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2023 Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools

1,123 Colleges
$57,601 Avg Salary
$21,889 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Nursing Associate Degree School for You

Nursing is the most popular major in the United States with 322,592 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.

There are so many nursing programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 1,123 schools in the United States to see which associate degree programs were the most popular for nursing students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Nursing program at each school on the list.

The following schools top our list of the Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Colleges.

#1

Excelsior College

Albany, NY

Our 2023 rankings named Excelsior College the most popular school in the United States for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in the small city of Albany, Excelsior College is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

About 84% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 16% are male.

While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at Excelsior College accumulate an average of around $23,429 in student debt.

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#2

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

The in-demand associate degree programs at Ivy Tech Community College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular nursing schools in the United States. Located in the large city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a public school with a fairly large student population.

About 89% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 11% are male.

On average, nursing graduates from Ivy Tech Community College take out $20,860 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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Out of the 1,123 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Rasmussen University - Florida landed the # 3 spot on the list. Rasmussen University - Florida is a medium-sized private for-profit school located in the city of Ocala.

About 89% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 11% are male.

On average, nursing graduates from Rasmussen University - Florida take out $32,326 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $175.

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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a small private for-profit school located in the small city of St. Cloud.

Of the 674 students majoring in nursing at Rasmussen University - Minnesota, 13% are male and 87% are female.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Rasmussen University - Minnesota take out while working on their Associate Degree is $32,326. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $175.

Full Nursing at Rasmussen University - Minnesota Report

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#5

Jersey College

Teterboro, NJ

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Jersey College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in the suburb of Teterboro, Jersey College is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

Women make up 93% of the nursing majors at the school.

Nursing majors at Jersey College take out an average of $35,837 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $89, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#6

Miami Dade College

Miami, FL

Miami Dade College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree nursing programs. MDC is a fairly large public school located in the city of Miami.

About 79% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 21% are male.

While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at MDC accumulate an average of around $19,338 in student debt.

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#7

Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale, FL

With a ranking of #7, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in the city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

About 85% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 15% are male.

While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale accumulate an average of around $32,396 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $139, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Nursing at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Report

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#8

ECPI University

Virginia Beach, VA

ECPI University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree nursing programs. ECPI University is a fairly large private for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach.

Women make up 91% of the nursing majors at the school.

While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at ECPI University accumulate an average of around $35,025 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $174.

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Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio ranked #9 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the city of San Antonio, Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

About 88% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 12% are male.

Nursing majors at Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio take out an average of $35,636 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $111.

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Rasmussen University - Illinois ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools list. Rasmussen University - Illinois is a small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Rockford.

Of the 450 students majoring in nursing at Rasmussen University - Illinois, 8% are male and 92% are female.

After completing their Associate Degree, nursing graduates from Rasmussen University - Illinois carry an average student debt load of $32,326. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $175.

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#11

Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay

Saint Petersburg, FL

Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay ranked #11 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools list. Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Saint Petersburg.

About 88% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 12% are male.

Nursing majors at Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay take out an average of $35,636 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $111.

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#12

St Petersburg College

Clearwater, FL

St Petersburg College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree nursing programs. Located in the city of Clearwater, SPC is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Of the 446 students majoring in nursing at SPC, 19% are male and 81% are female.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at SPC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $25,206.

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With a ranking of #13, Florida State College at Jacksonville did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in the large city of Jacksonville, FSCJ is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Of the 445 students majoring in nursing at FSCJ, 18% are male and 82% are female.

On average, nursing graduates from FSCJ take out $21,396 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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AmeriTech College - Draper landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree nursing programs. Located in the large suburb of Draper, AmeriTech College - Draper is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Of the 400 students majoring in nursing at AmeriTech College - Draper, 18% are male and 82% are female.

Nursing majors at AmeriTech College - Draper take out an average of $28,725 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $267, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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With a ranking of #15, Harrisburg Area Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in the small city of Harrisburg, HACC is a public college with a large student population.

About 88% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 12% are male.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at HACC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $31,597.

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#16

Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, TX

Lone Star College System landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree nursing programs. Located in the medium-sized city of The Woodlands, North Harris Montgomery is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Of the 380 students majoring in nursing at North Harris Montgomery, 15% are male and 85% are female.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at North Harris Montgomery take out while working on their Associate Degree is $19,210.

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Helene Fuld College of Nursing did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a associate degree. It came in at #17 on the list. HFCN is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York.

Women make up 93% of the nursing majors at the school.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at HFCN take out while working on their Associate Degree is $27,942.

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Community College of Allegheny County did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a associate degree. It came in at #18 on the list. CCAC is a large public school located in the city of Pittsburgh.

