The Colleges and Universities feature class/shapefile is composed of all Post Secondary Education facilities as defined by the Integrated Post Secondary Education System (IPEDS, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, https://nces.ed.gov/), US Department of Education for the 2018-2019 school year. Included are Doctoral/Research Universities, Masters Colleges and Universities, Baccalaureate Colleges, Associates Colleges, Theological seminaries, Medical Schools and other health care professions, Schools of engineering and technology, business and management, art, music, design, Law schools, Teachers colleges, Tribal colleges, and other specialized institutions. Overall, this data layer covers all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and other assorted U.S. territories. This feature class contains all MEDS/MEDS+ as approved by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Homeland Security Infrastructure Program (HSIP) Team. Complete field and attribute information is available in the ”Entities and Attributes” metadata section. Geographical coverage is depicted in the thumbnail above and detailed in the "Place Keyword" section of the metadata. This feature class does not have a relationship class but is related to Supplemental Colleges. Colleges and Universities that are not included in the NCES IPEDS data are added to the Supplemental Colleges feature class when found. This release includes the addition of 175 new records, the removal of 468 no longer reported by NCES, and modifications to the spatial location and/or attribution of 6682 records.

Abstract (en): The American College Catalog Study Database (CCS) contains academic data on 286 four-year colleges and universities in the United States. CCS is one of two databases produced by the Colleges and Universities 2000 project based at the University of California-Riverside. The CCS database comprises a sampled subset of institutions from the related Institutional Data Archive (IDA) on American Higher Education (ICPSR 34874). Coding for CCS was based on college catalogs obtained from College Source, Inc. The data are organized in a panel design, with measurements taken at five-year intervals: academic years 1975-76, 1980-81, 1985-86, 1990-91, 1995-96, 2000-01, 2005-06, and 2010-11. The database is based on information reported in each institution's college catalog, and includes data regarding changes in major academic units (schools and colleges), departments, interdisciplinary programs, and general education requirements. For schools and departments, changes in structure were coded, including new units, name changes, splits in units, units moved to new schools, reconstituted units, consolidated units, departments reduced to program status, and eliminated units. The American College Catalog Study Database (CCS) is intended to allow researchers to examine changes in the structure of institutionalized knowledge in four-year colleges and universities within the United States. For information on the study design, including detailed coding conventions, please see the Original P.I. Documentation section of the ICPSR Codebook. The data are not weighted. Dataset 1, Characteristics Variables, contains three weight variables (IDAWT, CCSWT, and CASEWEIGHT) which users may wish to apply during analysis. For additional information on weights, please see the Original P.I. Documentation section of the ICPSR Codebook. ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection: Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.. Response Rates: Approximately 75 percent of IDA institutions are included in CCS. For additional information on response rates, please see the Original P.I. Documentation section of the ICPSR Codebook. Four-year not-for-profit colleges and universities in the United States. Smallest Geographic Unit: state CCS includes 286 institutions drawn from the IDA sample of 384 United States four-year colleges and universities. CCS contains every IDA institution for which a full set of catalogs could be located at the initiation of the project in 2000. CCS contains seven datasets that can be linked through an institutional identification number variable (PROJ_ID). Since the data are organized in a panel format, it is also necessary to use a second variable (YEAR) to link datasets. For a brief description of each CCS dataset, please see Appendix B within the Original P.I. Documentation section of the ICPSR Codebook.There are date discrepancies between the data and the Original P.I. Documentation. Study Time Periods and Collection Dates reflect dates that are present in the data. No additional information was provided.Please note that the related data collection featuring the Institutional Data Archive on American Higher Education, 1970-2011, will be available as ICPSR 34874. Additional information on the American College Catalog Study Database (CCS) and the Institutional Data Archive (IDA) database can be found on the Colleges and Universities 2000 Web site.

