NCES 2008-173 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Enrollment in Postsecondary 

Institutions, Fall 2006; Graduation 

Rates, 2000 & 2003 Cohorts; and 

Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2006

First Look

NCES 2008-173

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Enrollment in Postsecondary 

Institutions, Fall 2006; Graduation 

Rates, 2000 & 2003 Cohorts; and 

Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2006

First Look

JUNE 2008

Laura G. Knapp 

Janice E. Kelly-Reid

Scott A. Ginder

RTI International

Elise S. Miller

Program Director

National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education

Margaret Spellings

Secretary

Institute of Education Sciences

Grover J. Whitehurst

Director

National Center for Education Statistics

Mark Schneider

Commissioner

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting, analyzing, and reporting 

data related to education in the United States and other nations. It fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, 

analyze, and report full and complete statistics on the condition of education in the United States; conduct and publish 

reports and specialized analyses of the meaning and significance of such statistics; assist state and local education 

agencies in improving their statistical systems; and review and report on education activities in foreign countries.

NCES activities are designed to address high priority education data needs; provide consistent, reliable, complete, 

and accurate indicators of education status and trends; and report timely, useful, and high quality data to the U.S. 

Department of Education, the Congress, the states, other education policymakers, practitioners, data users, and the 

general public. Unless specifically noted, all information contained herein is in the public domain.

We strive to make our products available in a variety of formats and in language that is appropriate to a variety of 

audiences. You, as our customer, are the best judge of our success in communicating information effectively. If you have 

any comments or suggestions about this or any other NCES product or report, we would like to hear from you. Please 

direct your comments to:

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

1990 K Street NW

Washington, DC 20006-5651

June 2008

The NCES World Wide Web Home Page address is http://nces.ed.gov.

The NCES World Wide Web Electronic Catalog is http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

Suggested Citation

Knapp, L.G., Kelly-Reid, J.E., Ginder, S.A., and Miller, E. (2008). Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2006; 

Graduation Rates, 2000 & 2003 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2006 (NCES 2008-173). National Center 

for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. 

Content Contact

Aurora D’Amico

(202) 502-7334

aurora.d’amico@ed.gov
iii

Foreword 

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

System (IPEDS) spring 2007 data collection, which included four components: Student Financial 

Aid for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2006-07 

academic year; Enrollment for fall 2006 and 12-month counts for 2005-06; Graduation Rates for 

full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students beginning college in 2000 

at 4-year institutions or in 2003 at less-than-4-year institutions; and Finance for fiscal year 2006. 

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

IPEDS Peer Analysis System 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 over 6,500 

postsecondary education institutions that participate in Title IV federal student financial aid 

programs. 

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 peer comparisons, or to help answer questions about 

postsecondary education institutions. 

Mark Schneider 

Commissioner 

National Center for Education Statistics 

Thomas Weko 

Associate Commissioner 

Postsecondary Studies Division 
iv
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 on the 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)). 

The authors appreciate the thoughtful review of this publication provided by Tom Snyder, 

National Center for Education Statistics; Mary Schifferli, Office for Civil Rights; Carol Yoakum, 

Illinois Board of Higher Education; and Phoung Le, Aparna Sundaram, and Xiaolei Wang of the 

Education Statistics Services Institute. At RTI International, Marcus Berzofsky, Kelly Close, 

James Isaac, Douglas E. Kendrick, Bing Liu, Heather Meier, Jamie Ridenhour, Ellen Scheib, 

Joanne Studders, and Roy Whitmore contributed to production of this report. 
vi
vii

Contents 

Page 

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

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

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

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

IPEDS 2006-07.............................................................................................................................1 

Characteristics of Enrolled Students.............................................................................................1 

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

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

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

Focus of This Report.....................................................................................................................2 

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

Characteristics of Enrolled Students.............................................................................................3 

Revenues and Expenses of Title IV Institutions...........................................................................3 

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

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

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

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

Terminology Used in the IPEDS Web Collection................................................................... A-1 

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

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

Survey Procedures ................................................................................................................. A-14 

Edit Procedures...................................................................................................................... A-16 

Imputation Procedures ........................................................................................................... A-17 

Data Perturbation and Confidentiality ................................................................................... A-30 

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 2006...............................4 

2. Enrollment, residence, and migration of all first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at Title IV institutions, by state: fall 2006 .......................6 

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

standards utilized, and source of funds: United States, fiscal year 2006.............................7 

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

standards utilized, and type of expense: United States, fiscal year 2006 ............................9 

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

institution, gender, degree sought, and degree completed gender: United States, 

cohort years 2000 and 2003 ...............................................................................................10 

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

IV institutions, by control of institution, gender, and time to degree: United States, 

cohort year 2000 ................................................................................................................11 

7. Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled and those 

receiving financial aid at Title IV institutions, by sector of institution: United 

States, academic years 2004-05 and 2005-06...................................................................11 

8. 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 2005-06 ......................................................................................................................12 

A-1. Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2007 data collection, by degree-granting status and level and control of 

institution/office: United States and other jurisdictions.................................................. A-3 

A-1a. Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 

2007 data collection, by degree-granting status and level and control of 

institution/office: United States ...................................................................................... A-5 

A-2. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, 

by part, degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: United States 

and other jurisdictions..................................................................................................... A-7

A-2a. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, 

by part, degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: United States ..... A-10 
ix

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

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

United States, fall 2006................................................................................................. A-20 

A-4. Enrollment and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution, degree-granting status, and residency for first-time, first-year 

undergraduate students: United States, fall 2006.......................................................... A-20 

A-5. 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 2006................................................................................................. A-21 

A-6. Unduplicated count and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control 

of institution, student level, gender, and degree-granting status: United States, 

2005-06 ......................................................................................................................... A-21 

A-7. Instructional activity (in hours) and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, 

by control of institution, degree-granting status, type of instructional activity, and 

student level: United States, 2005-06 ........................................................................... A-22 

A-8. 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 2006 ................................... A-22 

A-9. Revenues and expenses and the percentages imputed for Title IV institutions, by 

control of institution and type of funds: United States, fiscal year 2006...................... A-24 

A-10. Student counts and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution and student level: United States, cohort years 2000 and 2003 .................... A-27 

A-11. Financial aid recipients and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by type 

of aid and level and control of institution: United States, academic year 2006-07 ...... A-31 
x
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, such as Puerto Rico.1

 For IPEDS, a postsecondary institution is defined as an 

organization open to the public that has as its primary mission the provision of postsecondary 

education. IPEDS defines postsecondary education as formal instructional programs with a 

curriculum designed primarily for students who are beyond the compulsory age for high school. 

This includes academic, vocational, and continuing professional education programs and 

excludes institutions that offer only avocational (leisure) and adult basic education programs. 

Prior to the inception of IPEDS, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collected 

data from approximately 3,600 institutions of higher education through its Higher Education 

General Information Survey (HEGIS) program. HEGIS was conducted from 1966 until 1985, 

when the mission of NCES was expanded to include all postsecondary institutions. 

IPEDS 2006-07 

Participation in IPEDS was a requirement for the 6,700 institutions and 84 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 2006-07 academic year.2

 Not all 6,784 Title IV 

postsecondary entities were required to participate in all components of the spring data 

collection. For example, 19 of these institutions were not eligible for any component of the 

spring collection because they closed during the 2006-07 academic year. Hence, 6,681 

institutions and 84 administrative offices (central or system offices) in the United States and 

other jurisdictions were expected to participate in the spring 2007 collection. Four of the U.S. 

service academies are included in the IPEDS universe as if they were Title IV institutions.3

Institutions that do not participate in Title IV programs may participate in the IPEDS data 

collection on a voluntary basis. See the Survey Components section of appendix A for further 

details regarding which institutions were required to complete each component. 

Characteristics of Enrolled Students 

The 2007 Enrollment component collected enrollment data for fall 2006. Part A (fall enrollment) 

of component was required of 6,6704

 Title IV institutions in the United States and other 

jurisdictions, and 6,648, or 99.7 percent, responded. Of the institutions in the United States 

(excluding any other jurisdictions), 6,507 were required to complete this component and 6,490, 

or 99.7 percent, responded. 

 

1

 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. 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 over 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. 

3

 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. 

4

 Eleven institutions eligible for at least one component of the spring data collection were not eligible for part A of 

the Enrollment component. 
2

Revenues and Expenses of Title IV Institutions 

The 2007 Finance component collected financial statistics for fiscal year 2006. This component 

was required of 6,7575 institutions and administrative offices in the United States and other 

jurisdictions, and of these, 6,731, or 99.6 percent, responded. Of the institutions and 

administrative offices in the United States (excluding any other jurisdictions), 6,591 were 

required to complete this component and 6,570, or 99.7 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, while private 

institutions use FASB.6

 

Graduation Rates 

The 2007 Graduation Rates component collected graduation rate information (completion within 

150 percent of normal program time) for full-time, first-time7

 degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students beginning college in 2000 at 4-year institutions and in 2003 at less-than4-year institutions. The Graduation Rates component was required of all Title IV institutions that 

had full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the reference year 

(2000 for 4-year institutions and 2003 for less-than-4-year institutions.) For the 2007 collection, 

5,929 institutions in the United States and other jurisdictions were required to respond; of these, 

5,905, or 99.6 percent, responded. Of the institutions in the United States (excluding any other 

jurisdictions), 5,780 were required to complete this component and 5,761, or 99.7 percent, 

responded. 

Student Financial Aid 

The 2007 Student Financial Aid component collected data on full-time, first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate financial aid recipients for the 2005-06 academic year. 

The Student Financial Aid component was required of all Title IV institutions that had full-time, 

first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. As a result, for the 2007 collection, 

6,152 institutions in the United States and other jurisdictions were required to complete the SFA 

component. Of these, 6,126, or 99.6 percent, responded. Of the institutions in the United States 

(excluding any other jurisdictions), 5,997 were required to complete this component and 5,976, 

or 99.6 percent, responded. 

Focus of This Report 

Tabulations in this report present selected data items collected from the 6,518 Title IV 

institutions in the United States (excluding those in other jurisdictions) that were eligible for at 

least one component of the spring 2007 collection. In addition, 81 administrative offices in the 

United States were eligible for the Finance component and are included in the Finance 

tabulations. Additional detailed information is available through the various IPEDS web tools, 

such as the Peer Analysis System. Information regarding IPEDS survey procedures and response 

rates is available in appendix A. Detailed definitions of terms used in this report are available in 

appendix B. 

 

5

 Eight institutions eligible for at least one component of the spring data collection were not eligible for the Finance 

component. 

6

 Ninety-eight percent of public institutions used GASB, and 2 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

Selected Findings

Characteristics of Enrolled Students 

• In fall 2006, Title IV institutions in the United States enrolled a total of 18 million individual 

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

percent in 2-year institutions, and 2 percent in less-than-2-year institutions (table 1). 

• More than 90 percent of the first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate enrollment in 

Texas, Michigan, New Jersey, and Alaska comprised students who were residents of the 

designated state (table 2). Conversely, residents of the designated state made up less than 50 

percent of the first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate enrollment in the District of 

Columbia, Vermont, and Rhode Island. 

Revenues and Expenses of Title IV Institutions 

• Of the private 4-year institutions using Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) 

standards, not-for-profit institutions received 29 percent of their revenues from tuition and 

fees, while for-profit institutions received 90 percent of their revenues from tuition and fees 

(table 3). Four-year public institutions using Governmental Accounting Standards Board 

(GASB) standards received 17 percent of their revenues from tuition and fees. 

• At 4-year institutions, a somewhat smaller percentage of expenses were for instruction that at 

2-year institutions or less-than-2-year institutions (table 4). 

Graduation Rates 

• Approximately 58 percent of first-time, full-time bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seekers 

attending 4-year institutions completed a bachelor’s or equivalent degree within 6 years (table 5). 

• Graduation rates of bachelor’s-seeking students at 4-year institutions were higher at private 

not-for-profit institutions than at public or private for-profit institutions (table 6). For 

example, the 4-year graduation rate of all bachelor’s-seeking students was 50 percent at 

private not-for-profit institutions, 29 percent at public institutions, and 26 percent at private, 

for-profit institutions. 

Student Financial Aid 

• During 2005-06 academic year, 75 percent of the 2.7 million full-time, first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates attending Title IV institutions located in the United 

States received financial aid (table 7). 

• Proportions of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates receiving aid 

varied somewhat by institution sector: 77 percent of those attending public 4-year 

institutions; 85 percent of those attending private not-for-profit 4-year institutions; and 74 

percent of those attending private for-profit 4-year institutions received some type of 

financial aid (table 8). 

