The newspaper, the only education publication in the nation to research, compile and report these figures, started tracking the numbers six year ago, beginning with 1990-91 graduates. For the overall degree production lists, institutions are ranked by the total number of degrees awarded to all students across all disciplines and in a number of popular fields of study.
Some lists focus on the top degree producers among specific minority groups.
Within these lists, institutions are ranked according to the number of degrees conferred to members of a particular minority group. Those lists provide both the numbers and percentages of degrees conferred. The percentages indicate the proportion of degrees awarded to members of the specific minority group. They do not represent retention or graduation rates. This is the second year the newspaper has done so.