College Completion Dataset

Graduation Rates, Race, Efficiency Measures and More

By Jonathan Ortiz [source]

About this dataset

This College Completion dataset provides an invaluable insight into the success and progress of college students in the United States. It contains graduation rates, race and other data to offer a comprehensive view of college completion in America. The data is sourced from two primary sources – the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)’ Integrated Postsecondary Education System (IPEDS) and Voluntary System of Accountability’s Student Success and Progress rate.

At four-year institutions, the graduation figures come from IPEDS for first-time, full-time degree seeking students at the undergraduate level, who entered college six years earlier at four-year institutions or three years earlier at two-year institutions. Furthermore, colleges report how many students completed their program within 100 percent and 150 percent of normal time which corresponds with graduation within four years or six year respectively. Students reported as being of two or more races are included in totals but not shown separately

When analyzing race and ethnicity data NCES have classified student demographics since 2009 into seven categories; White non-Hispanic; Black non Hispanic; American Indian/ Alaskan native ; Asian/ Pacific Islander ; Unknown race or ethnicity ; Non resident with two new categorize Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander combined with Asian plus students belonging to several races. Also worth noting is that different classifications for graduate data stemming from 2008 could be due to variations in time frame examined & groupings used by particular colleges – those who can’t be identified from National Student Clearinghouse records won’t be subjected to penalty by these locations .

When it comes down to efficiency measures parameters like “Awards per 100 Full Time Undergraduate Students which includes all undergraduate completions reported by a particular institution including associate degrees & certificates less than 4 year programme will assist us here while we also take into consideration measures like expenditure categories , Pell grant percentage , endowment values , average student aid amounts & full time faculty members contributing outstandingly towards instructional research / public service initiatives .

When trying to quantify outcomes back up Median Estimated SAT score metric helps us when it is derived either on 25th percentile basis / 75th percentile basis with all these factors further qualified by identifying required criteria meeting 90% threshold when incoming students are considered for relevance . Last but not least , Average Student Aid equalizes amount granted by institution dividing same over total sum received against what was allotted that particular year .

All this analysis gives an opportunity get a holistic overview about performance , potential deficits &

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How to use the dataset

This dataset contains data on student success, graduation rates, race and gender demographics, an efficiency measure to compare colleges across states and more. It is a great source of information to help you better understand college completion and student success in the United States.

In this guide we’ll explain how to use the data so that you can find out the best colleges for students with certain characteristics or focus on your target completion rate. We’ll also provide some useful tips for getting the most out of this dataset when seeking guidance on which institutions offer the highest graduation rates or have a good reputation for success in terms of completing programs within normal timeframes.

Before getting into specifics about interpreting this dataset, it is important that you understand that each row represents information about a particular institution – such as its state affiliation, level (two-year vs four-year), control (public vs private), name and website. Each column contains various demographic information such as rate of awarding degrees compared to other institutions in its sector; race/ethnicity Makeup; full-time faculty percentage; median SAT score among first-time students; awards/grants comparison versus national average/state average - all applicable depending on institution location — and more!

When using this dataset, our suggestion is that you begin by forming a hypothesis or research question concerning student completion at a given school based upon observable characteristics like financ...

Comprehensive dataset of 21,178 Colleges in United States as of June, 2025. Includes verified contact information (email, phone), geocoded addresses, customer ratings, reviews, business categories, and operational details. Perfect for market research, lead generation, competitive analysis, and business intelligence. Download a complimentary sample to evaluate data quality and completeness.

