and the other U.S. jurisdictions are available for 

download. 

Human Resources: Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff, and Salaries

The Human Resources component consists of three sections: Employees by Assigned Position 

(EAP), Fall Staff, and Salaries. 

 

1 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 with the Office of 

Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education.
2

The EAP section collects the number of staff employed by each institution by medical school 

staff status, employment status (full or part time), faculty status, and primary function/ 

occupational activity. 

The Fall Staff section collects the number of staff by employment status (full or part time), 

gender, race/ethnicity, faculty status, contract length, academic rank, and primary function/ 

occupational activity. This section also collects data on newly hired full-time permanent staff. 

The Salaries section collects data on full-time instructional staff—that is, those persons classified 

as either primarily instruction or instruction combined with research and/or public service 

(except those reported in the medical schools part of the EAP section). 

Student Financial Aid

Beginning in the 2011-12 IPEDS collection year, the Student Financial Aid component was 

moved from the spring collection to the winter collection to aid in the timing of the net price of 

attendance calculations displayed on College Navigator (http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator). 

This component collected data on the number of undergraduate students receiving aid and the 

amount of aid received, with particular emphasis on full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate financial aid recipients for the 2010-11 academic year. In addition to the 

number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate aid recipients and the 

amount of aid, the necessary student counts and aid amounts are collected to calculate the net 

price of attendance for two subsets of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students: recipients of any grant aid and recipients of any Title IV aid. 
3

Selected Findings

•

•

Title IV institutions and administrative offices reported employing approximately 3.9 million 

individuals in fall 2011 (table 1). Of the 3.9 million individuals, about 2.5 million were 

reported to be employed full time and about 1.4 million were reported to be employed part 

time.

Among full-time, first time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students receiving any 

grant aid, differences in average price of attendance before aid and net price of attendance2

for the 2010-11 academic year varied by institutional sector (table 2). For those attending 

public 4-year institutions, average price before aid was approximately $17,600 and net price 

was about $11,000; for those attending nonprofit 4-year institutions, average price before aid 

was roughly $34,000 and net price was about $19,800; and for those attending for-profit 4-

year institutions, average price before aid was approximately $27,900 and net price was 

about $22,500. 

 

2 Net price of attendance is calculated as the 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.
Table 1. Number of staff at Title IV institutions and administrative offices, by level of institution, medical school staff status, employment 

status, control of institution, and primary function/occupational activity: United States, fall 2011

Control of institution and primary 

function/occupational activity

All staff

4-year

Staff (except those in medical 

schools) Medical school staff1 2-year Less-than-2-year

Total

FulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime

Total staff 3,920,619 2,489,321 1,431,298 2,762,723 1,783,082 979,641 378,440 314,353 64,087 723,928 354,303 369,625 55,528 37,583 17,945

Staff whose primary responsibility is 

instruction, research, and/or public 

service 1,565,305 784,445 780,860 987,699 528,219 459,480 127,872 107,833 20,039 421,221 132,900 288,321 28,513 15,493 13,020

Primarily instruction 1,195,354 498,894 696,460 728,464 330,055 398,409 30,615 23,682 6,933 407,762 129,664 278,098 28,513 15,493 13,020

Instruction/research/public service 273,222 208,473 64,749 197,768 147,892 49,876 66,494 57,879 8,615 8,960 2,702 6,258 † † †

Primarily research 71,348 59,945 11,403 50,109 41,533 8,576 21,153 18,366 2,787 86 46 40 † † †

Primarily public service2 25,381 17,133 8,248 11,358 8,739 2,619 9,610 7,906 1,704 4,413 488 3,925 † † †

Executive/administrative/managerial 248,966 241,120 7,846 181,604 176,423 5,181 21,602 20,548 1,054 38,009 36,918 1,091 7,751 7,231 520

Other professional (support/service) 816,166 708,924 107,242 605,411 532,472 72,939 119,364 104,719 14,645 83,897 65,262 18,635 7,494 6,471 1,023

Graduate assistants3 355,916 † 355,916 335,752 † 335,752 20,164 † 20,164 † † † † † † 

Technical and paraprofessionals 199,538 158,473 41,065 117,656 96,093 21,563 35,986 32,365 3,621 43,701 28,539 15,162 2,195 1,476 719