• Considering full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students, 

approximately 46 percent borrowed through student loan program (federal or other) during 

the 2005-06 academic year. Borrowing varied by institution sector: 44 percent of those 

attending public 4-year institutions, 60 percent of those attending private not-for-profit 4-year 

institutions, and 67 percent of those attending private for-profit 4-year institutions borrowed 

through a student loan program during the 2005-06 academic year (table 8).
4

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

status, gender, and race/ethnicity: United States, fall 2006 

Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit Level of institution, student level, 

attendance status, gender, and 

race/ethnicity Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Total students 18,205,474 100.0 13,281,664 100.0 3,543,455 100.0 1,380,355 100.0

4-year 11,240,834 61.7 6,955,048 52.4 3,474,179 98.0 811,607 58.8

Undergraduate 8,666,183 47.6 5,622,555 42.3 2,409,256 68.0 634,372 46.0

Full time 6,928,029 38.1 4,432,126 33.4 2,004,048 56.6 491,855 35.6

Part time 1,738,154 9.5 1,190,429 9.0 405,208 11.4 142,517 10.3

Men 3,809,171 20.9 2,533,300 19.1 1,019,224 28.8 256,647 18.6

Women 4,857,012 26.7 3,089,255 23.3 1,390,032 39.2 377,725 27.4

White, non-Hispanic 5,476,156 30.1 3,651,979 27.5 1,580,149 44.6 244,028 17.7

Black, non-Hispanic 1,000,784 5.5 625,412 4.7 265,073 7.5 110,299 8.0

Hispanic 731,645 4.0 522,718 3.9 147,271 4.2 61,656 4.5

Asian/Pacific Islander 508,773 2.8 368,845 2.8 119,916 3.4 20,012 1.4

American Indian/Alaska Native 77,750 0.4 57,306 0.4 15,361 0.4 5,083 0.4

Race/ethnicity unknown 643,549 3.5 265,924 2.0 205,207 5.8 172,418 12.5

Nonresident alien 227,526 1.2 130,371 1.0 76,279 2.2 20,876 1.5

Graduate 2,231,205 12.3 1,192,757 9.0 863,300 24.4 175,148 12.7

Full time 1,077,313 5.9 538,615 4.1 411,523 11.6 127,175 9.2

Part time 1,153,892 6.3 654,142 4.9 451,777 12.7 47,973 3.5

Men 887,242 4.9 478,754 3.6 350,921 9.9 57,567 4.2

Women 1,343,963 7.4 714,003 5.4 512,379 14.5 117,581 8.5

White, non-Hispanic 1,269,637 7.0 723,849 5.4 476,207 13.4 69,581 5.0

Black, non-Hispanic 217,319 1.2 105,295 0.8 75,485 2.1 36,539 2.6

Hispanic 117,882 0.6 66,648 0.5 42,732 1.2 8,502 0.6

Asian/Pacific Islander 105,033 0.6 53,906 0.4 44,799 1.3 6,328 0.5

American Indian/Alaska Native 12,818 0.1 8,053 0.1 3,717 0.1 1,048 0.1

Race/ethnicity unknown 242,120 1.3 76,069 0.6 123,122 3.5 42,929 3.1

Nonresident alien 266,396 1.5 158,937 1.2 97,238 2.7 10,221 0.7

First-professional 343,446 1.9 139,736 1.1 201,623 5.7 2,087 0.2

Full time 309,158 1.7 133,058 1.0 174,485 4.9 1,615 0.1

Part time 34,288 0.2 6,678 0.1 27,138 0.8 472 #

Men 173,808 1.0 66,728 0.5 105,992 3.0 1,088 0.1

Women 169,638 0.9 73,008 0.5 95,631 2.7 999 0.1

White, non-Hispanic 221,788 1.2 94,849 0.7 125,706 3.5 1,233 0.1

Black, non-Hispanic 24,498 0.1 8,804 0.1 15,530 0.4 164 #

Hispanic 16,623 0.1 6,706 0.1 9,782 0.3 135 #

Asian/Pacific Islander 41,607 0.2 17,182 0.1 24,278 0.7 147 #

American Indian/Alaska Native 2,341 # 1,231 # 1,088 # 22 #

Race/ethnicity unknown 28,303 0.2 8,903 0.1 19,020 0.5 380 #

Nonresident alien 8,286 # 2,061 # 6,219 0.2 6 #

2-year1 6,650,734 36.5 6,276,185 47.3 55,507 1.6 319,042 23.1

Full time 2,746,389 15.1 2,422,946 18.2 37,901 1.1 285,542 20.7

Part time 3,904,096 21.4 3,852,990 29.0 17,606 0.5 33,500 2.4

Men 2,766,242 15.2 2,627,148 19.8 18,064 0.5 121,030 8.8

Women 3,884,243 21.3 3,648,788 27.5 37,443 1.1 198,012 14.3

White, non-Hispanic 3,801,735 20.9 3,620,888 27.3 31,679 0.9 149,168 10.8

Black, non-Hispanic 893,185 4.9 813,124 6.1 7,475 0.2 72,586 5.3

Hispanic 962,582 5.3 910,144 6.9 3,861 0.1 48,577 3.5

See notes at end of table. 
5

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

status, gender, and race/ethnicity: United States, fall 2006—Continued 

Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit Level of institution, student level, 

attendance status, gender, and 

race/ethnicity Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

2-year—Continued 

Asian/Pacific Islander 412,870 2.3 399,147 3.0 3,492 0.1 10,231 0.7

American Indian/Alaska Native 78,573 0.4 73,666 0.6 1,811 0.1 3,096 0.2

Race/ethnicity unknown 407,124 2.2 367,155 2.8 5,465 0.2 34,504 2.5

Nonresident alien 94,416 0.5 91,812 0.7 1,724 # 880 0.1

Less-than-2-year 313,906 1.7 50,431 0.4 13,769 0.4 249,706 18.1

Full time 255,526 1.4 27,187 0.2 12,110 0.3 216,229 15.7

Part time 58,380 0.3 23,244 0.2 1,659 # 33,477 2.4

Men 79,253 0.4 18,691 0.1 4,905 0.1 55,657 4.0

Women 234,653 1.3 31,740 0.2 8,864 0.3 194,049 14.1

White, non-Hispanic 127,503 0.7 31,706 0.2 3,145 0.1 92,652 6.7

Black, non-Hispanic 71,485 0.4 6,859 0.1 3,291 0.1 61,335 4.4

Hispanic 68,526 0.4 6,894 0.1 4,483 0.1 57,149 4.1

Asian/Pacific Islander 13,344 0.1 1,840 # 790 # 10,714 0.8

American Indian/Alaska Native 3,454 # 1,813 # 75 # 1,566 0.1

Race/ethnicity unknown 25,503 0.1 1,107 # 1,391 # 23,005 1.7

Nonresident alien 4,091 # 212 # 594 # 3,285 0.2

# Rounds to zero. 

1

In addition to these undergraduate students, eight 2-year institutions reported 249 students enrolled in graduate-level courses. 

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 2007, Enrollment component. 
6

Table 2. Enrollment, residence, and migration of all first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at Title IV institutions, by state: fall 2006 

 Migration of students 

State 

Enrollment in 

institutions 

located in the 

designated 

state 

Residents of 

the designated 

state attending 

any institution 

Residents of 

the designated 

state attending 

an institution in 

the same state 

Percent of 

students enrolled 

in the designated 

state who are 

residents of 

the same state

Into 

designated 

state 

Out of

designated 

state 

Net

migration1

 

United States 2,922,026 2,828,460 2,370,803 81.1 551,223 457,657 93,566 

Alabama 43,306 36,565 32,511 75.1 10,795 4,054 6,741

Alaska 3,915 5,798 3,568 91.1 347 2,230 -1,883

Arizona 68,195 43,086 38,562 56.5 29,633 4,524 25,109

Arkansas 24,565 23,668 20,492 83.4 4,073 3,176 897

California 330,282 322,180 295,960 89.6 34,322 26,220 8,102

Colorado 56,878 51,888 43,015 75.6 13,863 8,873 4,990

Connecticut 32,798 38,804 23,117 70.5 9,681 15,687 -6,006

Delaware 8,624 7,634 5,118 59.3 3,506 2,516 990

District of Columbia 11,371 3,992 1,297 11.4 10,074 2,695 7,379

Florida 169,977 158,658 143,779 84.6 26,198 14,879 11,319

Georgia 81,916 83,354 69,681 85.1 12,235 13,673 -1,438

Hawaii 8,512 10,110 6,766 79.5 1,746 3,344 -1,598

Idaho 12,020 11,439 8,481 70.6 3,539 2,958 581

Illinois 117,081 121,125 95,160 81.3 21,921 25,965 -4,044

Indiana 65,273 57,450 49,699 76.1 15,574 7,751 7,823

Iowa 39,724 31,156 27,235 68.6 12,489 3,921 8,568

Kansas 31,320 29,894 25,242 80.6 6,078 4,652 1,426

Kentucky 40,001 37,424 32,972 82.4 7,029 4,452 2,577

Louisiana 37,626 38,220 33,472 89.0 4,154 4,748 -594

Maine 11,890 12,903 8,689 73.1 3,201 4,214 -1,013

Maryland 51,869 59,782 40,812 78.7 11,057 18,970 -7,913

Massachusetts 77,660 70,746 50,734 65.3 26,926 20,012 6,914

Michigan 103,405 104,909 94,701 91.6 8,704 10,208 -1,504

Minnesota 55,661 58,026 45,103 81.0 10,558 12,923 -2,365

Mississippi 33,007 30,765 27,763 84.1 5,244 3,002 2,242

Missouri 54,534 52,199 43,684 80.1 10,850 8,515 2,335

Montana 8,734 8,793 6,706 76.8 2,028 2,087 -59

Nebraska 18,950 18,802 15,622 82.4 3,328 3,180 148

Nevada 16,165 17,301 14,196 87.8 1,969 3,105 -1,136

New Hampshire 13,823 13,130 7,231 52.3 6,592 5,899 693

New Jersey 70,144 99,439 64,076 91.3 6,068 35,363 -29,295

New Mexico 17,883 18,667 14,571 81.5 3,312 4,096 -784

New York 198,021 192,135 158,598 80.1 39,423 33,537 5,886

North Carolina 86,354 78,610 70,865 82.1 15,489 7,745 7,744

North Dakota 8,522 7,159 5,137 60.3 3,385 2,022 1,363

Ohio 113,159 114,994 98,259 86.8 14,900 16,735 -1,835

Oklahoma 42,129 39,136 35,335 83.9 6,794 3,801 2,993

Oregon 31,509 29,961 24,850 78.9 6,659 5,111 1,548

Pennsylvania 146,901 131,155 111,470 75.9 35,431 19,685 15,746

Rhode Island 17,536 10,587 7,582 43.2 9,954 3,005 6,949

South Carolina 40,246 36,405 32,184 80.0 8,062 4,221 3,841

South Dakota 9,424 8,816 6,909 73.3 2,515 1,907 608

Tennessee 56,503 55,161 47,093 83.3 9,410 8,068 1,342

Texas 218,509 225,352 202,790 92.8 15,719 22,562 -6,843

Utah 31,018 23,753 21,855 70.5 9,163 1,898 7,265

 

Vermont 7,242 5,321 2,449 33.8 4,793 2,872 1,921

Virginia 75,688 70,800 57,383 75.8 18,305 13,417 4,888

Washington 40,314 43,773 34,210 84.9 6,104 9,563 -3,459

West Virginia 18,658 15,635 13,232 70.9 5,426 2,403 3,023

Wisconsin 57,054 57,345 47,306 82.9 9,748 10,039 -291

Wyoming 6,130 4,455 3,281 53.5 2,849 1,174 1,675

1

Net migration is the difference between the number of students entering the state to attend school (into) and the number of 

students (residents) who leave the state to attend school elsewhere (out of). A positive net migration indicates more students 

coming into the state than leaving to attend school elsewhere. 

NOTE: State of residence is unknown for 52,645 students attending Title IV institutions in the United States. Migration into the state 

may include students who are nonresident aliens, who are from the outlying areas (such as Puerto Rico), or who reside outside the 

state and are enrolled exclusively in online or distance education programs. 

