SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening Trans-
parency in Higher Education Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COLLEGE DASHBOARD WEBSITE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 132 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘first- 
time,’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3) in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘first- 
time,’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘first- 
time,’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘first- 
time,’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘first- 
time,’’; 
(3) by striking subsections (c) through (g), (j), 
and (l); 
(4) by redesignating subsections (h), (i), and 
(k) as subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively; and 
(5) by striking subsection (d) (as so redesig-
nated) and inserting the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) CONSUMER INFORMATION.—
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY OF TITLE IV INSTITUTION 
INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall develop and 
make publicly available a website to be known as the 
‘College Dashboard website’ in accordance with this 
section and prominently display on such website, in 
simple, understandable, and unbiased terms for the 
most recent academic year for which satisfactory 
data are available, the following information with re-
spect to each institution of higher education that 
participates in a program under title IV: 
‘‘(A) A link to the website of the institu-
tion. 
‘‘(B) An identification of the type of insti-
tution as one of the following: 
‘‘(i) A four-year public institution of 
higher education. 
‘‘(ii) A four-year private, nonprofit in-
stitution of higher education. 
‘‘(iii) A four-year private, for-profit 
institution of higher education. 
‘‘(iv) A two-year public institution of 
higher education. 
‘‘(v) A two-year private, nonprofit in-
stitution of higher education.
‘‘(vi) A two-year private, for-profit in-
stitution of higher education. 
‘‘(vii) A less than two-year public in-
stitution of higher education. 
‘‘(viii) A less than two-year private, 
nonprofit institution of higher education. 
‘‘(ix) A less than two-year private, 
for-profit institution of higher education. 
‘‘(C) The number of students enrolled at 
the institution— 
‘‘(i) as undergraduate students; and 
‘‘(ii) as graduate students, if applica-
ble. 
‘‘(D) The student-faculty ratio. 
‘‘(E) The percentage of degree-seeking or 
certificate-seeking undergraduate students en-
rolled at the institution who obtain a degree or 
certificate within— 
‘‘(i) 100 percent of the normal time 
for completion of, or graduation from, the 
program in which the student is enrolled; 
‘‘(ii) 150 percent of the normal time 
for completion of, or graduation from, the 
program in which the student is enrolled; 
and
‘‘(iii) 200 percent of the normal time 
for completion of, or graduation from, the 
program in which the student is enrolled. 
‘‘(F) The average net price per year for 
undergraduate students receiving Federal stu-
dent financial aid under title IV based on an in-
come category selected by the user from a list 
containing the following income categories: 
‘‘(i) $0 to $30,000. 
‘‘(ii) $30,001 to $48,000. 
‘‘(iii) $48,001 to $75,000. 
‘‘(iv) $75,001 to $110,000. 
‘‘(v) $110,001 to $150,000. 
‘‘(vi) Over $150,000. 
‘‘(G) A link to the net price calculator for 
such institution. 
‘‘(H) The percentage of undergraduate 
students who obtained a certificate or degree 
from the institution who borrowed Federal stu-
dent loans under title IV, and the average Fed-
eral student loan debt incurred by an under-
graduate student who obtained a certificate or 
degree from the institution and borrowed Fed-
eral student loans under title IV in the course 
of obtaining such certificate or degree.
‘‘(I) A link to national and regional data 
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on starting 
salaries in all major occupations. 
‘‘(J) A link to the webpage of the institu-
tion containing campus safety data with respect 
to such institution. 
‘‘(2) OTHER
INFORMATION.—The Secretary 
shall publish on Internet webpages that are linked to 
through the College Dashboard website for the most 
recent academic year for which satisfactory data is 
available the following information with respect to 
each institution of higher education that participates 
in a program under title IV: 
‘‘(A) ENROLLMENT.— 
‘‘(i) The percentages of male and fe-
male undergraduate students enrolled at 
the institution. 
‘‘(ii) 
The 
percentages 
of 
under-
graduate students enrolled at the institu-
tion— 
‘‘(I) full-time; and 
‘‘(II) less than full-time. 