Clerical and secretarial 436,016 340,598 95,418 291,390 236,244 55,146 45,245 41,389 3,856 92,400 57,698 34,702 6,981 5,267 1,714

Skilled crafts 61,130 58,448 2,682 53,957 52,208 1,749 1,210 1,181 29 5,663 4,873 790 300 186 114

Service/maintenance 237,582 197,313 40,269 189,254 161,423 27,831 6,997 6,318 679 39,037 28,113 10,924 2,294 1,459 835

Public 2,508,649 1,552,289 956,360 1,629,324 1,065,393 563,931 213,740 172,083 41,657 652,896 307,906 344,990 12,689 6,907 5,782

Staff whose primary responsibility is 

instruction, research, and/or 

public service 967,789 501,750 466,039 502,756 320,674 182,082 72,647 61,351 11,296 384,426 116,406 268,020 7,960 3,319 4,641

Primarily instruction 714,249 308,103 406,146 317,223 177,289 139,934 17,829 14,166 3,663 371,237 113,329 257,908 7,960 3,319 4,641

Instruction/research/public 

service 190,412 144,800 45,612 142,159 108,307 33,852 39,513 33,915 5,598 8,740 2,578 6,162 † † † 

Primarily research 45,454 37,740 7,714 33,388 27,136 6,252 11,991 10,566 1,425 75 38 37 † † †

Primarily public service2 17,674 11,107 6,567 9,986 7,942 2,044 3,314 2,704 610 4,374 461 3,913 † † †

Executive/administrative/managerial 113,889 110,378 3,511 77,014 74,843 2,171 7,885 7,383 502 28,139 27,397 742 851 755 96

Other professional (support/service) 515,492 444,291 71,201 368,951 325,400 43,551 75,324 65,419 9,905 70,313 52,762 17,551 904 710 194

Graduate assistants3 285,905 † 285,905 270,413 † 270,413 15,492 † 15,492 † † † † † †

Technical and paraprofessionals 146,131 114,023 32,108 85,796 70,570 15,226 17,198 15,236 1,962 42,517 27,806 14,711 620 411 209

Clerical and secretarial 276,250 206,623 69,627 167,771 133,706 34,065 22,342 20,123 2,219 84,815 51,782 33,033 1,322 1,012 310

Skilled crafts 45,880 43,921 1,959 39,704 38,586 1,118 482 462 20 5,554 4,796 758 140 77 63

Service/maintenance 157,313 131,303 26,010 116,919 101,614 15,305 2,370 2,109 261 37,132 26,957 10,175 892 623 269

See notes at end of table.

4
Table 1. Number of staff at Title IV institutions and administrative offices, by level of institution, medical school staff status, employment status, 

control of institution, and primary function/occupational activity: United States, fall 2011—Continued

Control of institution and primary 

function/occupational activity

All staff

4-year

Staff (except those in 

medical schools) Medical school staff1 2-year Less-than-2-year

Total

FulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime TotalFulltimeParttime

Private nonprofit 1,123,100 781,241 341,859 946,711 631,433 315,278 164,700 142,270 22,430 9,383 5,864 3,519 2,306 1,674 632

Staff whose primary responsibility is 

instruction, research, and/or public 

service 435,016 241,224 193,792 373,739 191,761 181,978 55,225 46,482 8,743 5,132 2,465 2,667 920 516 404

Primarily instruction 319,763 150,144 169,619 300,955 137,676 163,279 12,786 9,516 3,270 5,102 2,436 2,666 920 516 404

Instruction/research/public service 81,788 62,958 18,830 54,781 38,968 15,813 26,981 23,964 3,017 26 26 † † † †

Primarily research 25,820 22,142 3,678 16,657 14,341 2,316 9,162 7,800 1,362 1 1 † † † †

Primarily public service2 7,645 5,980 1,665 1,346 776 570 6,296 5,202 1,094 3 2 1 † † †

Executive/administrative/managerial 104,763 101,285 3,478 89,412 86,600 2,812 13,717 13,165 552 1,197 1,122 75 437 398 39

Other professional (support/service) 238,350 205,494 32,856 192,375 164,581 27,794 44,040 39,300 4,740 1,474 1,243 231 461 370 91