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

System (IPEDS), Spring 2007, Enrollment component.
7

Table 3. Revenues of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting standards 

utilized, and source of funds: United States, fiscal year 2006 

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

Source of funds 

Revenues

 (in thousands) Percent

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent 

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent

 

 Public institutions using GASB standards1

 

Total revenues and other sources $194,734,953 100.0 $44,659,077 100.0 $1,297,894 100.0

 

Operating revenues 120,122,686 61.7 17,243,339 38.6 497,501 38.3

 

Tuition and fees (net of allowances and 

discounts) 32,603,347 16.7 7,324,165 16.4 156,512 12.1

Grants and contracts 36,730,874 18.9 7,319,622 16.4 220,504 17.0

Federal (excludes FDSL loans) 24,565,287 12.6 4,774,871 10.7 70,354 5.4

State 5,147,876 2.6 1,919,005 4.3 110,764 8.5

Local 7,017,711 3.6 625,746 1.4 39,387 3.0

Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises after 

deducting discounts and allowances 16,428,488 8.4 1,857,225 4.2 19,162 1.5

Sales and services of hospitals 20,355,108 10.5 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations 610,060 0.3 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other operating revenues 13,394,809 6.9 742,327 1.7 101,322 7.8

 

Nonoperating revenues 63,847,009 32.8 25,064,175 56.1 779,873 60.1

 

Federal appropriations 1,700,515 0.9 146,624 0.3 15,159 1.2

State appropriations 44,806,641 23.0 13,447,669 30.1 347,812 26.8

Local appropriations 336,424 0.2 8,151,372 18.3 341,923 26.3

Nonoperating grants 2,193,519 1.1 1,987,134 4.4 23,602 1.8

Federal 1,546,322 0.8 1,309,477 2.9 16,266 1.3

State 613,928 0.3 606,404 1.4 4,776 0.4

Local 33,269 # 71,253 0.2 2,560 0.2

Gifts 4,182,949 2.1 258,500 0.6 3,861 0.3

Investment income 8,296,668 4.3 677,671 1.5 16,175 1.2

Other nonoperating revenues 2,330,293 1.2 395,205 0.9 31,341 2.4

 

Total other revenues and additions 10,765,258 5.5 2,351,564 5.3 20,521 1.6

 

Capital appropriations 3,680,390 1.9 1,803,747 4.0 4,608 0.4

Capital grants and gifts 2,250,167 1.2 319,431 0.7 1,380 0.1

Additions to permanent endowments 986,771 0.5 17,920 # 0 0.0

Other revenues and additions 3,847,930 2.0 210,465 0.5 14,532 1.1

 

 Private not-for-profit institutions (FASB standards) 

 

Total revenues and investment return $152,308,437 100.0 $860,420 100.0 $314,344 100.0

 

Tuition and fees 43,949,026 28.9 412,117 47.9 83,828 26.7

Government appropriations 962,757 0.6 17,725 2.1 1,073 0.3

Federal 458,460 0.3 9,526 1.1 85 #

State 491,745 0.3 7,568 0.9 989 0.3

Local 12,552 # 631 0.1 0 0.0

Government grants and contracts 15,706,274 10.3 111,762 13.0 119,622 38.1

Federal 14,164,360 9.3 83,110 9.7 86,342 27.5

State 1,038,691 0.7 27,222 3.2 28,500 9.1

Local 503,223 0.3 1,430 0.2 4,780 1.5

Private gifts, grants, and contracts 17,232,809 11.3 56,001 6.5 23,716 7.5

Contributions from affiliated entities 1,058,908 0.7 16,575 1.9 1,046 0.3

Investment return 35,622,910 23.4 36,393 4.2 2,373 0.8

Sales and services of educational activities 3,699,897 2.4 20,469 2.4 24,983 7.9

Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises 11,574,291 7.6 50,213 5.8 2,605 0.8

Hospital revenue 11,536,658 7.6 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations revenue 4,994,613 3.3 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other revenue 5,970,294 3.9 139,167 16.2 55,099 17.5

See notes at end of table. 
8

Table 3. Revenues of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting standards 

utilized, and source of funds: United States, fiscal year 2006—Continued 

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

Source of funds 

Revenues

 (in thousands) Percent

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent 

Revenues 

(in thousands) Percent

 

 Private for-profit institutions (FASB standards) 

 

Total revenues and investment return 9,124,105 100.0 4,224,592 100.0 2,635,440 100.0

 

Tuition and fees 8,225,732 90.2 3,430,328 81.2 1,933,552 73.4

Government appropriations, grants, and contracts 431,495 4.7 468,885 11.1 389,883 14.8

Federal 399,919 4.4 431,014 10.2 358,617 13.6

State and local 31,576 0.3 37,871 0.9 31,266 1.2

Private grants and contracts 2,851 # 1,439 # 4,212 0.2

Investment income and investment gains (losses) 35,383 0.4 9,230 0.2 12,971 0.5

Sales and services of educational activities 160,863 1.8 86,749 2.1 131,055 5.0

Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises 190,409 2.1 85,163 2.0 21,185 0.8

Other revenue 77,373 0.8 142,796 3.4 142,582 5.4

# Rounds to zero. 

1

In addition to the public institutions using Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards, 34 public Title IV institutions 

reported $7.9 billion in revenue and investment return using Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) standards. 

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 2007, Finance component. 
9

Table 4. Expenses of Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, accounting standards 

utilized, and type of expense: United States, fiscal year 2006 

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

Type of expense 

Expenses

 (in thousands) Percent

Expenses

(in thousands) Percent 

Expenses

(in thousands) Percent

 

 Public institutions using GASB standards1

 

Total expenses $179,116,954 100.0 $41,349,092 100.0 $1,293,396 100.0

 

Operating expenses 172,442,593 96.3 40,525,265 98.0 1,264,447 97.8

Instruction 45,607,433 25.5 16,177,357 39.1 620,293 48.0

Research 21,836,056 12.2 24,482 0.1 259 #

Public service 8,849,540 4.9 695,461 1.7 5,751 0.4

Academic support 11,765,134 6.6 3,070,145 7.4 95,143 7.4

Student services 6,646,177 3.7 3,787,865 9.2 77,284 6.0

Institutional support 12,460,036 7.0 5,717,775 13.8 139,249 10.8

Operation and maintenance of plant 11,129,710 6.2 3,694,695 8.9 116,471 9.0

Depreciation 8,517,539 4.8 1,571,652 3.8 29,201 2.3

Scholarships and fellowships (excluding 

discounts and allowances) 5,683,937 3.2 2,937,870 7.1 8,898 0.7

Auxiliary enterprises 14,688,865 8.2 2,181,546 5.3 16,501 1.3

Hospital services 18,949,659 10.6 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations 721,058 0.4 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other operating expenses and deductions 5,587,450 3.1 666,417 1.6 155,398 12.0

 

Nonoperating expenses 6,674,361 3.7 823,828 2.0 28,949 2.2

Interest 2,856,931 1.6 553,712 1.3 16,191 1.3

Other nonoperating expenses and deductions 3,817,430 2.1 270,116 0.7 12,758 1.0

 

 Private not-for-profit institutions (FASB standards) 

 

Total expenses 116,282,512 100.0 874,830 100.0 311,211 100.0

 

Instruction 38,261,569 32.9 337,426 38.6 131,381 42.2

Research 13,244,733 11.4 3,877 0.4 15,152 4.9

Public service 1,945,532 1.7 10,961 1.3 9,754 3.1

Academic support 10,177,923 8.8 53,389 6.1 13,074 4.2

Student services 8,894,362 7.6 85,455 9.8 17,987 5.8

Institutional support 15,527,133 13.4 212,962 24.3 35,198 11.3

Auxiliary enterprises 11,698,501 10.1 54,148 6.2 715 0.2

Net grant aid to students 699,462 0.6 9,125 1.0 48 #

Hospital services 9,645,428 8.3 0 0.0 0 0.0

Independent operations 4,203,523 3.6 0 0.0 0 0.0

Other expenses 1,984,345 1.7 107,487 12.3 87,902 28.2

Private for-profit institutions (FASB standards) 

 

Total expenses $7,218,830 100.0 $3,697,579 100.0 $2,380,893 100.0

 

Instruction 1,680,603 23.3 1,142,376 30.9 843,860 35.4

Research and public service 4,065 0.1 5,031 0.1 7,741 0.3

Academic support, student services, and 

institutional support 4,985,531 69.1 1,932,479 52.3 1,130,778 47.5

Auxiliary enterprises 179,064 2.5 106,695 2.9 56,920 2.4

Net grant aid to students 54,291 0.8 14,551 0.4 6,378 0.3

Other expenses 315,276 4.4 496,448 13.4 335,216 14.1

# Rounds to zero. 

1

In addition to the public institutions using Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards, 34 public Title IV institutions 

reported $7.1 billion in expenses using Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) standards. 

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 2007, Finance component. 
10

Table 5. Graduation rates at Title IV institutions, by race/ethnicity, level and control of institution, gender, 

degree sought, and degree completed gender: United States, cohort years 2000 and 2003 

Level and control of institution, gender, 

degree sought, and degree completed Total 

White, 

nonHispanic

Black, 

nonHispanic Hispanic 

Asian/ 

Pacific 

Islander

American 

Indian/ 

Alaska 

Native 

Race/

ethnicity

unknown 

Nonresident

alien 

 

Total 4-year institutions (cohort year 

2000)1

 56.4 59.4 41.2 47.6 65.8 39.2 49.9 58.8

 

Public 53.3 56.0 39.0 43.1 63.1 34.9 51.7 52.5

Men 49.8 52.6 32.5 38.4 58.9 31.4 48.5 50.2

Women 56.3 58.9 43.4 46.5 67.0 37.6 54.6 55.6

 

Private not-for-profit 63.8 66.5 45.3 58.0 74.2 51.0 58.8 64.9

Men 60.9 63.8 38.9 54.0 72.4 46.6 56.2 62.2

Women 66.1 68.7 49.6 60.7 75.6 54.3 60.9 68.2

Private for-profit 48.2 54.5 42.7 50.1 56.4 44.3 31.1 55.9

Men 46.6 51.2 39.3 48.9 54.8 43.2 32.3 58.2

Women 50.3 59.0 45.8 51.7 59.1 45.7 29.8 52.5

 

Bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseekers attending 4-year 

institutions and completing 

bachelor’s or equivalent degree 

(cohort year 2000) 57.5 60.2 42.1 49.1 66.7 40.2 51.6 59.6

 

Public 54.8 57.1 40.8 46.0 64.1 37.5 52.3 54.6

Men 51.3 53.8 34.1 41.1 60.0 33.6 49.1 52.1

Women 57.7 59.9 45.2 49.7 67.8 40.5 55.2 58.1

 

Private not-for-profit 64.5 67.0 45.9 59.0 75.2 50.9 60.3 64.5

Men 61.7 64.4 39.3 55.3 73.1 50.1 58.6 61.7

Women 66.7 69.1 50.4 61.7 76.7 51.5 61.6 67.9

Private for-profit 32.6 38.1 29.7 33.8 47.3 30.4 17.0 47.5

Men 35.5 40.2 29.8 36.2 48.4 30.3 20.0 46.3

Women 29.1 35.1 29.7 30.9 45.2 30.4 14.6 48.9

 

2-year institutions (cohort year 

2003)1 32.3 33.2 27.1 33.5 34.0 28.8 36.2 30.0

 

Public 23.2 25.7 15.2 17.9 25.2 20.9 20.0 26.3

Men 22.4 24.7 14.8 17.1 23.6 19.5 19.8 21.9

Women 23.9 26.7 15.5 18.7 26.8 22.0 20.3 30.4

 

Private not-for-profit 55.1 61.5 40.7 44.4 50.1 20.4 47.5 73.5

Men 54.4 60.7 33.8 49.6 52.8 21.1 51.2 66.5

Women 55.5 62.2 45.1 41.0 48.8 19.8 44.4 78.7

Private for-profit 58.9 63.6 49.0 60.7 59.5 58.9 58.4 42.8

Men 60.0 65.7 46.2 58.7 64.7 59.7 58.9 44.5

Women 58.2 62.1 50.1 62.1 55.8 58.5 58.0 40.4

Less-than-2-year institutions (cohort 

year 2003)1 66.4 — — — — — — —

 

Public 69.1 — — — — — — —

Private not-for-profit 73.2 — — — — — — —

Private for-profit 65.8 — — — — — — —

— Not available. Graduation rates data are not collected by race/ethnicity for less-than-2-year institutions. 1

The total 4-year institution, 2-year institution, and less-than-2-year institution cohorts contain all full-time, first-time degree- or certificateseeking undergraduates at institutions of the designated level, in the reference year, regardless of the level of 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 and 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 2007) estimate of the number of students entering the institution as full-time, first-time degree- or certificateseeking 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 2007, Graduation Rates component. 
11

Table 6. Graduation rates of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students at 4-year Title IV 

institutions, by control of institution, gender, and time to degree: United States, cohort year 

2000 

Gender and time to degree Total Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

 

All students 

4-year graduation rate 36.1 29.0 50.3 25.7

5-year graduation rate 52.6 49.1 60.8 30.0

6-year graduation rate 57.5 54.8 64.5 32.6

Men 

4-year graduation rate 31.1 23.6 46.0 30.1

5-year graduation rate 49.0 44.8 58.5 33.6

6-year graduation rate 54.3 51.3 61.7 35.5

Women 

4-year graduation rate 40.2 33.5 53.7 20.7

5-year graduation rate 55.6 52.7 62.7 25.9

6-year graduation rate 60.2 57.7 66.7 29.1

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 and 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 2007) 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. The number of completers used in the calculation of the graduation rate for each time-to-degree designation is 

cumulative; for example, the 5-year graduation rate includes all students graduating within 5 years, not just those students 

graduating between years 4 and 5. 

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

System (IPEDS), Spring 2007, Graduation Rates component. 

Table 7. Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled and those receiving 

financial aid at Title IV institutions, by sector of institution: United States, academic years 

2004-05 and 2005-06 

Academic year 2004-051 Academic year 2005-062

Sector of institution 

Number 

enrolled

Number of 

financial aid 

recipients

Percent 

receiving 

financial aid

Number 

enrolled

Number of 

financial aid 

recipients 

Percent 

receiving 

financial aid

 

Total students 2,630,938 1,974,424 75.0 2,688,094 2,024,342 75.3

Public 4-year 888,267 670,365 75.5 906,948 695,017 76.6

Public 2-year 639,901 391,420 61.2 634,148 390,155 61.5

Public less-than-2-year 26,676 16,111 60.4 25,890 14,480 55.9

Private not-for-profit 4-year 459,439 390,762 85.1 460,845 393,432 85.4

Private not-for-profit 2-year 17,143 13,701 79.9 14,043 11,178 79.6

Private not-for-profit less-than-2-year 12,482 9,493 76.1 10,906 9,050 83.0

Private for-profit 4-year 125,041 99,840 79.8 157,705 116,237 73.7

Private for-profit 2-year 215,643 184,631 85.6 222,809 190,954 85.7

Private for-profit less-than-2-year 246,346 198,101 80.4 254,800 203,839 80.0

1

The numbers shown reflect those institutions that reported having financial aid recipients in academic year 2004-05. 2

The numbers shown reflect those institutions that reported having financial aid recipients in academic year 2005-06. 