Women make up 82% of the nursing majors at the school.

Nursing majors at CCAC take out an average of $24,892 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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Weber State University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree nursing programs. WSU is a very large public school located in the small city of Ogden.

Of the 335 students majoring in nursing at WSU, 19% are male and 81% are female.

On average, nursing graduates from WSU take out $19,725 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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#20

Union County College

Cranford, NJ

Union County College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a associate degree. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Cranford, Union County College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Of the 333 students majoring in nursing at Union County College, 14% are male and 86% are female.

Nursing majors at Union County College take out an average of $28,481 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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Cuyahoga Community College District did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a associate degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Cuyahoga Community College District is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Cleveland.

Of the 327 students majoring in nursing at Cuyahoga Community College District, 16% are male and 84% are female.

After completing their Associate Degree, nursing graduates from Cuyahoga Community College District carry an average student debt load of $21,617.

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Delaware Technical Community College - Terry ranked #22 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the city of Dover, Delaware Tech is a public college with a large student population.

About 91% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 9% are male.

On average, nursing graduates from Delaware Tech take out $18,104 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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#23

Trocaire College

Buffalo, NY

Trocaire College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree nursing programs. Trocaire is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Buffalo.

Of the 310 students majoring in nursing at Trocaire, 14% are male and 86% are female.

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#23

South Texas College

McAllen, TX

South Texas College ranked #23 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools list. South Texas College is a very large public school located in the city of McAllen.

Women make up 79% of the nursing majors at the school.

Nursing majors at South Texas College take out an average of $11,425 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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#25

Hondros College of Nursing

Westerville, OH

Hondros College of Nursing ranked #25 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools list. Hondros College of Nursing is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Westerville.

Of the 309 students majoring in nursing at Hondros College of Nursing, 7% are male and 93% are female.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Hondros College of Nursing take out while working on their Associate Degree is $40,873. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $125.