Graduate assistants3 69,376 † 69,376 64,704 † 64,704 4,672 † 4,672 † † † † † † 

Technical and paraprofessionals 49,301 41,745 7,556 30,239 24,432 5,807 18,788 17,129 1,659 225 150 75 49 34 15

Clerical and secretarial 135,534 114,000 21,534 111,446 91,873 19,573 22,903 21,266 1,637 874 603 271 311 258 53

Skilled crafts 14,933 14,298 635 14,155 13,544 611 728 719 9 39 26 13 11 9 2

Service/maintenance 75,827 63,195 12,632 70,641 58,642 11,999 4,627 4,209 418 442 255 187 117 89 28

Private for-profit 288,870 155,791 133,079 186,688 86,256 100,432 † † † 61,649 40,533 21,116 40,533 29,002 11,531

Staff whose primary responsibility is 

instruction, research, and/or 

public service 162,500 41,471 121,029 111,204 15,784 95,420 † † † 31,663 14,029 17,634 19,633 11,658 7,975

Primarily instruction 161,342 40,647 120,695 110,286 15,090 95,196 † † † 31,423 13,899 17,524 19,633 11,658 7,975

Instruction/research/public service 1,022 715 307 828 617 211 † † † 194 98 96 † † †

Primarily research 74 63 11 64 56 8 † † † 10 7 3 † † †

Primarily public service2 62 46 16 26 21 5 † † † 36 25 11 † † † 

Executive/administrative/managerial 30,314 29,457 857 15,178 14,980 198 † † † 8,673 8,399 274 6,463 6,078 385

Other professional (support/service) 62,324 59,139 3,185 44,085 42,491 1,594 † † † 12,110 11,257 853 6,129 5,391 738

Graduate assistants3 635 † 635 635 † 635 † † † † † † † † †

Technical and paraprofessionals 4,106 2,705 1,401 1,621 1,091 530 † † † 959 583 376 1,526 1,031 495

Clerical and secretarial 24,232 19,975 4,257 12,173 10,665 1,508 † † † 6,711 5,313 1,398 5,348 3,997 1,351

Skilled crafts 317 229 88 98 78 20 † † † 70 51 19 149 100 49

Service/maintenance 4,442 2,815 1,627 1,694 1,167 527 † † † 1,463 901 562 1,285 747 538

† Not applicable. 

1

Medical schools are defined as those with Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and/or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) programs. Also includes health or allied health schools or departments 

that are affiliated with (housed in or under the authority of) the medical school.

2

Staff whose specific assignments are for the purpose of carrying out public service activities such as agricultural extension services, clinical services, or continuing education. 3

By definition, all graduate assistants are part-time.

NOTE: Title IV institutions are those with 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. Definitions for terms used in this table may be found in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) online glossary located at 

http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/glossary. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Winter 2011-12, Human Resources component, Employees by Assigned Position section.

5
6

Table 2. Average academic year price of attendance before aid, average grant/scholarship aid, and net price 

of attendance for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students at Title IV 

institutions, by control of institution, level of institution, type of aid received, and family income level: 

United States, academic year 2010-11

Level of institution, type of aid 

received, and family income level1

Public2 Private nonprofit3 Private for-profit

3

Average 

price 

before aid

Average 

grant/

scholarship 

aid Net price

Average 

price 

before aid

Average 

grant/

scholarship 

aid Net price

Average 

price 

before aid

Average 

grant/

scholarship 

aid Net price

4-year

Students receiving any grant aid $17,563 $6,593 $10,971 $33,969 $14,200 $19,770 $27,854 $5,317 $22,537

Students receiving Title IV aid

All family income levels 17,574 5,928 11,646 33,988 14,183 19,806 27,809 4,625 23,184

$0-30,000 17,574 9,288 8,286 33,988 18,190 15,798 27,809 5,472 22,336

$30,001-48,000 17,574 7,869 9,705 33,988 17,687 16,301 27,809 4,517 23,292

$48,001-75,000 17,574 4,742 12,832 33,988 15,262 18,726 27,809 2,467 25,342

$75,001-110,000 17,574 2,328 15,246 33,988 13,090 20,898 27,809 962 26,847

$110,001 and more 17,574 1,703 15,871 33,988 10,515 23,473 27,809 853 26,956

2-year

Students receiving any grant aid 11,396 4,633 6,763 23,141 5,882 17,259 24,485 5,146 19,339