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

System (IPEDS), Spring 2006 and Spring 2007, Student Financial Aid component. 
12

Table 8. 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 2005-06 

Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit 

Type of aid 

Total 

students 4-year 2-year

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

 

Full-time, first-time 

undergraduates 2,688,094 906,948 634,148 25,890 460,845 14,043 10,906 157,705 222,809 254,800

 

Number receiving 

 

Any financial aid 2,024,342 695,017 390,155 14,480 393,432 11,178 9,050 116,237 190,954 203,839

Federal grants 998,272 240,884 241,895 10,589 119,755 6,715 7,024 73,858 137,097 160,455

State/local grants 738,006 333,672 201,628 3,521 143,709 4,546 2,046 14,054 25,536 9,294

Institutional grants 774,591 310,126 70,379 1,164 343,637 4,865 1,318 17,208 13,712 12,182

Loans to students1

 1,238,758 402,447 115,645 6,301 275,749 7,409 4,508 106,025 163,425 157,249

 

Percent receiving 

 

Any financial aid 75.3 76.6 61.5 55.9 85.4 79.6 83.0 73.7 85.7 80.0

Federal grants 37.1 26.6 38.1 40.9 26.0 47.8 64.4 46.8 61.5 63.0

State/local grants 27.5 36.8 31.8 13.6 31.2 32.4 18.8 8.9 11.5 3.6

Institutional grants 28.8 34.2 11.1 4.5 74.6 34.6 12.1 10.9 6.2 4.8

Loans to students1

 46.1 44.4 18.2 24.3 59.8 52.8 41.3 67.2 73.3 61.7

 

Average amount2

 

Federal grants $2,923 $3,071 $2,763 $2,949 $3,437 $3,111 $3,297 $2,490 $2,876 $2,773

State/local grants 2,422 2,752 1,303 2,284 3,121 3,017 3,021 2,945 2,609 2,395

Institutional grants 6,081 3,573 1,294 1,519 10,002 3,859 1,942 1,641 1,123 577

Loans to students1

 4,844 4,166 2,818 4,845 5,264 5,573 4,577 7,046 6,032 4,590 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

Each average grant (or loan) value was calculated by dividing the total grants (or loans) awarded by the total number of recipients. 

NOTE: The numbers shown reflect only those 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 2007, 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 2007 

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 6,784 Title IV institutions1

 and administrative offices located in the 

United States and the other jurisdictions of the United States, such as Puerto Rico,2 in the 2006-

07 academic year. 

IPEDS began collecting data from all postsecondary institutions in 1986, when it superseded the 

Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), which was directed at institutions of 

higher education only. HEGIS data were collected from 1966 through 1985. In 1992, the focus of 

IPEDS became Title IV institutions when the Higher Education Amendments made reporting to 

IPEDS mandatory for these institutions. 

The spring 2007 collection was entirely web-based. Institutions in the universe were asked to 

enter their survey responses using the IPEDS data collection website. The spring 2007 IPEDS 

data were collected between March 7 and May 2, 2007. The collection had four components: 

Enrollment, Finance, Graduation Rates, and Student Financial Aid. 

Terminology Used in the IPEDS Web Collection 

Please refer to the glossary provided at the end of this document for definitions of various terms. 

Universe, Institutions Surveyed, and Response Rates 

The IPEDS universe is established during the fall collection period. For the 2006-07 cycle, 51 

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 179 postsecondary institutions were reported exclusively by a parent 

institution.3

 In addition, 175 postsecondary institutions and three administrative offices were 

added to the universe. 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. Although they are part of the 2006-07 

IPEDS universe, 19 institutions that closed during the 2006-07 academic year were not eligible 

to complete any of the components collected during the spring 2007 collection. 

 

1

 Includes 6,700 institutions and 84 administrative (central or system) offices. The central and system offices are 

required to complete the Institutional Characteristics component in the fall, the EAP and Staff sections of the 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. 
A-2

The initial set of 6,784 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)). Four of the U.S. service academies 

are included in the IPEDS universe as if they were Title IV institutions.4

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. 

The College Navigator is a website developed to help parents and students make informed 

decisions about postsecondary education. 

Not all 6,765 Title IV postsecondary entities eligible for the spring data collection were required 

to participate in all components. The Student Financial Aid (SFA) component is applicable only 

to those institutions that have full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate 

students. The Graduation Rates (GRS) component is applicable to institutions that had full-time, 

first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the reference year (2000 for 4-

year institutions and 2003 for less-than-4-year institutions.) The Finance component applies to 

all institutions and administrative (central or system) offices. See the Survey Components section 

below 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 four 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 2007 IPEDS collection were high. The response rate for each component was over 

99 percent: 99.7 percent for Enrollment and 99.6 percent for Finance, Graduation Rates, and 

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 component5

, and 

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 B, fall enrollment by 

age and gender, is not included because Part B was optional this year. 

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 90 percent. As shown in table A-1, no sectors required this analysis. 

 

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 and students. 

5

 Please refer to the Survey Components section of appendix A for a description of the parts of the Enrollment 

component. 
A-3

Table A-1. Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 data 

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

and other jurisdictions 

Degree-granting status and Enrollment Student Financial Aid 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe 

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,6741 6,652 99.7 6,152 6,126 99.6

 

Public 2,034 2,033 100.0 1,967 1,967 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,897 1,897 100.0 1,546 1,546 100.0

Private for-profit 2,743 2,722 99.2 2,639 2,613 99.0

4-year 2,703 2,702 100.0 2,269 2,269 100.0

 Public 661 660 99.8 605 605 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 1,582 1,582 100.0 1,259 1,259 100.0

 Private for-profit 460 460 100.0 405 405 100.0

2-year 2,221 2,221 100.0 2,174 2,171 99.9

 Public 1,156 1,156 100.0 1,147 1,147 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 215 215 100.0 191 191 100.0

 Private for-profit 850 850 100.0 836 833 99.6

Less-than-2-year 1,750 1,729 98.8 1,709 1,686 98.7

 Public 217 217 100.0 215 215 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 100 100 100.0 96 96 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,433 1,412 98.5 1,398 1,375 98.4

 

Degree-granting 4,389 4,388 100.0 3,953 3,952 100.0

4-year 2,687 2,686 100.0 2,267 2,267 100.0

Public 660 659 99.8 605 605 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,567 1,567 100.0 1,257 1,257 100.0

Private for-profit 460 460 100.0 405 405 100.0

2-year 1,702 1,702 100.0 1,686 1,685 99.9

Public 1,053 1,053 100.0 1,044 1,044 100.0

Private not-for-profit 111 111 100.0 109 109 100.0

Private for-profit 538 538 100.0 533 532 99.8

 

Non-degree-granting 2,285 2,264 99.1 2,199 2,174 98.9

4-year 16 16 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 15 15 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 519 519 100.0 488 486 99.6

Public 103 103 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 104 104 100.0 82 82 100.0

Private for-profit 312 312 100.0 303 301 99.3

Less-than-2-year 1,750 1,729 98.8 1,709 1,686 98.7

Public 217 217 100.0 215 215 100.0

Private not-for-profit 100 100 100.0 96 96 100.0

Private for-profit 1,433 1,412 98.5 1,398 1,375 98.4

 

See notes at end of table. 
A-4

Table A-1. Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 data 

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

and other jurisdictions—Continued 

Degree-granting status and Finance Graduation Rates 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,757 6,731 99.6 5,929 5,905 99.6

 

Public 2,104 2,103 100.0 1,960 1,958 99.9

Private not-for-profit 1,901 1,901 100.0 1,539 1,538 99.9

Private for-profit 2,752 2,727 99.1 2,430 2,409 99.1

4-year 2,750 2,750 100.0 2,162 2,160 99.9

 Public 700 700 100.0 598 597 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,588 1,588 100.0 1,254 1,253 99.9

 Private for-profit 462 462 100.0 310 310 100.0

2-year 2,251 2,250 100.0 2,128 2,125 99.9

 Public 1,188 1,188 100.0 1,150 1,149 99.9

 Private not-for-profit 212 212 100.0 192 192 100.0

 Private for-profit 851 850 99.9 786 784 99.7

Less-than-2-year 1,756 1,731 98.6 1,639 1,620 98.8

 Public 216 215 99.5 212 212 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 101 101 100.0 93 93 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,439 1,415 98.3 1,334 1,315 98.6

 

Degree-granting 4,471 4,470 100.0 3,814 3,811 99.9

 

4-year 2,737 2,737 100.0 2,160 2,158 99.9

Public 700 700 100.0 598 597 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,575 1,575 100.0 1,252 1,251 99.9

Private for-profit 462 462 100.0 310 310 100.0

2-year 1,734 1,733 99.9 1,654 1,653 99.9

Public 1,085 1,085 100.0 1,048 1,047 99.9

Private not-for-profit 110 110 100.0 107 107 100.0

Private for-profit 539 538 99.8 499 499 100.0

 

Non-degree-granting 2,286 2,261 98.9 2,115 2,094 99.0

 

4-year 13 13 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 0 0 † 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 13 13 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 517 517 100.0 474 472 99.6

Public 103 103 100.0 102 102 100.0

Private not-for-profit 102 102 100.0 85 85 100.0

Private for-profit 312 312 100.0 287 285 99.3

Less-than-2-year 1,756 1,731 98.6 1,639 1,620 98.8

Public 216 215 99.5 212 212 100.0

Private not-for-profit 101 101 100.0 93 93 100.0

Private for-profit 1,439 1,415 98.3 1,334 1,315 98.6

† Not applicable. 

1

Includes all institutions required to respond to at least one part of the Enrollment component. This may not agree with the number 

of institutions eligible for any single part of the Enrollment component displayed in table A-2 due to differing eligibility rules for the 

individual parts. 

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, 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 2007. 
A-5

Table A-1a. Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 data 

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

Degree-granting status and Enrollment Student Financial Aid 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe 

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,5111 6,494 99.7 5,997 5,976 99.6

 

Public 2,009 2,008 100.0 1,943 1,943 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,844 1,844 100.0 1,499 1,499 100.0

Private for-profit 2,658 2,642 99.4 2,555 2,534 99.2

4-year 2,641 2,640 100.0 2,214 2,214 100.0

 Public 644 643 99.8 589 589 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 1,545 1,545 100.0 1,228 1,228 100.0

 Private for-profit 452 452 100.0 397 397 100.0

2-year 2,198 2,198 100.0 2,151 2,148 99.9

 Public 1,148 1,148 100.0 1,139 1,139 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 211 211 100.0 187 187 100.0

 Private for-profit 839 839 100.0 825 822 99.6

Less-than-2-year 1,672 1,656 99.0 1,632 1,614 98.9

 Public 217 217 100.0 215 215 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 88 88 100.0 84 84 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,367 1,351 98.8 1,333 1,315 98.6

 

Degree-granting 4,305 4,304 100.0 3,876 3,875 100.0

4-year 2,625 2,624 100.0 2,212 2,212 100.0

Public 643 642 99.8 589 589 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,530 1,530 100.0 1,226 1,226 100.0

Private for-profit 452 452 100.0 397 397 100.0

2-year 1,680 1,680 100.0 1,664 1,663 99.9

Public 1,045 1,045 100.0 1,036 1,036 100.0

Private not-for-profit 107 107 100.0 105 105 100.0

Private for-profit 528 528 100.0 523 522 99.8

 

Non-degree-granting 2,206 2,190 99.3 2,121 2,101 99.1

4-year 16 16 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 15 15 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 518 518 100.0 487 485 99.6

Public 103 103 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 104 104 100.0 82 82 100.0

Private for-profit 311 311 100.0 302 300 99.3

Less-than-2-year 1,672 1,656 99.0 1,632 1,614 98.9

Public 217 217 100.0 215 215 100.0

Private not-for-profit 88 88 100.0 84 84 100.0

Private for-profit 1,367 1,351 98.8 1,333 1,315 98.6

 

See notes at end of table. 
A-6

Table A-1a. Title IV institutions and administrative offices responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 data 

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

States—Continued 

Degree-granting status and Finance Graduation Rates 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,591 6,570 99.7 5,780 5,761 99.7

 

Public 2,078 2,077 100.0 1,936 1,934 99.9

Private not-for-profit 1,846 1,846 100.0 1,496 1,495 99.9

Private for-profit 2,667 2,647 99.3 2,348 2,332 99.3

4-year 2,685 2,685 100.0 2,109 2,107 99.9

 Public 682 682 100.0 582 581 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,549 1,549 100.0 1,224 1,223 99.9

 Private for-profit 454 454 100.0 303 303 100.0

2-year 2,228 2,227 100.0 2,105 2,102 99.9

 Public 1,180 1,180 100.0 1,142 1,141 99.9

 Private not-for-profit 208 208 100.0 188 188 100.0

 Private for-profit 840 839 99.9 775 773 99.7

Less-than-2-year 1,678 1,658 98.8 1,566 1,552 99.1

 Public 216 215 99.5 212 212 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 89 89 100.0 84 84 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,373 1,354 98.6 1,270 1,256 98.9

 

Degree-granting 4,384 4,383 100.0 3,739 3,736 99.9

 

4-year 2,672 2,672 100.0 2,107 2,105 99.9

Public 682 682 100.0 582 581 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,536 1,536 100.0 1,222 1,221 99.9

Private for-profit 454 454 100.0 303 303 100.0

2-year 1,712 1,711 99.9 1,632 1,631 99.9

Public 1,077 1,077 100.0 1,040 1,039 99.9

Private not-for-profit 106 106 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private for-profit 529 528 99.8 489 489 100.0

 

Non-degree-granting 2,207 2,187 99.1 2,041 2,025 99.2

 

4-year 13 13 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 0 0 † 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 13 13 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 516 516 100.0 473 471 99.6

Public 103 103 100.0 102 102 100.0

Private not-for-profit 102 102 100.0 85 85 100.0

Private for-profit 311 311 100.0 286 284 99.3

Less-than-2-year 1,678 1,658 98.8 1,566 1,552 99.1

Public 216 215 99.5 212 212 100.0

Private not-for-profit 89 89 100.0 84 84 100.0

Private for-profit 1,373 1,354 98.6 1,270 1,256 98.9

† Not applicable. 