The Colleges and Universities feature class/shapefile is composed of all Post Secondary Education facilities as defined by the Integrated Post Secondary Education System (IPEDS, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, https://nces.ed.gov/), US Department of Education for the 2020-2021 school year. Included are Doctoral/Research Universities, Masters Colleges and Universities, Baccalaureate Colleges, Associates Colleges, Theological seminaries, Medical Schools and other health care professions, Schools of engineering and technology, business and management, art, music, design, Law schools, Teachers colleges, Tribal colleges, and other specialized institutions. Overall, this data layer covers all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and other assorted U.S. territories. This feature class contains all MEDS/MEDS+ as approved by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Homeland Security Infrastructure Program (HSIP) Team. Complete field and attribute information is available in the ”Entities and Attributes” metadata section. Geographical coverage is depicted in the thumbnail above and detailed in the "Place Keyword" section of the metadata. This feature class does not have a relationship class but is related to Supplemental Colleges. Colleges and Universities that are not included in the NCES IPEDS data are added to the Supplemental Colleges feature class when found. This release includes the addition of 128 new records, the removal of 247 no longer reported by NCES, and modifications to the spatial location and/or attribution of 6312 records.

This Public Schools feature dataset is composed of all Public elementary and secondary education facilities in the United States as defined by the Common Core of Data (CCD, https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/ ), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, https://nces.ed.gov ), US Department of Education for the 2017-2018 school year. This includes all Kindergarten through 12th grade schools as tracked by the Common Core of Data. Included in this dataset are military schools in US territories and referenced in the city field with an APO or FPO address. DOD schools represented in the NCES data that are outside of the United States or US territories have been omitted. This feature class contains all MEDS/MEDS+ as approved by NGA. Complete field and attribute information is available in the ”Entities and Attributes” metadata section. Geographical coverage is depicted in the thumbnail above and detailed in the Place Keyword section of the metadata. This release includes the addition of 3065 new records, modifications to the spatial location and/or attribution of 99,287 records, and removal of 2996 records not present in the NCES CCD data.

This Private Schools feature dataset is composed of private elementary and secondary education facilities in the United States as defined by the Private School Survey (PSS, https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, https://nces.ed.gov), US Department of Education for the 2017-2018 school year. This includes all prekindergarten through 12th grade schools as tracked by the PSS. This feature class contains all MEDS/MEDS+ as approved by NGA. Complete field and attribute information is available in the ”Entities and Attributes” metadata section. Geographical coverage is depicted in the thumbnail above and detailed in the Place Keyword section of the metadata. This release includes the addition of 2675 new records, modifications to the spatial location and/or attribution of 19836 records, the removal of 254 records no longer applicable. Additionally, 10,870 records were removed that previously had a STATUS value of 2 (Unknown; not represented in the most recent PSS data) and duplicate records identified by ORNL.

There were approximately 18.58 million college students in the U.S. in 2022, with around 13.49 million enrolled in public colleges and a further 5.09 million students enrolled in private colleges. The figures are projected to remain relatively constant over the next few years.

What is the most expensive college in the U.S.? The overall number of higher education institutions in the U.S. totals around 4,000, and California is the state with the most. One important factor that students – and their parents – must consider before choosing a college is cost. With annual expenses totaling almost 78,000 U.S. dollars, Harvey Mudd College in California was the most expensive college for the 2021-2022 academic year. There are three major costs of college: tuition, room, and board. The difference in on-campus and off-campus accommodation costs is often negligible, but they can change greatly depending on the college town.

The differences between public and private colleges Public colleges, also called state colleges, are mostly funded by state governments. Private colleges, on the other hand, are not funded by the government but by private donors and endowments. Typically, private institutions are  much more expensive. Public colleges tend to offer different tuition fees for students based on whether they live in-state or out-of-state, while private colleges have the same tuition cost for every student.

Context

This data set comes from the US Department of Education College Scorecard.

Content

What's inside is more than just rows and columns. Make it easy for others to get started by describing how you acquired the data and what time period it represents, too.

Acknowledgements

We wouldn't be here without the help of others. If you owe any attributions or thanks, include them here along with any citations of past research.

Inspiration

Your data will be in front of the world's largest data science community. What questions do you want to see answered?

The National Survey of College Graduates is a repeated cross-sectional biennial survey that provides data on the nation's college graduates, with a focus on those in the science and engineering workforce. This survey is a unique source for examining the relationship of degree field and occupation in addition to other characteristics of college-educated individuals, including work activities, salary, and demographic information.