Students receiving Title IV aid

All family income levels 11,430 4,754 6,676 23,151 5,207 17,944 24,391 4,507 19,884

$0-30,000 11,430 5,520 5,910 23,151 6,628 16,523 24,391 5,162 19,229

$30,001-48,000 11,430 4,597 6,833 23,151 5,782 17,369 24,391 4,378 20,013

$48,001-75,000 11,430 2,732 8,697 23,151 3,845 19,306 24,391 2,347 22,043

$75,001-110,000 11,430 1,304 10,125 23,151 2,571 20,580 24,391 734 23,657

$110,001 and more 11,430 861 10,569 23,151 2,578 20,573 24,391 289 24,102

Less-than-2-year

Students receiving any grant aid 12,741 5,018 7,723 19,861 5,643 14,218 23,117 4,717 18,400

Students receiving Title IV aid

All family income levels 12,778 4,736 8,043 19,665 5,538 14,127 23,041 4,243 18,797

$0-30,000 12,778 4,816 7,962 19,665 6,541 13,125 23,041 4,586 18,454

$30,001-48,000 12,778 5,566 7,212 19,665 5,643 14,022 23,041 3,767 19,274

$48,001-75,000 12,778 3,513 9,265 19,665 5,623 14,042 23,041 2,000 21,041

$75,001-110,000 12,778 2,289 10,489 19,665 3,230 16,436 23,041 1,039 22,001

$110,001 and more 12,778 900 11,878 19,665 2,000 17,665 23,041 1,650 21,391 1

Students are classified into a family income category by the institution they attend 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, average grant/scholarship aid, and net price for public institutions is displayed for students paying in-state tuition. 3

Average price before aid, average grant/scholarship aid, and net price for private nonprofit and private for-profit institutions is displayed for all 

students.

NOTE: Title IV institutions are those with 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. The net price of attendance is the price actually charged to full-time, first-time 

undergraduate students receiving financial aid at an institution after deducting federal, state/local government, and institutional grant and 

scholarship aid. Because not all institutions have students at each income level, for the purposes of this table the net price is calculated as the 

average price before aid minus the average grant/scholarship aid. 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 oncampus; off-campus, not with family; and off-campus, with family room and board and other expenses values was 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 separately for the group of students receiving any grant aid and the group of students receiving Title IV 

aid. Hence, the resulting average price before aid values may differ between the groups. Definitions for terms used in this table may be found 

in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) online glossary located at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/glossary. Detail may not 

sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Fall 2011, Institutional Characteristics component 

and Winter 2011-12, Student Financial Aid component.
A-1

Appendix A:

Data Collection Procedures 

The winter 2011-12 collection was entirely web-based; data were collected between December 7, 

2011, and February 8, 2012. Data were provided by “keyholders,” institutional representatives 

appointed by campus chief executives, who were responsible for ensuring that survey data 

submitted by the institution were correct and complete. No problems were noted during the 

winter 2011 data collection. During the collection period, the IPEDS help desk was available to 

assist respondents with reporting the necessary data. 

The IPEDS universe is established during the fall collection period. There were 7,479 Title IV

institutions and administrative offices1 located in the United States and the other jurisdictions of 

the United States, such as Puerto Rico,2

 in the 2011-12 academic year. In addition, 312 

postsecondary institutions were reported exclusively by a parent institution3 and are not included 

in the universe counts. Although they are not Title IV eligible, four of the U.S. service academies 

are included in the IPEDS universe as if they were Title IV institutions because they are federally 

funded and open to the public.4

Because Title IV institutions are the primary focus of IPEDS and they are required to respond, 

response rates for Title IV institutions in the winter 2011-12 IPEDS collection were high. 