1

Includes all institutions required to respond to at least one part of the Enrollment component. This may not agree with the number 

of institutions eligible for any single part of the Enrollment component displayed in table A-2a due to differing eligibility rules for the 

individual parts. 

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, 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 2007. 
A-7

Table A-2. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, by part, 

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

jurisdictions 

Degree-granting status and Part A, by race/ethnicity and gender Part C, by state of residency 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,670 6,648 99.7 6,195 6,169 99.6

 

Public 2,034 2,033 100.0 1,980 1,979 99.9

Private not-for-profit 1,896 1,896 100.0 1,547 1,546 99.9

Private for-profit 2,740 2,719 99.2 2,668 2,644 99.1

4-year 2,703 2,702 100.0 2,298 2,296 99.9

 Public 661 660 99.8 611 610 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,582 1,582 100.0 1,268 1,267 99.9

 Private for-profit 460 460 100.0 419 419 100.0

2-year 2,220 2,220 100.0 2,185 2,183 99.9

 Public 1,156 1,156 100.0 1,155 1,155 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 214 214 100.0 187 187 100.0

 Private for-profit 850 850 100.0 843 841 99.8

Less-than-2-year 1,747 1,726 98.8 1,712 1,690 98.7

 Public 217 217 100.0 214 214 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 100 100 100.0 92 92 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,430 1,409 98.5 1,406 1,384 98.4

 

Degree-granting 4,388 4,387 100.0 3,991 3,988 99.9

 

4-year 2,687 2,686 100.0 2,296 2,294 99.9

Public 660 659 99.8 611 610 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,567 1,567 100.0 1,266 1,265 99.9

Private for-profit 460 460 100.0 419 419 100.0

2-year 1,701 1,701 100.0 1,695 1,694 99.9

Public 1,053 1,053 100.0 1,052 1,052 100.0

Private not-for-profit 110 110 100.0 106 106 100.0

Private for-profit 538 538 100.0 537 536 99.8

 

Non-degree-granting 2,282 2,261 99.1 2,204 2,181 99.0

 

4-year 16 16 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 15 15 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 519 519 100.0 490 489 99.8

Public 103 103 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 104 104 100.0 81 81 100.0

Private for-profit 312 312 100.0 306 305 99.7

Less-than-2-year 1,747 1,726 98.8 1,712 1,690 98.7

Public 217 217 100.0 214 214 100.0

Private not-for-profit 100 100 100.0 92 92 100.0

Private for-profit 1,430 1,409 98.5 1,406 1,384 98.4

 

See notes at end of table. 
A-8

Table A-2. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, by part, 

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

jurisdictions—Continued 

Part D, total entering class1 Degree-granting status and Part E, unduplicated count 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 4,500 4,495 99.9 6,664 6,642 99.7

 

Public 1,782 1,781 99.9 2,032 2,031 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,771 1,771 100.0 1,897 1,897 100.0

Private for-profit 947 943 99.6 2,735 2,714 99.2

4-year 2,671 2,670 100.0 2,698 2,697 100.0

 Public 661 660 99.8 660 659 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,568 1,568 100.0 1,582 1,582 100.0

 Private for-profit 442 442 100.0 456 456 100.0

2-year 1,644 1,644 100.0 2,217 2,217 100.0

 Public 1,072 1,072 100.0 1,155 1,155 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 182 182 100.0 215 215 100.0

 Private for-profit 390 390 100.0 847 847 100.0

Less-than-2-year 185 181 97.8 1,749 1,728 98.8

 Public 49 49 100.0 217 217 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 21 21 100.0 100 100 100.0

 Private for-profit 115 111 96.5 1,432 1,411 98.5

 

Degree-granting 4,161 4,160 100.0 4,381 4,380 100.0

 

4-year 2,661 2,660 100.0 2,682 2,681 100.0

Public 660 659 99.8 659 658 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,559 1,559 100.0 1,567 1,567 100.0

Private for-profit 442 442 100.0 456 456 100.0

2-year 1,500 1,500 100.0 1,699 1,699 100.0

Public 1,045 1,045 100.0 1,052 1,052 100.0

Private not-for-profit 102 102 100.0 111 111 100.0

Private for-profit 353 353 100.0 536 536 100.0

 

Non-degree-granting 339 335 98.8 2,283 2,262 99.1

 

4-year 10 10 100.0 16 16 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

Private not-for-profit 9 9 100.0 15 15 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 144 144 100.0 518 518 100.0

Public 27 27 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 80 80 100.0 104 104 100.0

Private for-profit 37 37 100.0 311 311 100.0

Less-than-2-year 185 181 97.8 1,749 1,728 98.8

Public 49 49 100.0 217 217 100.0

Private not-for-profit 21 21 100.0 100 100 100.0

Private for-profit 115 111 96.5 1,432 1,411 98.5

 

See notes at end of table. 
A-9

Table A-2. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, by part, 

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

jurisdictions—Continued 

Part F, instructional activity Part G, retention rates2 Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,673 6,633 99.4 6,355 6,341 99.8

 

Public 2,034 2,032 99.9 2,019 2,018 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,897 1,897 100.0 1,846 1,846 100.0

Private for-profit 2,742 2,704 98.6 2,490 2,477 99.5

4-year 2,702 2,700 99.9 2,666 2,665 100.0

 Public 661 660 99.8 655 654 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,582 1,582 100.0 1,554 1,554 100.0

 Private for-profit 459 458 99.8 457 457 100.0

2-year 2,221 2,215 99.7 2,221 2,221 100.0

 Public 1,156 1,156 100.0 1,156 1,156 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 215 215 100.0 215 215 100.0

 Private for-profit 850 844 99.3 850 850 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,750 1,718 98.2 1,468 1,455 99.1

 Public 217 216 99.5 208 208 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 100 100 100.0 77 77 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,433 1,402 97.8 1,183 1,170 98.9

 

Degree-granting 4,388 4,383 99.9 4,352 4,351 100.0

 

4-year 2,686 2,684 99.9 2,650 2,649 100.0

Public 660 659 99.8 654 653 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,567 1,567 100.0 1,539 1,539 100.0

Private for-profit 459 458 99.8 457 457 100.0

2-year 1,702 1,699 99.8 1,702 1,702 100.0

Public 1,053 1,053 100.0 1,053 1,053 100.0

Private not-for-profit 111 111 100.0 111 111 100.0

Private for-profit 538 535 99.4 538 538 100.0

 

Non-degree-granting 2,285 2,250 98.5 2,003 1,990 99.4

 

4-year 16 16 100.0 16 16 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

Private not-for-profit 15 15 100.0 15 15 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 519 516 99.4 519 519 100.0

Public 103 103 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 104 104 100.0 104 104 100.0

Private for-profit 312 309 99.0 312 312 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,750 1,718 98.2 1,468 1,455 99.1

Public 217 216 99.5 208 208 100.0

Private not-for-profit 100 100 100.0 77 77 100.0

Private for-profit 1,433 1,402 97.8 1,183 1,170 98.9

† 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 2007, Enrollment component. 
A-10

Table A-2a. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, by part, 

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

Degree-granting status and Part A, by race/ethnicity and gender Part C, by state of residency 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,507 6,490 99.7 6,039 6,018 99.7

 

Public 2,009 2,008 100.0 1,956 1,955 99.9

Private not-for-profit 1,843 1,843 100.0 1,500 1,499 99.9

Private for-profit 2,655 2,639 99.4 2,583 2,564 99.3

4-year 2,641 2,640 100.0 2,243 2,241 99.9

 Public 644 643 99.8 595 594 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,545 1,545 100.0 1,237 1,236 99.9

 Private for-profit 452 452 100.0 411 411 100.0

2-year 2,197 2,197 100.0 2,162 2,160 99.9

 Public 1,148 1,148 100.0 1,147 1,147 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 210 210 100.0 183 183 100.0

 Private for-profit 839 839 100.0 832 830 99.8

Less-than-2-year 1,669 1,653 99.0 1,634 1,617 99.0

 Public 217 217 100.0 214 214 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 88 88 100.0 80 80 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,364 1,348 98.8 1,340 1,323 98.7

 

Degree-granting 4,304 4,303 100.0 3,914 3,911 99.9

 

4-year 2,625 2,624 100.0 2,241 2,239 99.9

Public 643 642 99.8 595 594 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,530 1,530 100.0 1,235 1,234 99.9

Private for-profit 452 452 100.0 411 411 100.0

2-year 1,679 1,679 100.0 1,673 1,672 99.9

Public 1,045 1,045 100.0 1,044 1,044 100.0

Private not-for-profit 106 106 100.0 102 102 100.0

Private for-profit 528 528 100.0 527 526 99.8

 

Non-degree-granting 2,203 2,187 99.3 2,125 2,107 99.2

 

4-year 16 16 100.0 2 2 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 0 0 †

Private not-for-profit 15 15 100.0 2 2 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 518 518 100.0 489 488 99.8

Public 103 103 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 104 104 100.0 81 81 100.0

Private for-profit 311 311 100.0 305 304 99.7

Less-than-2-year 1,669 1,653 99.0 1,634 1,617 99.0

Public 217 217 100.0 214 214 100.0

Private not-for-profit 88 88 100.0 80 80 100.0

Private for-profit 1,364 1,348 98.8 1,340 1,323 98.7

 

See notes at end of table. 
A-11

Table A-2a. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, by part, 

degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: United States—Continued 

Part D, total entering class1 Degree-granting status and Part E, unduplicated count 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 4,384 4,383 100.0 6,501 6,484 99.7

 

Public 1,757 1,756 99.9 2,007 2,006 100.0

Private not-for-profit 1,722 1,722 100.0 1,844 1,844 100.0

Private for-profit 905 905 100.0 2,650 2,634 99.4

4-year 2,609 2,608 100.0 2,636 2,635 100.0

 Public 644 643 99.8 643 642 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,531 1,531 100.0 1,545 1,545 100.0

 Private for-profit 434 434 100.0 448 448 100.0

2-year 1,624 1,624 100.0 2,194 2,194 100.0

 Public 1,064 1,064 100.0 1,147 1,147 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 179 179 100.0 211 211 100.0

 Private for-profit 381 381 100.0 836 836 100.0

Less-than-2-year 151 151 100.0 1,671 1,655 99.0

 Public 49 49 100.0 217 217 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 12 12 100.0 88 88 100.0

 Private for-profit 90 90 100.0 1,366 1,350 98.8

 

Degree-granting 4,079 4,078 100.0 4,297 4,296 100.0

 

4-year 2,599 2,598 100.0 2,620 2,619 100.0

Public 643 642 99.8 642 641 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,522 1,522 100.0 1,530 1,530 100.0

Private for-profit 434 434 100.0 448 448 100.0

2-year 1,480 1,480 100.0 1,677 1,677 100.0

Public 1,037 1,037 100.0 1,044 1,044 100.0

Private not-for-profit 99 99 100.0 107 107 100.0

Private for-profit 344 344 100.0 526 526 100.0

 

Non-degree-granting 305 305 100.0 2,204 2,188 99.3

 

4-year 10 10 100.0 16 16 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

Private not-for-profit 9 9 100.0 15 15 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 144 144 100.0 517 517 100.0

Public 27 27 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 80 80 100.0 104 104 100.0

Private for-profit 37 37 100.0 310 310 100.0

Less-than-2-year 151 151 100.0 1,671 1,655 99.0

Public 49 49 100.0 217 217 100.0

Private not-for-profit 12 12 100.0 88 88 100.0

Private for-profit 90 90 100.0 1,366 1,350 98.8

 

See notes at end of table. 
A-12

Table A-2a. Title IV institutions responding to the IPEDS spring 2007 Enrollment component, by part, 

degree-granting status, and level and control of institution: United States—Continued 

Part F, instructional activity Part G, retention rates2 Degree-granting status and 

level and control of 

institution/office Final universe

Number 

responded

Response 

rate (%) Final universe 

Number 

responded 

Response 

rate (%)

 

All institutions 6,510 6,475 99.5 6,198 6,189 99.9

 

Public 2,009 2,007 99.9 1,994 1,993 99.9

Private not-for-profit 1,844 1,844 100.0 1,797 1,797 100.0

Private for-profit 2,657 2,624 98.8 2,407 2,399 99.7

4-year 2,640 2,638 99.9 2,607 2,606 100.0

 Public 644 643 99.8 638 637 99.8

 Private not-for-profit 1,545 1,545 100.0 1,520 1,520 100.0

 Private for-profit 451 450 99.8 449 449 100.0

2-year 2,198 2,192 99.7 2,198 2,198 100.0

 Public 1,148 1,148 100.0 1,148 1,148 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 211 211 100.0 211 211 100.0