‘‘(iii) In the case of an institution 
other than an institution that provides all 
courses and programs through distance
education, of the undergraduate students 
enrolled at the institution— 
‘‘(I) the percentage of such stu-
dents who are from the State in which 
the institution is located; 
‘‘(II) the percentage of such stu-
dents who are from other States; and 
‘‘(III) the percentage of such stu-
dents who are international students. 
‘‘(iv) The percentages of under-
graduate students enrolled at the institu-
tion, disaggregated by— 
‘‘(I) race and ethnic background; 
‘‘(II) classification as a student 
with a disability; 
‘‘(III) recipients of a Federal Pell 
Grant; 
‘‘(IV) recipients of assistance 
under a tuition assistance program 
conducted by the Department of De-
fense under section 1784a or 2007 of 
title 10, United States Code, or other 
authorities available to the Depart-
ment of Defense or veterans’ edu-
cation benefits (as defined in section 
480); and 
‘‘(V) recipients of a Federal stu-
dent loan under title IV. 
‘‘(B) COMPLETION.—The information re-
quired under paragraph (1)(E), disaggregated 
by— 
‘‘(i) recipients of a Federal Pell 
Grant; 
‘‘(ii) recipients of a loan made under 
part D of title IV (other than a Federal 
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan) who 
did not receive a Federal Pell Grant; 
‘‘(iii) individuals who did not receive a 
Federal Pell Grant or a loan made under 
part D of title IV (other than a Federal 
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan); 
‘‘(iv) race and ethnic background; 
‘‘(v) classification as a student with a 
disability; 
‘‘(vi) recipients of assistance under a 
tuition assistance program conducted by 
the Department of Defense under section 
1784a or 2007 of title 10, United States 
Code, or other authorities available to the
Department of Defense or veterans’ edu-
cation benefits (as defined in section 480); 
and 
‘‘(vii) male and female. 
‘‘(C) COSTS.— 
‘‘(i) The cost of attendance for full- 
time undergraduate students enrolled in 
the institution who live on campus. 
‘‘(ii) The cost of attendance for full- 
time undergraduate students enrolled in 
the institution who live off campus. 
‘‘(iii) The cost of tuition and fees for 
full-time undergraduate students enrolled 
in the institution. 
‘‘(iv) The cost of tuition and fees per 
credit hour or credit hour equivalency for 
undergraduate students enrolled in the in-
stitution less than full time. 
‘‘(v) In the case of a public institution 
of higher education (other than an institu-
tion described in clause (vi)) and notwith-
standing subsection (b)(1), the costs de-
scribed in clauses (i) and (ii) for— 
‘‘(I) full-time students enrolled in 
the institution who are residents of
the State in which the institution is 
located; and 
‘‘(II) full-time students enrolled 
in the institution who are not resi-
dents of such State. 
‘‘(vi) In the case of a public institu-
tion of higher education that offers dif-
ferent tuition rates for students who are 
residents of a geographic subdivision small-
er than a State and students not located in 
such geographic subdivision and notwith-
standing subsection (b)(1), the costs de-
scribed in clauses (i) and (ii) for— 
‘‘(I) full-time students enrolled at 
the institution who are residents of 
such geographic subdivision; 
‘‘(II) full-time students enrolled 
at the institution who are residents of 
the State in which the institution is 
located but not residents of such geo-
graphic subdivision; and 
‘‘(III) full-time students enrolled 
at the institution who are not resi-
dents of such State. 
‘‘(D) FINANCIAL AID.—
‘‘(i) The average annual grant amount 
(including Federal, State, and institutional 
aid) awarded to an undergraduate student 
enrolled at the institution who receives fi-
nancial aid. 
‘‘(ii) The percentage of undergraduate 
students enrolled at the institution receiv-
ing 
Federal, 
State, 
and 
institutional 
grants, student loans, and any other type 
of student financial assistance known by 
the 
institution, 
provided 
publicly 
or 
through the institution, such as Federal 
work-study funds. 
‘‘(iii) The cohort default rate (as de-
fined in section 435(m)) for such institu-
tion. 
