The 2025 Carnegie Classifications of Institution of Higher Education have been released, and Chapman University received its designations reflecting a commitment to research and student success. Led by The American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, these classifications mark a significant update in how colleges and universities are grouped and evaluated nationwide.
In addition to updating Research Activity Designations, the classification system introduces a revised Institutional Classification and an all-new Student Access and Earnings Classification. These updates aim to reflect the diverse and evolving nature of U.S. higher education, with an added focus on how well institutions are serving students and helping them succeed after graduation.
Chapman University earned an R2 – Doctoral Universities: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production designation. This classification highlights Chapman’s status as a doctoral-granting institution with significant research expenditures and a strong output of doctoral degrees. The R2 label replaces the former “High Research Activity” classification, underscoring the university’s continued growth and commitment to advancing research excellence.
The Institutional Classification updates the longstanding “Basic Classification” by using multiple dimensions, including size, degree levels and academic fields. This change better represents the missions and structures of modern institutions and aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of the higher ed landscape, moving beyond the one-size-fits-all groupings of the past. Chapman is categorized as Mixed Undergraduate / Graduate-Doctorate – Medium, which reflects a balanced distribution between undergraduate and graduate/doctoral programs within a medium-sized institutional profile.
Student Access and Earnings Classification developed to measure the extent to which institutions provide access to students from lower socioeconomic and underrepresented backgrounds, and to the degree those students go on to earn competitive wages in the context of their geographic area. Chapman is designated as Lower Access, Higher Earnings, suggesting that while the university serves a relatively lower proportion of students from traditionally underserved backgrounds, its graduates tend to earn competitive wages after graduation.
These designations affirm Chapman’s continued commitment to academic excellence, advanced research and post-graduation success.
To help better understand the methodology and implications of the new classifications, ACE and the Carnegie Foundation are hosting a webinar on Tuesday, April 29 at 11:30 a.m. PT. The session will provide a deep dive into the new system and answer questions from the higher education community.
This event is a valuable opportunity for Chapman University faculty and staff to gain insight into how these new classifications may influence policy, funding and institutional strategy in the years ahead.
You can register for the webinar through this link.
For details on the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, including data files, methodology and interactive tools, visit the official site here. A link to Chapman University’s profile can be found here.