 Private for-profit 839 833 99.3 839 839 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,672 1,645 98.4 1,393 1,385 99.4

 Public 217 216 99.5 208 208 100.0

 Private not-for-profit 88 88 100.0 66 66 100.0

 Private for-profit 1,367 1,341 98.1 1,119 1,111 99.3

 

Degree-granting 4,304 4,299 99.9 4,271 4,270 100.0

 

4-year 2,624 2,622 99.9 2,591 2,590 100.0

Public 643 642 99.8 637 636 99.8

Private not-for-profit 1,530 1,530 100.0 1,505 1,505 100.0

Private for-profit 451 450 99.8 449 449 100.0

2-year 1,680 1,677 99.8 1,680 1,680 100.0

Public 1,045 1,045 100.0 1,045 1,045 100.0

Private not-for-profit 107 107 100.0 107 107 100.0

Private for-profit 528 525 99.4 528 528 100.0

 

Non-degree-granting 2,206 2,176 98.6 1,927 1,919 99.6

 

4-year 16 16 100.0 16 16 100.0

Public 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0

Private not-for-profit 15 15 100.0 15 15 100.0

Private for-profit 0 0 † 0 0 †

2-year 518 515 99.4 518 518 100.0

Public 103 103 100.0 103 103 100.0

Private not-for-profit 104 104 100.0 104 104 100.0

Private for-profit 311 308 99.0 311 311 100.0

Less-than-2-year 1,672 1,645 98.4 1,393 1,385 99.4

Public 217 216 99.5 208 208 100.0

Private not-for-profit 88 88 100.0 66 66 100.0

Private for-profit 1,367 1,341 98.1 1,119 1,111 99.3

† 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 2007, Enrollment component. 
A-13

Survey Components 

Enrollment 

This component of the web-based survey has seven separate parts. Parts A, B, C, and D data are 

reported as of the institution’s official fall reporting date (or October 15, 2006) for the 2007 data 

collection. Part A collects summary data on the number of students enrolled in the fall, including 

the number of first-time6

 degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate (freshmen) students; the total 

number of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates; total undergraduates; total graduate 

students; and total first-professional students—all by race/ ethnicity, gender, and enrollment 

status (full or part time). Part B (which was optional for the 2007 collection) collects summary 

data on the number of students enrolled in the fall in each student level (undergraduate, graduate, 

and first-professional) by age category, gender, and enrollment status. Part C (which was 

required this year but is optional for collections in even-numbered years) 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. 

Parts E and F collect data for a 12-month reporting period in the previous year; institutions must 

indicate the 12-month period for which they are reporting—either July 1, 2005, through June 30, 

2006, or September 1, 2005, through August 31, 2006. Part E collects total unduplicated student 

counts by race/ethnicity, gender, and student level for those students enrolled during the 

reporting period. Students who attend at different levels in 1 year are counted at the highest level 

attained by the student. Part F collects data on the total amount of instructional activity and fulltime equivalent (FTE) enrollment for those students. 

Part G 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. 

Finance 

This component of the web-based survey collects summary data on each institution’s financial 

status in fiscal year 2006. 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 were 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 units that report using FASB 

 

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. 
A-14

standards (Part F), component units that report using GASB standards (Part G), and endowment 

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).7

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; the number who transferred to other institutions; the number receiving athletically 

related student aid; and the number of athletes completing within 150 percent of normal time. 

This component was developed to help institutions comply with requirements of the Student 

Right-to-Know legislation. For 4-year institutions, the cohort consists of those students who first 

started in the 2000-01 academic year, and for 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions, the cohort 

is those students starting in the 2003-04 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 period (September 1 through August 31). 

Student Financial Aid 

This component of the web-based survey has two parts: a section on student counts and a section 

on financial aid. Data were collected based on the 2005-06 academic year for those institutions 

that were part of the IPEDS universe and indicated that they enrolled full-time, first-time 

students in 2005-06. Student counts were collected based on fall 2005 enrollment or 

unduplicated counts for 2005-06, and institutions that charge tuition based on residency were 

asked to provide counts by in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students. The number of fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who received financial aid is 

collected by type of aid. For each type of aid, the average amount of aid received by those 

students for the entire academic year is also collected. Types of aid include federal grants 

(grants/educational assistance funds), state/local grants (grants/scholarships/waivers), 

institutional grants (scholarships/ fellowships), and loans to students. 

The 2006-07 survey forms are available at 

http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/web2000/SpringDataItems.asp. 

Survey Procedures 

The IPEDS spring 2007 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 many institutions, keyholders were 

 

7

 Part I has been discontinued and is no longer applicable. 
A-15

also required to edit and “lock” the data; locking is equivalent to submitting completed data to 

NCES. Additionally, many states or systems had one or more coordinators. 

Coordinators are individuals who take 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, 

review, and lock data for their institutions. 

For the 2006-07 IPEDS data collections, keyholders were asked to register prior to the fall 2006 

data collection. Registration information, including UserIDs and passwords, was e-mailed to 

existing keyholders in mid-July. Also in mid-July, letters were sent to chief executive officers 

(CEOs) at institutions without preregistered keyholders requesting that they appoint a keyholder 

for the 2006-07 collection year. The package included a letter for the keyholder and a registration 

certificate with the institution’s UserID and password for the entire 2006-07 collection period. 

Subsequent registration mailings were sent to CEOs at institutions at which a keyholder had still 

not been registered in mid-August, mid-September, mid-December, and mid-March. At the 

beginning of the winter and spring collections (in late November 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 2006-07 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 2006-07 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 errors 

identified 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 Peer 

Analysis System (PAS), where they were made available to other responding institutions for 

comparison purposes. Because of confidentiality issues, Student Financial Aid and Graduation 

Rates data were not immediately available in the PAS, but were made available after the 

application of perturbation procedures. 
A-16

Edit Procedures 

Edit checks are built into the web-based data collection instrument to detect major reporting 

errors. The system automatically generates percentages for each data element, 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 incorrectly reported. 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. Finally, the data were manually reviewed for additional inconsistencies by coordinators 

(when applicable) and the IPEDS help desk staff. When necessary, keyholders were contacted to 

verify the accuracy of the data. 

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 to ensure hours were reported if students were 

reported at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Total first-time degree/certificate-seeking 

undergraduate students in Part A (reported by race/ethnicity) had to equal the number reported in 

Part C (reported by state of residence, U.S. territory, or foreign country). For this collection 

cycle, Part B (reported by age) data were optional; however, if provided, total first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking students in Part A (reported by race/ethnicity) had to equal total firsttime degree/certificate-seeking students in Part B. 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. 

Edits were also applied to the Student Financial Aid component of the survey. For example, 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. For institutions that charged by residency, the sum of indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state full-time, first-time undergraduate students could not exceed the 

number of full-time, first-time undergraduate students. The number of full-time, first-time 

undergraduate students receiving federal grants could not exceed the number of full-time, firsttime 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. 
A-17

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. 

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. Additionally, counts for athletic subcohorts were summed to ensure that they did not 

exceed the total cohort for any race/ethnicity or gender classification. Finally, if cohort members 

were reported for either section of the Graduation Rates component (bachelor’s-seeking or otherthan-bachelor’s-seeking), at least one cell had to be completed in each applicable section. 

Imputation Procedures 

The Enrollment data, Finance data, Graduation Rates data, and Student Financial Aid data were 

all subject to imputation for nonresponse—both institutional nonresponse and item nonresponse. 

In addition, the imputation base was restricted to institutions satisfying all of the following 

conditions: 

• The institution must participate in Title IV student financial aid programs. 

• The institution must be currently active8

 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 component, the institution must have enrolled full-time, first-time 

students for the cohort year.

Enrollment 

For Part A of the Enrollment component, 109 imputation groups and 47 collapsed imputation 

groups were formed primarily based on institutional sector and undergraduate, graduate, and 

first-professional offerings. 

The following imputation methods were used (in order of preference) to impute missing data in 

enrollment Parts A, C, E, and F: 

• Carry Forward—Reported 2005 (or 2004) enrollment data were carried forward to the 

current year. The number of students reported in 2005 (or 2004) was used as the base value 

 

8

 Institutions that did not respond were verified as currently active (open for business) prior to imputation through 

telephone calls and e-mail. 
A-18

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 Fall Enrollment Part A—Reported 2006 enrollment Part A data 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 enrollment count among the 

levels of study (undergraduate, graduate, first-professional). The nearest neighbor of the 

imputee was selected from the responding institutions in the same imputation group as the 

donor. The donor’s unduplicated enrollment counts (or instructional activity hours) were 

multiplied by the ratio of the imputee’s fall enrollment count to the donor’s fall enrollment 

count to adjust for the difference between the two institutions. These adjusted values were 

used as the imputed values. 

• Nearest Neighbor Completions—The completions data for academic year 2006-07 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, graduate, first-professional). 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 (or unduplicated enrollment counts or instructional activity 

hours) 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. The identified donor’s award counts were used to impute for Part A and 

Part E data simultaneously, where applicable. Donors for Part C were identified after Part A 

was imputed in order to ensure that the total enrollment in a given institution was the same 

across all parts of the Enrollment component. 

• Ratio Adjustment Based on Part A Data—The Enrollment Part A dataset for academic year 

2006-07 was used to determine the median contact or credit hours per FTE student. This ratio 

was calculated for each collapsed imputation group for undergraduate credit hours, 

undergraduate contact hours, and graduate credit hours. An institution’s FTE, based on the 

institution’s Part A data, is equal to an institution’s full-time students plus one-third its parttime students. The median ratio for each collapsed imputation group was applied to the Part F 

nonrespondent’s Part A enrollment. For institutions that had undergraduate offerings, the 

institution’s calendar year indicator determined whether the imputed activity hours were 

assigned to contact or credit hours. 

• 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. The median institution used to impute for enrollment counts was 

used to impute for the unduplicated enrollment counts and the instructional activity hours, 

where applicable. 
A-19

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 nonresponse was determined by 

comparison with the existing past enrollment data. The three types of partial nonrespondents 

imputed using the Carry Forward method were those 

• missing a whole level—institutions missing all the lines for undergraduate, graduate, or firstprofessional offering; 

• missing a half level—full-time data were present but part-time data were missing, or parttime data were present and full-time data were missing; and 

• missing data within undergraduate level—first-time data were present, but data on total 

undergraduate students were missing, or data on total undergraduate students were present, 

but first-time data were missing. 

In addition, missing data for the first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate enrollment of 

those who graduated high school in the past 12 months (collected in Part C) were subject to 

partial imputation. These data were imputed by multiplying the reported total first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate enrollment by the ratio of the first-time 

degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate enrollment of those who graduated high school in the 

past 12 months to total first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate enrollment, within 

each imputee institution’s imputation group. 

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, and degree-granting status. 

Table A-4 provides the fall enrollment counts (reported and imputed) and percentages that were 

imputed for first-time, first-year undergraduate students at Title IV institutions in the United 

States, by control of institution, degree-granting status, and residency. 

Table A-5 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-6 provides the unduplicated headcount data (reported and imputed) and percentages that 

were imputed for all Title IV institutions in the United States, by control of institution, student 

level, gender, and degree-granting status. 

Table A-7 provides the instructional activity (reported and imputed) and percentages that were 

imputed for all Title IV institutions in the United States, by control of institution, degree-granting 

status, type of instructional activity (credit or contact hour), and student level. 

Table A-8 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. 
A-20

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

attendance status, gender, and degree-granting status: United States, fall 2006 

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

Imputed Imputed Imputed Imputed 

Student level, attendance 

status, gender, and 

degree-granting status 

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent 

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent 

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent

All students 18,205,474 3,554 # 13,281,664 1,244 # 3,543,455 0 0.0 1,380,355 2,310 0.2

 

Undergraduate 15,630,574 3,554 # 11,948,922 1,244 # 2,478,532 0 0.0 1,203,120 2,310 0.2

First-time 2,922,026 2,433 0.1 2,053,911 1,244 0.1 503,763 0 0.0 364,352 1,189 0.3

Other undergraduate 12,708,548 1,121 # 9,895,011 0 0.0 1,974,769 0 0.0 838,768 1,121 0.1

Graduate 2,231,454 0 0.0 1,193,006 0 0.0 863,300 0 0.0 175,148 0 0.0

First-professional 343,446 0 0.0 139,736 0 0.0 201,623 0 0.0 2,087 0 0.0

 

Full time 11,316,499 3,360 # 7,554,016 1,244 # 2,640,067 0 0.0 1,122,416 2,116 0.2

Part time 6,888,975 194 # 5,727,648 0 0.0 903,388 0 0.0 257,939 194 0.1

 

Men 7,715,801 1,798 # 5,724,706 1,045 # 1,499,106 0 0.0 491,989 753 0.2

Women 10,489,673 1,756 # 7,556,958 199 # 2,044,349 0 0.0 888,366 1,557 0.2

Degree-granting 17,758,870 1,244 # 13,180,133 1,244 # 3,512,866 0 0.0 1,065,871 0 0.0

Non-degree-granting 446,604 2,310 0.5 101,531 0 0.0 30,589 0 0.0 314,484 2,310 0.7

# Rounds to zero. 

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. A total of 787 students were imputed for institutions in other jurisdictions. 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 

2007, Enrollment component. 