‘‘(E) FACULTY INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(i) The ratio of the number of course 
sections taught by part-time instructors to 
the number of course sections taught by 
full-time faculty, disaggregated by course 
sections intended primarily for under-
graduate students and course sections in-
tended primarily for graduate students.
‘‘(ii) The mean and median years of 
employment for part-time instructors. 
‘‘(3) OTHER DATA MATTERS.— 
‘‘(A) COMPLETION
DATA.—The Commis-
sioner of Education Statistics shall ensure that 
the information required under paragraph 
(1)(E) includes information with respect to all 
students at an institution, including students 
other than first-time, full-time students and 
students who transfer to another institution, in 
a manner that the Commissioner considers ap-
propriate. 
‘‘(B) 
ADJUSTMENT
OF
INCOME
CAT-
EGORIES.—The Secretary may annually adjust 
the range of each of the income categories de-
scribed in paragraph (1)(F) to account for a 
change in the Consumer Price Index for All 
Urban Consumers as determined by the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics if the Secretary determines 
an adjustment is necessary. 
‘‘(4) INSTITUTIONAL
COMPARISON.—The Sec-
retary shall include on the College Dashboard 
website a method for users to easily compare the in-
formation required under paragraphs (1) and (2) be-
tween institutions.
‘‘(5) UPDATES.— 
‘‘(A) DATA.—The Secretary shall update 
the College Dashboard website not less than an-
nually. 
‘‘(B) TECHNOLOGY
AND
FORMAT.—The 
Secretary shall regularly assess the format and 
technology of the College Dashboard website 
and make any changes or updates that the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
‘‘(6) CONSUMER TESTING.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—In developing and 
maintaining the College Dashboard website, the 
Secretary, in consultation with appropriate de-
partments and agencies of the Federal Govern-
ment, shall conduct consumer testing with ap-
propriate persons, including current and pro-
spective college students, family members of 
such students, institutions of higher education, 
and experts, to ensure that the College Dash-
board website is usable and easily understand-
able and provides useful and relevant informa-
tion to students and families. 
‘‘(B) 
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR 
CHANGES.—The Secretary shall submit to the 
authorizing committees any recommendations
that the Secretary considers appropriate for 
changing the information required to be pro-
vided on the College Dashboard website under 
paragraphs (1) and (2) based on the results of 
the consumer testing conducted under subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(7) PROVISION
OF
APPROPRIATE
LINKS
TO 
PROSPECTIVE
STUDENTS
AFTER
SUBMISSION
OF 
FAFSA.—The Secretary shall provide to each student 
who submits a Free Application for Federal Student 
Aid described in section 483 a link to the webpage 
of the College Dashboard website that contains the 
information required under paragraph (1) for each 
institution of higher education such student includes 
on such Application. 
‘‘(8) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.—The Sec-
retary, in consultation with each appropriate head of 
a department or agency of the Federal Government, 
shall ensure to the greatest extent practicable that 
any information related to higher education that is 
published by such department or agency is con-
sistent with the information published on the College 
Dashboard website. 
‘‘(9) REFERENCES
TO
COLLEGE
NAVIGATOR 
WEBSITE.—Any reference in this Act to the College
Navigator website shall be considered a reference to 
the College Dashboard website.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), as amended 
by subsection (a) of this section, is further amended— 
(1) in section 131(h) (20 U.S.C. 1015(h)), by 
striking ‘‘College Navigator’’ and inserting ‘‘College 
Dashboard’’; and 
(2) in section 132(a) (20 U.S.C. 1015a(a)), by 
striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(1) COLLEGE
DASHBOARD
WEBSITE.—The 
term ‘College Dashboard website’ means the College 
Dashboard website required under subsection (d).’’. 
(c) DEVELOPMENT.—The Secretary of Education 
shall develop and publish the College Dashboard website 
required under section 132 of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a), as amended by subsections 
(a) and (b) of this section, not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) 
COLLEGE
NAVIGATOR
WEBSITE
MAINTE-
NANCE.—The Secretary shall maintain the College Navi-
gator website required under section 132 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a), as in effect 
the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, in
the manner required under the Higher Education Act of 
1965, as in effect on such day, until the College Dash-
board website referred to in subsection (c) is complete and 
publicly available on the Internet. 