The schools, districts, and other educational institutions in the Detroit Educational Institutions datasets were identified from the State of Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) Educational Entity Master (EEM) database. Schools of all statuses (Open - Active; Open - Pending; Open - Inactive; Open - Under construction/remodeling; Open - Vacant/empty; Closed – Pending; Closed) are included in the dataset to provide access to information about schools that currently and previously operated in Detroit. Educational institutions with a mailing address in Detroit but a physical location outside the City are not included in this dataset. Each record in the dataset represents an educational entity, which may be a school, a district, or other entity directly associated with an educational institution. The word, "entity" is used in field (i.e., column) names and descriptions when a field is applicable to multiple types units associated with an educational entity (e.g., if applicable to schools, districts, and other facilities).

Link to metadata: https://cepi.state.mi.us/eem/Documents/ColumnDescriptions.pdf

Comprehensive dataset of 58 Government colleges in United States as of June, 2025. Includes verified contact information (email, phone), geocoded addresses, customer ratings, reviews, business categories, and operational details. Perfect for market research, lead generation, competitive analysis, and business intelligence. Download a complimentary sample to evaluate data quality and completeness.

This map shows schools, school districts, and population density throughout the US. Click on the map to learn more about the school districts and schools within an area. A few things you can learn within this map:How many public/private schools fall within the district?What type of population density lives within this district? Socioeconomic factors about the Census Tracts which fall within the district:School enrollment of under 19 by grade Children living below the poverty level Children with no internet at home Children without a working parentRace/ethnicity breakdown of the population within the districtFor more information about the data sources:Socioeconomic factors:The American Community Survey (ACS) helps us understand the population in the US. This app uses the 5-year estimates, and the data is updated annually when the U.S. Census Bureau releases the newest estimates. For detailed metadata, visit the links in the bullet points above. Current School Districts layer:The National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) Education Demographic and Geographic Estimate (EDGE) program develops annually updated school district boundary composite files that include public elementary, secondary, and unified school district boundaries clipped to the U.S. shoreline. School districts are single-purpose administrative units designed by state and local officials to organize and provide public education for local residents. District boundaries are collected for NCES by the U.S. Census Bureau to support educational research and program administration, and the boundaries are essential for constructing district-level estimates of the number of children in poverty.The Census Bureau’s School District Boundary Review program (SDRP) (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sdrp.html) obtains the boundaries, names, and grade ranges from state officials, and integrates these updates into Census TIGER. Census TIGER boundaries include legal maritime buffers for coastal areas by default, but the NCES composite file removes these buffers to facilitate broader use and cleaner cartographic representation. The NCES EDGE program collaborates with the U.S. Census Bureau’s Education Demographic, Geographic, and Economic Statistics (EDGE) Branch to develop the composite school district files. The inputs for this data layer were developed from Census TIGER/Line and represent the most current boundaries available. For more information about NCES school district boundary data, see https://nces.ed.gov/programs/edge/Geographic/DistrictBoundaries.Private Schools layer:This Private Schools feature dataset is composed of private elementary and secondary education facilities in the United States as defined by the Private School Survey (PSS, https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, https://nces.ed.gov), US Department of Education for the 2017-2018 school year. This includes all prekindergarten through 12th grade schools as tracked by the PSS. This feature class contains all MEDS/MEDS+ as approved by NGA. Complete field and attribute information is available in the ”Entities and Attributes” metadata section. Geographical coverage is depicted in the thumbnail above and detailed in the Place Keyword section of the metadata. This release includes the addition of 2675 new records, modifications to the spatial location and/or attribution of 19836 records, the removal of 254 records no longer applicable. Additionally, 10,870 records were removed that previously had a STATUS value of 2 (Unknown; not represented in the most recent PSS data) and duplicate records identified by ORNL.Public Schools layer:This Public Schools feature dataset is composed of all Public elementary and secondary education facilities in the United States as defined by the Common Core of Data (CCD, https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/ ), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, https://nces.ed.gov ), US Department of Education for the 2017-2018 school year. This includes all Kindergarten through 12th grade schools as tracked by the Common Core of Data. Included in this dataset are military schools in US territories and referenced in the city field with an APO or FPO address. DOD schools represented in the NCES data that are outside of the United States or US territories have been omitted. This feature class contains all MEDS/MEDS+ as approved by NGA. Complete field and attribute information is available in the ”Entities and Attributes” metadata section. Geographical coverage is depicted in the thumbnail above and detailed in the Place Keyword section of the metadata. This release includes the addition of 3065 new records, modifications to the spatial location and/or attribution of 99,287 records, and removal of 2996 records not present in the NCES CCD data.WorldPop Populated Foorprint layer:This layer represents an estimate of the footprint of human settlement in 2020. It is intended as a fast-drawing cartographic layer to augment base maps and to focus a map reader's attention on the location of human population. This layer is not intended for analysis.This layer was derived from the 2020 slice of the WorldPop Population Density 2000-2020 100m and 1km layers. WorldPop modeled this population footprint based on imagery datasets and population data from national statistical organizations and the United Nations. Zooming in to very large scales will often show discrepancies between reality and this or any model. Like all data sources imagery and population counts are subject to many types of error, thus this gridded footprint contains errors of omission and commission. The imagery base maps available in ArcGIS Online were not used in WorldPop's model. Imagery only informs the model of characteristics that indicate a potential for settlement, and cannot intrinsically indicate whether any or how many people live in a building.