Table A-4. Enrollment and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of institution, degree-granting 

status, and residency for first-time, first-year undergraduate students: United States, fall 2006 

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

Degree-granting status Imputed Imputed Imputed Imputed 

and residency 

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent 

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent 

Fall 

enrollment Number Percent

All students 2,922,026 2,442 0.1 2,053,911 1,244 0.1 503,763 10 # 364,352 1,188 0.3

 

Degree-granting 2,707,213 1,293 # 2,003,342 1,244 0.1 493,109 10 # 210,762 39 #

Non-degree-granting 214,813 1,149 0.5 50,569 0 0.0 10,654 0 0.0 153,590 1,149 0.7

 

Residency of student 

New England 151,491 70 # 80,290 69 0.1 52,775 0 0.0 18,426 1 #

Mid East 494,137 311 0.1 297,246 241 0.1 134,030 0 0.0 62,861 70 0.1

Great Lakes 455,823 164 # 318,461 161 0.1 89,151 0 0.0 48,211 3 #

Plains 206,052 85 # 151,608 82 0.1 36,120 0 0.0 18,324 3 #

Southeast 665,265 311 # 502,393 284 0.1 78,054 0 0.0 84,818 27 #

Southwest 326,241 410 0.1 250,029 180 0.1 30,279 0 0.0 45,933 230 0.5

Rocky Mountains 100,328 38 # 75,197 37 # 11,841 0 0.0 13,290 1 #

Far West 429,123 572 0.1 315,460 170 0.1 50,619 3 # 63,044 399 0.6

Other jurisdictions 1,742 20 1.1 473 20 4.2 899 0 0.0 370 0 0.0

Foreign countries 39,179 0 0.0 24,113 0 0.0 14,176 0 0.0 890 0 0.0

Residence unknown/not 

reported 52,645 461 0.9 38,641 0 0.0 5,819 7 0.1 8,185 454 5.5

# Rounds to zero. 

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. A total of 495 students were imputed for institutions in other jurisdictions. This table is based on the 

enrollment by state of residency section (Part C) of the Enrollment component. 

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

2007, Enrollment component. 
A-21

Table A-5. 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 2006 

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

Imputed Imputed Imputed Imputed 

Degree-granting status 

Entering 

class Number Percent 

Entering 

class Number Percent

Entering 

class Number Percent 

Entering 

class Number Percent

All institutions 4,445,105 1,244 # 3,484,435 1,244 # 692,802 0 0.0 267,868 0 0.0

 

Degree-granting 4,411,411 1,244 # 3,471,365 1,244 # 687,505 0 0.0 252,541 0 0.0

Non-degree-granting 33,694 0 0.0 13,070 0 0.0 5,297 0 0.0 15,327 0 0.0

# Rounds to zero. 

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. A total of 498 students were imputed for institutions in other jurisdictions. This table is based on the 

total entering class section (Part D) of the Enrollment component. 

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

2007, Enrollment component. 

Table A-6. Unduplicated count and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of institution, student level, 

gender, and degree-granting status: United States, 2005-06 

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

Imputed Imputed Imputed Imputed 

Student level, 

gender, and 

degree-granting 

status 

Unduplicated 

count Number Percent 

Unduplicated 

count Number Percent

Unduplicated 

count Number Percent 

Unduplicated 

count Number Percent

All students 24,700,027 7,310 # 18,238,513 4,191 # 4,324,627 0 0.0 2,136,887 3,119 0.1

 

Undergraduate 21,249,350 7,310 # 16,440,847 4,191 # 2,919,405 0 0.0 1,889,098 3,119 0.2

Graduate 3,085,651 0 0.0 1,649,894 0 0.0 1,190,539 0 0.0 245,218 0 0.0

Firstprofessional 365,026 0 0.0 147,772 0 0.0 214,683 0 0.0 2,571 0 0.0

 

Men 10,437,456 4,730 # 7,855,136 3,554 # 1,800,100 0 0.0 782,220 1,176 0.2

Women 14,262,571 2,580 # 10,383,377 637 # 2,524,527 0 0.0 1,354,667 1,943 0.1

 

Degree-granting 23,991,421 4,191 # 18,074,507 4,191 # 4,281,514 0 0.0 1,635,400 0 0.0

Non-degreegranting 708,606 3,119 0.4 164,006 0 0.0 43,113 0 0.0 501,487 3,119 0.6

# Rounds to zero. 

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. A total of 1,688 students were imputed for institutions in other jurisdictions. This table is based on the 

12-month selection and unduplicated count 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 

2007, Enrollment component. 
A-22

Table A-7. Instructional activity (in hours) and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of institution, 

degree-granting status, type of instructional activity, and student level: United States, 2005-06 

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

Imputed Imputed Imputed Imputed 

Degree-granting 

status, type of 

instructional activity, 

and student level Total amount Amount % Total amount Amount % Total amount Amount % Total amount Amount %

Credit hour activity 425,744,324 302,561 0.1 298,837,513 129,221 # 88,894,169 0 0.0 38,012,642 173,340 0.5

Undergraduate 382,030,545 302,561 0.1 276,598,282 129,221 # 70,939,398 0 0.0 34,492,865 173,340 0.5

Graduate 43,713,779 0 0.0 22,239,231 0 0.0 17,954,771 0 0.0 3,519,777 0 0.0

Contact hour activity 601,654,743 3,485,614 0.6 220,455,082 34,832 # 23,097,071 0 0.0 358,102,590 3,450,782 1.0

 

Degree-granting 

Credit hour activity 420,463,257 226,867 0.1 298,540,504 129,221 # 88,435,628 0 0.0 33,487,125 97,646 0.3

Undergraduate 376,890,099 226,867 0.1 276,302,281 129,221 # 70,620,470 0 0.0 29,967,348 97,646 0.3

Graduate 43,573,158 0 0.0 22,238,223 0 0.0 17,815,158 0 0.0 3,519,777 0 0.0

Contact hour 

activity 261,986,240 73,575 # 144,796,200 0 0.0 4,238,501 0 0.0 112,951,539 73,575 0.1

 

Non-degree-granting 

Credit hour activity 5,281,067 75,694 1.4 297,009 0 0.0 458,541 0 0.0 4,525,517 75,694 1.7

Undergraduate 5,140,446 75,694 1.5 296,001 0 0.0 318,928 0 0.0 4,525,517 75,694 1.7

Graduate 140,621 0 0.0 1,008 0 0.0 139,613 0 0.0 † † †

Contact hour 

activity 339,668,503 3,412,039 1.0 75,658,882 34,832 # 18,858,570 0 0.0 245,151,051 3,377,207 1.4

† Not applicable. 

# Rounds to zero. 

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. A total of 30,435 credit hours and 33,945 contact hours were imputed for institutions in other 

jurisdictions. This table is based on the instructional activity section (Part F) of the Enrollment component. 

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

2007, Enrollment component. 

Table A-8. 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 2006 

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

Degree-granting status Imputed Imputed Imputed Imputed 

and attendance status 

All 

institutions Number Percent 

All 

institutions Number Percent

All 

institutions Number Percent 

All 

institutions Number Percent

All institutions 6,089 10 0.2 1,985 1 0.1 1,795 0 0.0 2,309 9 0.4

 

Full-time students 6,049 10 0.2 1,979 1 0.1 1,787 0 0.0 2,283 9 0.4

Part-time students 4,012 6 0.1 1,821 0 0.0 1,100 0 0.0 1,091 6 0.5

 

Degree-granting 4,226 2 # 1,674 1 0.1 1,617 0 0.0 935 1 0.1

Full-time students 4,208 2 # 1,672 1 0.1 1,609 0 0.0 927 1 0.1

Part-time students 3,136 1 # 1,622 0 0.0 1,022 0 0.0 492 1 0.2

Non-degree-granting 1,863 8 0.4 311 0 0.0 178 0 0.0 1,374 8 0.6

Full-time students 1,841 8 0.4 307 0 0.0 178 0 0.0 1,356 8 0.6

Part-time students 876 5 0.6 199 0 0.0 78 0 0.0 599 5 0.8

# Rounds to zero. 

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. Retention rates were imputed for five institutions in other jurisdictions. This table is based on the 

retention rate section (Part G) of the Enrollment component. 

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

2007, Enrollment component. 
A-23

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-three imputation groups were formed based primarily on 

institutional sector, graduate or first-professional offering, medical degree offering, state (for 

public only), and religious affiliation (for private not-for-profit only). 

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 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 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. 

Since no information was available on whether they actually 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-9 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-9. Revenues and expenses and the percentages imputed for Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution and type of funds: United States, fiscal year 2006 

[Amounts are in thousands of dollars] 

Total Public (GASB)1

 Public (FASB)2

Imputed Imputed Imputed 

Type of funds Total funds Amount Percent Total funds Amount Percent Total funds Amount Percent

 

Total revenues and 

investment 

returns $418,096,017 $61,640 # $240,691,924 $19,920 # $7,936,754 $0 0.0

 

Tuition and fees 100,037,894 37,265 # 40,084,024 746 # 1,919,286 0 0.0

Government 

appropriations, 

grants, and contracts 138,090,682 20,910 # 117,769,395 16,663 # 2,111,811 0 0.0

 Federal 51,187,753 4,240 # 34,144,874 50 # 1,051,446 0 0.0

 State and local 86,902,929 16,669 # 83,624,521 16,613 # 1,060,365 0 0.0

Private gifts, grants, and 

contracts 22,300,064 91 # 4,445,310 0 # 533,727 0 0.0

Sales and services of 

educational activities 4,266,298 470 # † † † 142,282 0 0.0

Auxiliary enterprises 30,747,758 176 # 18,304,875 176 # 519,017 0 0.0

Hospitals 33,637,213 0 0.0 20,355,108 0 0.0 1,745,447 0 0.0

Contributions from 

affiliated entities 1,077,413 0 0.0 † † † 885 0 0.0

Investment return 45,353,539 139 # 8,990,513 64 # 643,766 0 0.0

Independent operations 

revenue 5,630,220 0 0.0 610,060 0 0.0 25,547 0 0.0

Other revenue 36,954,938 2,589 # 30,132,640 2,270 # 294,987 0 0.0

 

Total expenses 359,625,619 46,198 # 221,759,442 13,848 # 7,100,323 0 0.0

 

Instruction 106,682,474 21,190 # 62,405,083 8,450 # 1,880,177 0 0.0

Research and public 

service 48,136,970 39 # 31,411,548 0 0.0 1,478,576 0 0.0

Academic support, 

student services, and 

institutional support 88,231,058 16,625 # 43,758,808 3,470 # 1,405,979 0 0.0

Operation and 

maintenance of plant 14,940,876 1,627 # 14,940,876 1,627 # † † †

Scholarships and 

fellowships/aid 9,429,492 1,954 # 8,630,705 0 0.0 14,933 0 0.0

Auxiliary enterprises 29,475,435 955 # 16,886,912 226 # 492,480 0 0.0

Hospitals 30,360,658 0 0.0 18,949,659 0 0.0 1,765,571 0 0.0

Independent operations 4,947,550 0 0.0 721,058 0 0.0 22,970 0 0.0

Other expenses 27,421,105 3,808 # 24,054,794 75 # 39,639 0 0.0

 

See notes at end of table. 
A-25

Table A-9. Revenues and expenses and the percentages imputed for Title IV institutions, by control of 

institution and type of funds: United States, fiscal year 2006—Continued 

[Amounts are in thousands of dollars] 

Private not-for-profit Private for-profit 

Imputed Imputed 

Type of funds Total funds Amount Percent Total funds Amount Percent

 

Total revenues and 

investment 

returns $153,483,201 $0 0.0 $15,984,138 $41,721 0.3 

 

Tuition and fees 44,444,971 0 0.0 13,589,613 36,519 0.3 

Government 

appropriations, 

grants, and contracts 16,919,213 0 0.0 1,290,263 4,246 0.3 

 Federal 14,801,883 0 0.0 1,189,550 4,190 0.4 

 State and local 2,117,330 0 0.0 100,713 56 0.1 

Private gifts, grants, and 

contracts 17,312,525 0 0.0 8,502 91 1.1 

Sales and services of 

educational activities 3,745,349 0 0.0 378,667 470 0.1 

Auxiliary enterprises 11,627,109 0 0.0 296,757 0 0.0 

Hospitals 11,536,658 0 0.0 † † † 

Contributions from 

affiliated entities 1,076,528 0 0.0 † † † 

Investment return 35,661,676 0 0.0 57,584 76 0.1 

Independent operations 

revenue 4,994,613 0 0.0 † † † 

Other revenue 6,164,560 0 0.0 362,751 319 0.1 

 

Total expenses 117,468,552 0 0.0 13,297,301 32,350 0.2 

 

Instruction 38,730,376 0 0.0 3,666,839 12,740 0.3 

Research and public 

service 15,230,010 0 0.0 16,837 39 0.2 

Academic support, 

student services, and 

institutional support 35,017,483 0 0.0 8,048,788 13,155 0.2 

Operation and 

maintenance of plant † † † † † † 

Scholarships and 

fellowships/aid 708,634 0 0.0 75,220 1,954 2.6 

Auxiliary enterprises 11,753,364 0 0.0 342,679 729 0.2 

Hospitals 9,645,428 0 0.0 † † † 

Independent operations 4,203,523 0 0.0 † † † 

Other expenses 2,179,734 0 0.0 1,146,939 3,733 0.3 

† 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. No revenues or expenditures were imputed for institutions in other jurisdictions. 