SEC. 3. NET PRICE CALCULATORS. 
Subsection (c) of section 132 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a), as redesignated 
by section 2(a)(4) of this Act, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (6); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs: 
‘‘(4) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR NET PRICE 
CALCULATORS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of the Strengthening Transparency 
in Higher Education Act, a net price calculator for 
an institution of higher education shall meet the fol-
lowing requirements: 
‘‘(A) The link for the calculator shall— 
‘‘(i) be clearly labeled as a net price 
calculator and prominently, clearly, and 
conspicuously posted in locations on the 
website of such institution where informa-
tion on costs and aid is provided and any
other location that the institution considers 
appropriate; and 
‘‘(ii) match in size and font to the 
other prominent links on the webpage 
where the link for the calculator is dis-
played. 
‘‘(B) The webpage displaying the results 
for the calculator shall specify at least the fol-
lowing information: 
‘‘(i) The net price (as calculated 
under subsection (a)(2)) for such institu-
tion, which shall be the most visually 
prominent figure on the results screen. 
‘‘(ii) Cost of attendance, including— 
‘‘(I) tuition and fees; 
‘‘(II) average annual cost of 
room and board for the institution for 
a full-time undergraduate student en-
rolled in the institution; 
‘‘(III) average annual cost of 
books and supplies for a full-time un-
dergraduate student enrolled in the 
institution; and 
‘‘(IV) estimated cost of other ex-
penses (including personal expenses
and transportation) for a full-time un-
dergraduate student enrolled in the 
institution. 
‘‘(iii) 
Estimated 
total 
need-based 
grant aid and merit-based grant aid from 
Federal, State, and institutional sources 
that may be available to a full-time under-
graduate student. 
‘‘(iv) Percentage of the full-time un-
dergraduate students enrolled in the insti-
tution that received any type of grant aid 
described in clause (iii). 
‘‘(v) The disclaimer described in para-
graph (6). 
‘‘(vi) In the case of a calculator 
that— 
‘‘(I) includes questions to esti-
mate the eligibility of a student or 
prospective student for veterans’ edu-
cation benefits (as defined in section 
480) or educational benefits for active 
duty service members, such benefits 
are displayed on the results screen in 
a manner that clearly distinguishes
such benefits from the grant aid de-
scribed in clause (iii); or 
‘‘(II) does not include questions 
to estimate eligibility for the benefits 
described in subclause (I), the results 
screen indicates that certain students 
(or prospective students) may qualify 
for such benefits and includes a link 
to information about such benefits. 
‘‘(C) The institution shall populate the cal-
culator with data from an academic year that 
is not more than 2 academic years prior to the 
most recent academic year. 
‘‘(5) PROHIBITION
ON
USE
OF
DATA
COL-
LECTED BY THE NET PRICE CALCULATOR.—A net 
price calculator for an institution of higher edu-
cation shall— 
‘‘(A) clearly indicate which questions are 
required to be completed for an estimate of the 
net price from the calculator; 
‘‘(B) in the case of a calculator that re-
quests contact information from users, clearly 
mark such requests as optional and provide for 
an estimate of the net price from the calculator
without requiring users to enter such informa-
tion; and 
‘‘(C) prohibit any personally identifiable in-
formation provided by users from being sold or 
made available to third parties.’’. 
SEC. 4. FUNDING. 
(a) USE OF EXISTING FUNDS.—Of the amount au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Department of Edu-
cation to maintain the College Navigator website, 
$1,000,000 shall be available to carry out this Act and 
the amendments made by this Act. 
(b) NO
ADDITIONAL
FUNDS
AUTHORIZED.—No 
funds are authorized by this Act to be appropriated to 
carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 11, 2016. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3178 
AN ACT 
To simplify and streamline the information regard-
ing institutions of higher education made publicly 
available by the Secretary of Education, and for 
other purposes.