Response rates reported here are preliminary; as data undergo further review they will be 

adjusted accordingly and presented in the First Look using the provisional data. The Human 

Resources component response rate among all Title IV entities was about 100.0 percent (7,476 

Title IV institutions and administrative offices responded).5 The response rate for the Student 

Financial Aid component was 100.0 percent (7,038 Title IV institutions responded).6

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) statistical standards require that the 

potential for nonresponse bias for all institutions (including those in other U.S. jurisdictions) be 

analyzed for sectors for which the response rate is less than 85 percent. Because response rates 

were greater than 99.9 percent at both the unit and item level for both of the survey components, 

 

1 Title IV institutions and administrative offices include 7,398 institutions and 81 administrative (central or system)

offices. The central and system offices are required to complete the Institutional Characteristics component in the 

fall, the Human Resources component in the winter, and the Finance component in the spring (if they have their own 

separate budget).

2 The other U.S. jurisdictions surveyed in IPEDS are American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, 

the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. 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. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 

is Title IV eligible. Data for all five institutions are included in the tables and counts of institutions unless otherwise 

indicated.

5 Two Title IV institutions that were included in the IPEDS universe closed prior to November 2011 and were not 

required to respond to the Human Resources component; hence, a total of 7,477 institutions and administrative 

offices were expected to respond. 6 The Student Financial Aid component was required of the subset of institutions that enrolled undergraduates 

during the previous academic year. As a result, 7,038 Title IV institutions were expected to respond.
A-2

no such analysis was necessary. Response rates were not exactly 100.0 percent, and imputed 

values will be included as part of the provisional data, when released. 
B-1

Appendix B:

Glossary of IPEDS Terms 

child institution: An institution that has its data reported by another institution, known as the parent 

institution. 

clerical and secretarial: A primary function or occupational activity category used to classify 

persons whose assignments typically are associated with clerical activities or are specifically of a 

secretarial nature. Includes personnel who are responsible for internal and external communications, 

recording and retrieval of data (other than computer programmer) and/or information and other 

paperwork required in an office. 

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 (nonprofit or for-profit control). 

executive, administrative, and managerial: A primary function or occupational activity category 

used to classify persons whose assignments require management of the institution, or a customarily 

recognized department or subdivision thereof. Assignments require the performance of work directly 

related to management policies or general business operations of the institution, department, or 

subdivision. Assignments in this category customarily and regularly require the incumbent to 

exercise discretion and independent judgment.

faculty: Persons whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of providing 

instruction or teaching, research, or public service as a principal activity (or activities). They may 

hold academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, lecturer, or 

the equivalent of any of those academic ranks. Faculty may also include the chancellor/president, 

provost, vice provosts, deans, directors, or the equivalent, as well as associate deans, assistant deans, 

and executive officers of academic departments (chairpersons, heads, or the equivalent) if their 

principal activity is instruction combined with research and/or public service. Graduate, teaching, and 

research assistants are not included in this category.

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. 

full-time instructional staff: Those members of the instruction/research staff who are employed full 

time and whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of providing instruction 

or teaching, including those with released time for research. Also includes full-time staff for whom it 

is not possible to differentiate between instruction or teaching, research, and public service because 

each of these functions is an integral component of their regular assignment. 

graduate assistants: Graduate-level students who are employed on a part-time basis for the primary 

purpose of assisting in classroom or laboratory instruction or in the conduct of research. Graduate 

students having titles such as graduate assistant, teaching assistant, teaching associate, teaching 

fellow, or research assistant typically hold these positions.
B-2

instruction combined with research and/or public service: A primary function or occupational 

activity category used to classify persons for whom it is not possible to differentiate between 

instruction or teaching, research, and public service because each of these functions is an integral 

component of their regular assignment. These employees may hold academic rank titles of professor, 

associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, lecturer, or the equivalent. These employees may 

also hold titles such as deans, directors, or the equivalent, as well as associate deans, assistant deans, 

and executive officers of academic departments (chairpersons, heads, or equivalent) if their principal 

activity is instruction combined with research and/or public service. 

less-than-2-year institution: This group includes any postsecondary institution that offers programs 

of less than 2 years’ duration below the baccalaureate level, as well as occupational and vocational 

schools with programs that do not exceed 1,800 contact hours. 

level of institution: A classification of whether an institution’s programs are of at least 4 years’ 

duration or beyond a baccalaureate level (4-year institution), at least 2 but less than 4 years (2-year 

institution), or less than 2 years (less-than-2-year institution).

medical school staff: Staff employed by or staff working in the medical school (Doctor of Medicine 

[M.D.] and/or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine [D.O.]) component of a postsecondary institution or 

in a freestanding medical school. Does not include staff employed by or employees working strictly 

in a hospital associated with a medical school or those who work in health or allied health schools or 

departments such as dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing, or dental hygiene unless the health or 

allied health schools or departments are affiliated with (housed in or under the authority of) the 

medical school. 