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

System (IPEDS), Spring 2007, Finance component. 
A-26

Graduation Rates 

The variables used to define imputation groups for the GRS component were 

• sector; 

• medical offering; 

• first-professional 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. 

• 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 two 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 41 imputation groups formed for the GRS component. 

Table A-10 provides the GRS cohort student 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. Table A-10 includes counts and percentages for imputation related to data 

collected regarding students receiving athletically related student aid that are included in the data 

file. These data were collected as required by the Student Right-to-Know Act but are not 

included in the findings reported in this document. 
A-27

Table A-10. Student counts and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of institution 

and student level: United States, cohort years 2000 and 2003 

Total Public 

Imputed Imputed 

Student level Students Number Percent Students Number Percent

Section II—Bachelor’s degree-seeking 

Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort 1,185,710 1,615 0.1 760,956 1,192 0.2

Total exclusions 4,293 0 0.0 2,243 0 0.0

Adjusted bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking 

subcohort 1,181,417 1,615 0.1 758,713 1,192 0.2

Total completers within 150% 685,571 1,258 0.2 417,429 1,002 0.2

Completers of programs of <2 years 1,410 0 0.0 181 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 4,399 0 0.0 1,572 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 679,762 1,258 0.2 415,676 1,002 0.2

Completed the program in 4 years or less 426,266 1,228 0.3 220,222 1,002 0.5

Completed the program in 5 years 195,415 24 # 152,414 0 0.0

Completed the program in 6 years 58,081 6 # 43,040 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 105,510 0 0.0 88,056 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled 390,336 357 0.1 253,228 190 0.1

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 2,661 0 0.0 2,085 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1 387,675 357 0.1 251,143 190 0.1

Section III—Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking at 4-year 

institutions 

Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 135,572 0 0.0 51,712 0 0.0

Total exclusions 794 0 0.0 337 0 0.0

Adjusted other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 134,778 0 0.0 51,375 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 56,322 381 0.7 14,715 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 17,925 338 1.9 1,526 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 31,738 38 0.1 9,742 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 6,659 5 0.1 3,447 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 9,403 0 0.0 7,662 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled 69,053 123 0.2 28,998 0 0.0

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 28 0 0.0 18 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1 69,025 123 0.2 28,980 0 0.0

Section IV—Degree/certificate-seeking at less-than-4-year 

institutions 

Degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 1,071,169 3,393 0.3 623,965 40 #

Total exclusions 2,126 0 0.0 1,017 0 0.0

Adjusted degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 1,069,043 3,393 0.3 622,948 40 #

Total completers within 150% 436,562 2,527 0.6 156,985 26 #

Completers of programs of <2 years 319,258 2,527 0.8 61,136 26 #

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 117,304 0 0.0 95,849 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 106,507 21 # 102,406 13 #

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled 525,974 923 0.2 363,557 1 #

Still enrolled in programs of 3 years or longer 825 0 0.0 565 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1 525,149 923 0.2 362,992 1 #

Section V—Total number of students receiving athletically 

related student aid 

Total students receiving athletically related student aid 492,567 64 # 112,909 64 0.1

Football 149,760 0 0.0 22,973 0 0.0

Basketball 191,151 27 # 15,944 27 0.2

Baseball 21,724 22 0.1 12,903 22 0.2

Cross-country/track 22,941 0 0.0 14,062 0 0.0

All other sports 106,991 15 # 47,027 15 #

Section VI—Subcohort of students receiving athletically 

related student aid (all sports) 

Athletic subcohort 54,887 0 0.0 33,177 0 0.0

Total exclusions 164 0 0.0 110 0 0.0

Adjusted athletic subcohort 54,723 0 0.0 33,067 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 27,147 0 0.0 15,012 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 566 0 0.0 477 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 4,538 0 0.0 3,928 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 22,043 0 0.0 10,607 0 0.0

Total transfer-out student (noncompleters) 6,365 0 0.0 5,142 0 0.0

Not completed within 150% 21,211 0 0.0 12,913 0 0.0

See notes at end of table.
A-28

Table A-10. Student counts and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of institution 

and student level: United States, cohort years 2000 and 2003—Continued 

Private not-for-profit Private for-profit 

Imputed Imputed 

Student level Students Number Percent Students Number Percent

Section II—Bachelor’s degree-seeking 

Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort 398,195 423 0.1 26,559 0 0.0

Total exclusions 1,989 0 0.0 61 0 0.0

Adjusted bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking 

subcohort 396,206 423 0.1 26,498 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 257,736 256 0.1 10,406 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 338 0 0.0 891 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 1,943 0 0.0 884 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 255,455 256 0.1 8,631 0 0.0

Completed the program in 4 years or less 199,223 226 0.1 6,821 0 0.0

Completed the program in 5 years 41,862 24 0.1 1,139 0 0.0

Completed the program in 6 years 14,370 6 # 671 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 17,252 0 0.0 202 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled 121,218 167 0.1 15,890 0 0.0

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 562 0 0.0 14 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1 120,656 167 0.1 15,876 0 0.0

Section III—Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking at 4-year 

institutions 

Other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 26,297 0 0.0 57,563 0 0.0

Total exclusions 409 0 0.0 48 0 0.0

Adjusted other than bachelor’s degree-seeking subcohort 25,888 0 0.0 57,515 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 11,490 0 0.0 30,117 381 1.3

Completers of programs of <2 years 2,246 0 0.0 14,153 338 2.4

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 6,984 0 0.0 15,012 38 0.3

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 2,260 0 0.0 952 5 0.5

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 1,046 0 0.0 695 0 0.0

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled 13,352 0 0.0 26,703 123 0.5

Still enrolled in programs of 5 years or longer 10 0 0.0 0 0 †

Other noncompleters1 13,342 0 0.0 26,703 123 0.5

Section IV—Degree/certificate-seeking at less-than-4-year 

institutions 

Degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 26,216 0 0.0 420,988 3,353 0.8

Total exclusions 79 0 0.0 1,030 0 0.0

Adjusted degree/certificate-seeking subcohort 26,137 0 0.0 419,958 3,353 0.8

Total completers within 150% 16,421 0 0.0 263,156 2,501 1.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 12,415 0 0.0 245,707 2,501 1.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 4,006 0 0.0 17,449 0 0.0

Total transfer-out students (noncompleters) 1,171 0 0.0 2,930 8 0.3

Noncompleters enrolled and noncompleters not 

enrolled 8,545 0 0.0 153,872 922 0.6

Still enrolled in programs of 3 years or longer 9 0 0.0 251 0 0.0

Other noncompleters1 8,536 0 0.0 153,621 922 0.6

Section V—Total number of students receiving athletically 

related student aid 

Total students receiving athletically related student aid 378,941 0 0.0 717 0 0.0

Football 126,787 0 0.0 † † †

Basketball 175,021 0 0.0 186 0 0.0

Baseball 8,717 0 0.0 104 0 0.0

Cross-country/track 8,860 0 0.0 19 0 0.0

All other sports 59,556 0 0.0 408 0 0.0

See notes at end of table.
A-29

Table A-10. Student counts and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by control of institution 

and student level: United States, cohort years 2000 and 2003—Continued 

Private not-for-profit Private for-profit 

Imputed Imputed 

Student level Students Number Percent Students Number Percent

Section VI—Subcohort of students receiving athletically 

related student (all sports) 

Athletic subcohort 21,352 0 0.0 358 0 0.0

Total exclusions 54 0 0.0 0 0 †

Adjusted athletic subcohort 21,298 0 0.0 358 0 0.0

Total completers within 150% 11,982 0 0.0 153 0 0.0

Completers of programs of <2 years 73 0 0.0 16 0 0.0

Completers of programs of 2-4 years 536 0 0.0 74 0 0.0

Completers of bachelor’s or equivalent degrees 11,373 0 0.0 63 0 0.0

Total transfer-out student (noncompleters) 1,221 0 0.0 2 0 0.0

Not completed within 150% 8,095 0 0.0 203 0 0.0

† 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 2000 is applicable to 4-year institutions, while cohort year 2003 

is applicable to 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions. For institutions in other jurisdictions, 392 students in the cohort were 

imputed and 218 completers were imputed. 

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

System (IPEDS), Spring 2007, Graduation Rates component. 

Student Financial Aid 

For the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component, 80 imputation groups were formed primarily 

based on institutional sector; calendar system; medical degree offering; first professional, 

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 2005; 

and 

• for program reporters, the unduplicated count of all students enrolled from the unduplicated 

count data for academic year 2005-06. 

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. 
A-30

• 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-11 provides the 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. 

Data Perturbation and Confidentiality 

Four laws cover protection of the confidentiality of individually identifiable information 

collected by NCES—the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended; the E-Government Act of 2002; the 

Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002; and the USA Patriot Act of 2001. Therefore, 

Under law, public use data collected and distributed by the National Center for 

Education Statistics (NCES) may be used only for statistical purposes and may 

not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as 

required by law. Any effort to determine the identity of any reported case by 

public-use data users is prohibited by law. Violations are subject to Class E felony 

charges of a fine up to $250,000 and/or a prison term up to 5 years.

In order to preserve individuals’ confidentiality, data in the SFA and GRS data files were subject 

to perturbation. Perturbation techniques directly alter the individual respondents’ data for some 

variables but preserve the level of detail in all variables included in the data file. Examples of 

perturbation techniques include blanking and imputing for randomly selected records; blurring 

(e.g., combining multiple records through some averaging process into a single record); adding 

random noise; and data swapping or switching (e.g., switching the sex variable from a 

predetermined pair of individuals) for a subset of records. All SFA and GRS data in this report 

and in the IPEDS Peer Analysis System are based on the perturbed data.
A-31

Table A-11. Financial aid recipients and percentage imputed for all Title IV institutions, by type of aid and 

level and control of institution: United States, academic year 2006-07 

Federal grants State/local grants 

Imputed Imputed 

Level and control of institution 

Number 

receiving Number Percent

Number 

receiving Number Percent

Total recipients 998,272 2,023 0.2 738,006 35 #

4-year 434,497 0 0.0 491,435 0 0.0

Public 240,884 0 0.0 333,672 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 119,755 0 0.0 143,709 0 0.0

Private for-profit 73,858 0 0.0 14,054 0 0.0

2-year 385,707 85 # 231,710 4 #

Public 241,895 0 0.0 201,628 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 6,715 0 0.0 4,546 0 0.0

Private for-profit 137,097 85 0.1 25,536 4 #

Less-than-2-year 178,068 1,938 1.1 14,861 31 0.2

Public 10,589 0 0.0 3,521 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 7,024 0 0.0 2,046 0 0.0

Private for-profit 160,455 1,938 1.2 9,294 31 0.3

Institutional grants Loans to students 

Imputed Imputed 

Level and control of institution 

Number 

receiving Number Percent

Number 

receiving Number Percent

Total recipients 774,591 391 0.1 1,238,758 1,550 0.1

4-year 670,971 0 0.0 784,221 0 0.0

Public 310,126 0 0.0 402,447 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 343,637 0 0.0 275,749 0 0.0

Private for-profit 17,208 0 0.0 106,025 0 0.0

2-year 88,956 5 # 286,479 91 #

Public 70,379 0 0.0 115,645 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 4,865 0 0.0 7,409 0 0.0

Private for-profit 13,712 5 # 163,425 91 0.1

Less-than-2-year 14,664 386 2.6 168,058 1,459 0.9

Public 1,164 0 0.0 6,301 0 0.0

Private not-for-profit 1,318 0 0.0 4,508 0 0.0

Private for-profit 12,182 386 3.2 157,249 1,459 0.9

# Rounds to zero. 

NOTE: Table is restricted to U.S. institutions only. For institutions in other jurisdictions, five recipients were imputed. 

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

System (IPEDS), Spring 2007, Student Financial Aid component. 
A-32
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 multi-campus 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. 

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, doctor’s, or 

first-professional 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. 

FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board): 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-professional student: A student enrolled in any of the following degree programs: 

Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.) Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) 

Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.) Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) 

Law (L.L.B., J.D.) Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.) 

Medicine (M.D.) Theology (M.Div., M.H.L., B.D., or Ordination) 

Optometry (O.D.) Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) 

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). 

FTE (full-time equivalent): A measurement equal to one student enrolled full time for one academic 

year. Total FTE enrollment includes full time plus the calculated equivalent of the part-time 

enrollment. The full-time equivalent of the part-time students can be estimated using different factors 

depending on the type and control of institution and level of student. 

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 
B-3 

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. First-professional—As defined 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. 

GASB (Governmental Accounting Standards Board): 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 

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 or first-professional 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. 

instructional activity: The provision of coursework to students. 
B-4 

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. 

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 termbased 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, post-master’s, or 

first-professional certificates, or certificates or diplomas of 4 years or less. 

OPE: Office of 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. First-professional—As defined 

by the institution. 

PEPS (Postsecondary Education Participation System): 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. 
B-5 

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. 

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 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. A person may be counted in only one group. The groups used to categorize 

U.S. citizens and resident aliens (and other eligible noncitizens) are as follows: 

 White, non-Hispanic 

 Black, non-Hispanic 

 Hispanic 

 Asian/Pacific Islander 

 American Indian/Alaska Native 

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 either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), 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).

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, graduate, or firstprofessional). 

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. 

unduplicated count: The sum of students enrolled for credit with each student counted only once 

during the reporting period, regardless of when the student enrolled. 

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.