This project draws on data from several principal sources. The majority of these data were collected by federal agencies—the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and U.S. Census Bureau. When federally collected data were insufficient to address a particular indicator, non-federally collected data were sought and included. Each of the principal data sources is described below with notes indicating the data limitations and indicators where data were presented.

ACS

American Community Survey
U.S. Census Bureau
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.

ACPS

American College President Study
American Council on Education (ACE)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • The ACPS samples may not necessarily be representative of the results achievable if all accredited degree-granting college and university presidents had responded.

ACT

ACT, Inc.
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the information, comprehensive results may only be available in aggregated data.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.

AIHEC AIMS

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.

ATES

Adult Training and Education Survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.

B&B

Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.

BPS

Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.

CPS

Current Population Survey
U.S. Census Bureau & U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.
  • Data are not representative of non-civilian and institutionalized populations.

Digest

Digest of Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • While the Digest can provide a vast amount of information, the compilation uses a diverse set of public and private data, where variables and indicators may have been defined or categorized differently than intended when combining data sources.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.

GED®

General Educational Development
GED Testing Service
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the information, comprehensive results may only be available in aggregated data.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.

HSLS

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.

IPEDS

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.

NAEP

National Assessment of Educational Progress
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.

National Population Projections

National Population Projections
U.S. Census Bureau
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures. 
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection. 
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes. 
  • Data are not representative of non-civilian and institutionalized populations. 

NPSAS

National Postsecondary Student Aid Study
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
  • Given the nature of complex surveys, weighting is required to ensure the sample data are representative of a given population. Some estimates cannot be generated due to small sample sizes.

NSC

National Student Clearinghouse
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • NSC data varies in the degree to which they capture enrollment at different types of colleges and universities.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the information, comprehensive results may only be available in aggregated data.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.

SED

Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)
DATA LIMITATIONS
  • Survey research may incur issues of reliability and validity associated with self-report measures.
  • The collection of data on race and ethnicity has changed over time and descriptions of race and ethnicity are limited by the categories provided to individuals at the time of data collection.