India has the most universities worldwide. According to data from July 2023, there were an estimated ***** universities in India. Indonesia had the second most universities, counting *****, followed by the United States with ***** universities.

Analysis of ‘U.S. News and World Report’s College Data’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://www.kaggle.com/flyingwombat/us-news-and-world-reports-college-data on 28 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Context

Statistics for a large number of US Colleges from the 1995 issue of US News and World Report.

Content

A data frame with 777 observations on the following 18 variables.

Private A factor with levels No and Yes indicating private or public university

Apps Number of applications received

Accept Number of applications accepted

Enroll Number of new students enrolled

Top10perc Pct. new students from top 10% of H.S. class

Top25perc Pct. new students from top 25% of H.S. class

F.Undergrad Number of fulltime undergraduates

P.Undergrad Number of parttime undergraduates

Outstate Out-of-state tuition

Room.Board Room and board costs

Books Estimated book costs

Personal Estimated personal spending

PhD Pct. of faculty with Ph.D.’s

Terminal Pct. of faculty with terminal degree

S.F.Ratio Student/faculty ratio

perc.alumni Pct. alumni who donate

Expend Instructional expenditure per student

Grad.Rate Graduation rate

Source

This dataset was taken from the StatLib library which is maintained at Carnegie Mellon University.

The dataset was used in the ASA Statistical Graphics Section’s 1995 Data Analysis Exposition.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

This Cost of International Education dataset compiles detailed financial information for students pursuing higher education abroad. It covers multiple countries, cities, and universities around the world, capturing the full tuition and living expenses spectrum alongside key ancillary costs. With standardized fields such as tuition in USD, living-cost indices, rent, visa fees, insurance, and up-to-date exchange rates, it enables comparative analysis across programs, degree levels, and geographies. Whether you’re a prospective international student mapping out budgets, an educational consultant advising on affordability, or a researcher studying global education economics, this dataset offers a comprehensive foundation for data-driven insights.

Description

Potential Uses

• Budget Planning Prospective students can filter by country, program level, or university to forecast total expenses and compare across destinations.
• Policy Analysis Educational policymakers and NGOs can assess the affordability of international education and design support programs.
• Economic Research Economists can correlate living-cost indices and tuition levels with enrollment rates or student demographics.
• University Benchmarking Institutions can benchmark their fees and ancillary costs against peer universities worldwide.