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 professional (support/service): A primary function or occupational activity category used to 

classify persons employed for the primary purpose of performing academic support, student service, 

and institutional support, whose assignments would require either a baccalaureate degree or higher or 

experience of such kind and amount as to provide a comparable background. 

parent institution: An institution that reports data for another institution, known as the child 

institution.

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, or continuing 

professional education, and excludes avocational and adult basic education programs. For IPEDS, 

these institutions must be open to the public. 

primarily instruction: A primary function or occupational activity category used to classify persons 

whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of providing instruction or teaching 

and who may hold academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, 

instructor, lecturer, or the equivalent. Includes deans, directors, or the equivalent, as well as associate 

deans, assistant deans, and executive officers of academic departments (chairpersons, heads, or 

equivalent) if their principal activity is instruction.
B-3

primarily public service: A primary function or occupational activity category used to classify 

persons whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of carrying out public 

service activities such as agricultural extension services, clinical services, or continuing education 

and who may hold academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor. 

Includes deans, directors, or the equivalent, as well as associate deans, assistant deans, and executive 

officers of academic departments (chairpersons, heads, or equivalent) if their principal activity is 

public service. 

primarily research: A primary function or occupational activity category used to classify persons 

whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of conducting research and who 

may hold academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, of assistant professor or titles such as 

research associate or postdoctoral fellow. Includes deans, directors, or the equivalent, as well as 

associate deans, assistant deans, and executive officers of academic departments (chairpersons, 

heads, or equivalent) if their principal activity is research. 

primary function/occupational activity: The principal activity of a staff member as determined by 

the institution. If an individual participates in two or more activities, the primary activity is normally 

determined by the amount of time spent in each activity. Primary functions/occupational activities 

are designated as follows: executive, administrative, and managerial; primarily instruction; 

instruction/research/public service; primarily research; primarily public service; graduate assistants; 

other professional (support/service); technical and paraprofessional; clerical and secretarial; skilled 

crafts; and service/maintenance (see separate definitions). 

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. 

private institution: An educational institution controlled by a private individual(s) or by a 

nongovernmental agency, usually supported primarily by other than public funds, and operated by 

other than publicly elected or appointed officials. These institutions may be either for-profit or 

nonprofit. 

private nonprofit 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 nonprofit schools and those affiliated with a religious organization. 

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.

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 that are used 

to describe groups to which individuals belong or identify with. The categories do not denote 

scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, 

resident aliens, and other eligible noncitizens. 
B-4

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; and

White.

sector: One of nine institutional categories resulting from dividing the universe according to control 

and level. Control categories are public, nonprofit, and for-profit. Level categories are 4 years and 

higher (4-year institutions), at least 2 but less than 4 years (2-year institutions), and less than 2 years 

(less-than-2-year institutions). For example: sector 1 = public 4-year institutions; sector 2 = nonprofit 

4-year institutions.

service/maintenance: A primary function or occupational activity category used to classify persons 

whose assignments require limited degrees of previously acquired skills and knowledge and in which 

workers perform duties that result in or contribute to the comfort, convenience, and hygiene of 

personnel and the student body or that contribute to the upkeep of the institutional property. 

skilled crafts: A primary function or occupational activity category used to classify persons whose 

assignments typically require special manual skills and a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of 

the processes involved in the work, acquired through on-the-job-training and experience or through 

apprenticeship or other formal training programs. 

technical and paraprofessional: A primary function or occupational activity category used to 

classify persons whose assignments require specialized knowledge or skills which may be acquired 

through experience, apprenticeship, on-the-job training, or academic work in occupationally specific 

programs that result in a 2-year degree or other certificate or diploma. Includes persons who perform 

some of the duties of a professional in a supportive role, which usually requires less formal training 

and experience than normally required for professional status. 

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). 

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.

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 institutions that do not offer 

undergraduate programs, but do offer programs at the postbaccalaureate certificate level or above. 

Also includes freestanding medical, law, or other professional schools.