What Is Carnegie Classification?

The Carnegie Classification was developed by the Carnegie Commission of Higher Education.

The Carnegie Commission of Higher Education developed a system of classification for describing and evaluating colleges and universities in the United States. It was primarily designed for use by researchers on higher education and education analysts.

History

The system of classification was developed in 1970 and first published for use by researchers outside the Carnegie Foundation in 1973. It was subsequently updated in 1976, 1987, 1994, 2000 and 2005. The original classification system (now called the "Basic System") was revised in 1997 and 2000, and underwent a major overhaul for the 2005 edition.

Organization

Classifications are organized using empirical data on colleges and universities based upon what is taught (in both undergraduate and graduate programs), the demographic makeup of the student body, the size and setting of the campus and--a classification added in 2005--community involvement.

Purpose

Carnegie Classifications do not rank the quality of education at universities. Rather, their classifications are used to identify differences and similarities among institutions.

Publication

Originally, the Carnegie Classification was published in book form, but is now available only online. Listings can be customized and downloaded in CSV (comma separated values) format for use with spreadsheet programs.

References

• The Carnegie Foundation: About The Carnegie Classifications
• The Carnegie Foundation: Where Are The Carnegie Rankings?
• The Carnegie Foundation: Are Classifications Available in Print?
• The Carnegie Foundation: Who Are the Classifications For?

Resources

• The Carnegie Foundation: Using the Classifications Website