Notes on Data Collection & Quality

• Currency Conversions All monetary values are unified to USD using contemporaneous exchange rates to facilitate direct comparison.
• Living Cost Index Derived from reputable city-index publications (e.g., Numbeo, Mercer) to standardize disparate cost-of-living metrics.
• Data Currency Exchange rates and fee schedules should be periodically updated to reflect market fluctuations and policy changes.

Feel free to explore, visualize, and extend this dataset for deeper insights into the true cost of studying abroad!

The schools, districts, and other educational institutions in the Detroit Educational Institutions datasets were identified from the State of Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) Educational Entity Master (EEM) database. Schools of all statuses (Open - Active; Open - Pending; Open - Inactive; Open - Under construction/remodeling; Open - Vacant/empty; Closed – Pending; Closed) are included in the dataset to provide access to information about schools that currently and previously operated in Detroit. Educational institutions with a mailing address in Detroit but a physical location outside the City are not included in this dataset. Each record in the dataset represents an educational entity, which may be a school, a district, or other entity directly associated with an educational institution. The word, "entity" is used in field (i.e., column) names and descriptions when a field is applicable to multiple types units associated with an educational entity (e.g., if applicable to schools, districts, and other facilities).

Snapshot img

US Community College Market Size 2025-2029

The US community college market size is forecast to increase by USD -7825.8 million, at a CAGR of -2.7% between 2024 and 2029.

The Community College market in the US is experiencing significant shifts driven by the growing emphasis on non-traditional learning and the evolving education marketing process. This trend is fueled by the increasing number of adults returning to education and the need for flexible learning options. However, community colleges face challenges in securing adequate funding, which may hinder their ability to meet the demands of an expanding student population. The education landscape is transforming, with community colleges playing a pivotal role in catering to the needs of non-traditional learners. The marketing process has become increasingly important as institutions compete for students in a crowded market.
Yet, reduced funding poses a significant challenge. Community colleges must navigate this financial obstacle by exploring innovative funding models and cost-effective solutions to maintain their competitiveness and continue providing accessible, affordable education. Adapting to these market dynamics and addressing funding constraints will be crucial for community colleges seeking to capitalize on opportunities and thrive in the evolving educational landscape.

What will be the size of the US Community College Market during the forecast period?

Explore in-depth regional segment analysis with market size data - historical 2019-2023 and forecasts 2025-2029 - in the full report.
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The community college market in the US is characterized by a shift towards hybrid learning and competency-based education, as resource management and curriculum mapping gain prominence. Student recruitment strategies are increasingly data-driven, with mobile learning and learning analytics playing crucial roles. Institutional advancement efforts include compliance regulations, capital campaigns, and board of trustees engagement. Budget allocation and information technology investments are key areas of focus for administrators, with technology infrastructure and program review shaping the future of education. Faculty governance, endowment management, and professional development are essential components of institutional success.
Skills gap analysis and blended learning are critical in addressing workforce needs, while accreditation standards ensure academic rigor. Personalized learning and alumni relations strengthen student engagement, and faculty recruitment and shared governance foster a collaborative learning environment.

How is this market segmented?

The market research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD million' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Revenue Stream

  Government funds
  Tuition and fees
  Grants and contracts
  Others


Courses

  Associate degree
  TVET certification
  Continuing education
  Bachelors degree


Student Type

  Traditional
  Non-Traditional
  Online
  Recent High School Graduates
  Adult Learners
  Career Changers


Delivery Mode

  On-Campus
  Online
  Hybrid


Subject Area

  STEM
  Healthcare
  Business
  Liberal Arts


Geography

  North America

    US

By Revenue Stream Insights

The government funds segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

Community colleges in the US receive the majority of their revenue from government funds, primarily from state, local, and central sources. These funds support various aspects of college operations, including instructor salaries, staff compensation, and infrastructure improvements. Thirty-two out of the fifty states in the US employ funding formulas to distribute resources to their respective colleges. Some states, such as Washington and Ohio, have adopted performance-based funding models to incentivize enrollment growth and expedite graduation rates. Educational technology plays a significant role in community colleges, with online learning platforms and classroom technology enhancing the learning experience. Dual enrollment programs enable high school students to earn college credits, while GED preparation courses help adults attain their diplomas.

Faculty development and program assessment ensure academic rigor and continuous improvement. International students contribute to campus diversity, with career services and student affairs providing support. Campus safety and accessibility compliance are essential considerations, as are technical skills training, workforce development, certificate programs, and continuing education. Transfer agreements facilitate seamless transitions to four-year institutions, while ESL programs cater to non-native English speakers. Associate degrees and bachelor's

The Project Information Literacy (PIL) lifelong learning survey dataset was produced as part of a two-year federally funded study on relatively recent US college graduates and their information-seeking behavior for continued learning. The goal of the survey was to collect quantitative data about the information-seeking behavior of a sample of recent graduates—the strategies, techniques, information support systems, and best practices—used to support lifelong learning in post-college life. The dataset contains responses from 1,651 respondents to a 21-item questionnaire administered between October 9, 2014 and December 15, 2014. The voluntary sample of respondents consisted of relatively recent graduates, who had completed their degrees between 2007 and 2012, from one of 10 US colleges and universities in the institutional sample. Quantitative data are included in the dataset about the learning needs of relatively recent graduates as well as the information sources they used in three arenas of their post-college lives (i.e., personal life, workplace, and the communities in which they resided). Demographic information—including age, gender, major, GPA, employment status, graduate school attendance, and geographic proximity of current residence to their alma mater—is also included in the dataset for the respondents. "Staying Smart: How Today's Graduates Continue to Learn Once They Complete College," Alison J. Head, Project Information Literacy Research Report, Seattle: University of Washington Information School (January 5, 2016), 112 pages, 6.9 MB.

The QS World University Rankings for 2025 is a list of universities from all over the world, organized to show which ones are the best in various areas. It is widely recognized as one of the most reliable ways to compare higher education institutions. This ranking helps students, researchers, and decision-makers understand how well universities perform in terms of academics, teaching, research, and global connections. Let’s break it down into simple parts so that you can understand it easily.

What’s in the Ranking? The ranking includes several key pieces of information about each university:

University Name: This is simply the name of the school. For example, Harvard University or Oxford University. Ranking Position: This tells you the university’s position on the list, like 1st, 50th, or 200th. A lower number means the university is ranked higher. Country/Region: This shows where the university is located, like the USA, the UK, or Japan. Academic Reputation Score: This score is based on surveys of professors and researchers. They give their opinions on which universities are best for studying and learning. Employer Reputation Score: Employers are asked which universities produce the most skilled graduates. This score shows how good a university is at preparing students for jobs. Faculty-Student Ratio: This measures how many students there are per teacher. A lower number means smaller classes and more personal attention for students. Citations per Faculty: This is about research. It shows how often the university’s studies are mentioned in other research papers. The more citations, the better. International Faculty & Students: This looks at how many teachers and students come from different countries, showing how global and diverse the university is. Why Is This Ranking Useful? There are many ways this ranking can help people:

For Students: It helps students decide where they might want to study. For example, if someone wants a university with a good reputation for teaching and research, they can use this ranking to find the best options. For Universities: Schools can use the rankings to see how they compare to others. If one university is ranked lower than another, it can look at the scores to find ways to improve. For Researchers: Researchers can study the ranking to learn about trends in global education. For example, they might explore why certain regions, like Asia or Europe, have universities that are improving quickly. For Policymakers: Governments and organizations can use the rankings to decide where to invest in education. They can also study which areas of education are most important for the future. What Can We Learn from It? The QS World University Rankings help us learn which universities are leading in academics and research. It also shows us how important global diversity is in education. By understanding these rankings, people can make smarter decisions about studying, teaching, or improving education systems. It’s like a guidebook for the world of universities, helping everyone find the best options and learn from the best practices.