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#26

Broward College

Fort Lauderdale, FL
#29

Laboure College

Milton, MA
#30

Valencia College

Orlando, FL
#32

Delgado Community College

New Orleans, LA
#36

EDP University - San Juan

San Juan, PR
#37

Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake City, UT
#39

Palm Beach State College

Lake Worth, FL
#40

Oklahoma City Community College

Oklahoma City, OK
#43

Pensacola State College

Pensacola, FL
#49

Owens Community College

Perrysburg, OH

Remaining Award Winners

This list shows the rest of the colleges awarded a Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 1123 different United States nursing schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 St Paul’s School of Nursing - Staten Island Staten Island, NY
52 Tyler Junior College Tyler, TX
53 St Paul’s School of Nursing - Queens Rego Park, NY
53 John C Calhoun State Community College Tanner, AL
55 Tulsa Community College Tulsa, OK
55 Amarillo College Amarillo, TX
55 Santa Fe College Gainesville, FL
55 Saint Louis Community College Saint Louis, MO
59 El Centro College Dallas, TX
60 Goodwin College East Hartford, CT
60 Fresno City College Fresno, CA
60 Bevill State Community College Jasper, AL
63 Henry Ford College Dearborn, MI
64 Daytona State College Daytona Beach, FL
65 Lansing Community College Lansing, MI
66 HCI College West Palm Beach, FL
66 Pima Community College Tucson, AZ
68 San Antonio College San Antonio, TX
68 Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay, WI
70 College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV
71 Trident Technical College Charleston, SC
72 Glendale Community College Glendale, AZ
72 Central Ohio Technical College Newark, OH
74 Mesa Community College Mesa, AZ
75 Coastal Alabama Community College Bay Minette, AL
75 Madison Area Technical College Madison, WI
77 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR
77 Pasco-Hernando State College New Port Richey, FL
79 Montgomery College Rockville, MD
80 Bryant & Stratton College - Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, VA
81 Universal Career School Sweetwater, FL
82 Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore, MD
82 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton, GA
84 Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN
85 Weatherford College Weatherford, TX
85 New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY
87 Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI
87 EDP University - San Sebastian San Sebastian, PR
89 Schoolcraft College Livonia, MI
89 St. Joseph’s College of Nursing Syracuse, NY
89 Howard Community College Columbia, MD
89 Carrington College, Reno Reno, NV
93 Mohave Community College Kingman, AZ
93 Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA
93 Riverside City College Riverside, CA
93 Baptist Health College - Little Rock Little Rock, AR
97 Delaware County Community College Media, PA
98 Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, OK
99 Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa Wauwatosa, WI
99 Polk State College Winter Haven, FL
101 Columbus State Community College Columbus, OH
101 New England Institute of Technology East Greenwich, RI
101 Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque, NM
104 Rasmussen University - Kansas Topeka, KS
104 Miami Regional University Miami Springs, FL
104 Borough of Manhattan Community College New York, NY
104 Gwinnett Institute Orlando, FL
104 Houston Community College Houston, TX
109 Albany State University Albany, GA
109 Del Mar College Corpus Christi, TX
111 Clark State Community College Springfield, OH
111 Harford Community College Bel Air, MD
113 Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids, MN
114 Ocean County College Toms River, NJ
115 Vermont Technical College Randolph, VT
116 Hinds Community College Raymond, MS
117 Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA
117 Lorain County Community College Elyria, OH
119 Pueblo Community College Pueblo, CO
119 State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota Bradenton, FL
119 Seattle Central College Seattle, WA
122 National University College Bayamon, PR
123 Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA
123 Meridian Community College Meridian, MS
123 Midlands Technical College West Columbia, SC
126 Highline College Des Moines, WA
127 City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College Chicago, IL
127 Delta College University Center, MI
129 Florida National University - Main Campus Hialeah, FL
129 Brookdale Community College Lincroft, NJ
131 Navarro College Corsicana, TX
131 Morrisville State College Morrisville, NY
133 Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH
133 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston, MS
133 El Paso Community College El Paso, TX
133 Nassau Community College Garden City, NY
137 Indian River State College Fort Pierce, FL
137 Texas State Technical College Waco, TX
139 Greenville Technical College Greenville, SC
140 Germanna Community College Locust Grove, VA
140 Fairmont State University Fairmont, WV
140 Bakersfield College Bakersfield, CA
140 Southwest Baptist University Bolivar, MO
140 Mercy College of Ohio Toledo, OH
145 Scottsdale Community College Scottsdale, AZ
146 Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC
147 Everett Community College Everett, WA
147 Kingsborough Community College Brooklyn, NY
149 Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX
149 Northern Oklahoma College Tonkawa, OK
149 Phoenix College Phoenix, AZ
152 Crowder College Neosho, MO
153 Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, MD
153 Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI
155 San Joaquin Delta College Stockton, CA
156 Butler Community College El Dorado, KS
157 Luzerne County Community College Nanticoke, PA
157 Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor, MI
157 Bergen Community College Paramus, NJ
157 William Rainey Harper College Palatine, IL
157 Macomb Community College Warren, MI
162 Capital Community College Hartford, CT
162 Oakland Community College Bloomfield Hills, MI
164 Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville, PA
164 Rowan College at Burlington County Mount Laurel, NJ
166 University of Rio Grande Rio Grande, OH
167 Grayson College Denison, TX
167 Naugatuck Valley Community College Waterbury, CT
167 College of Central Florida Ocala, FL
167 Quinsigamond Community College Worcester, MA

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional popular schools for Nursing students that almost earned our Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools award.

Rank College Location
171 Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway, SC
172 Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC
173 Lakeland Community College Kirtland, OH
173 Wallace Community College, Dothan Dothan, AL
173 Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WI
176 Butte College Oroville, CA
176 College of Southern Maryland La Plata, MD
176 Reynolds Community College Richmond, VA
176 Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove, IL
176 Pitt Community College Winterville, NC
176 Rasmussen University - Wisconsin Green Bay, WI
176 Gulf Coast State College Panama City, FL
183 Modesto Junior College Modesto, CA
183 Eastern Florida State College Cocoa, FL
183 Front Range Community College Westminster, CO
183 Lake Superior College Duluth, MN
183 Dyersburg State Community College Dyersburg, TN
188 County College of Morris Randolph, NJ
188 Galen College of Nursing - ARH Hazard, KY
188 Stark State College North Canton, OH
188 Career Networks Institute Orange, CA
188 John Tyler Community College Chester, VA
188 Lower Columbia College Longview, WA
188 Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester, MN
195 Mt. San Antonio College Walnut, CA
196 Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
196 Kellogg Community College Battle Creek, MI
196 Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee, FL
196 Rockland Community College Suffern, NY
196 Georgia State University-Perimeter College Atlanta, GA
201 Century College White Bear Lake, MN
201 Marshall University Huntington, WV
201 Trinity Valley Community College Athens, TX
204 Holmes Community College Goodman, MS
204 Fortis College - Columbus Westerville, OH
204 Beckfield College - Florence Florence, KY
204 Sullivan University Louisville, KY
204 Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood, PA
209 Lord Fairfax Community College Middletown, VA
209 Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA
209 Gadsden State Community College Gadsden, AL
209 Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg, NJ
213 Monroe Community College Rochester, NY
213 Rasmussen University - North Dakota Fargo, ND
213 Regis College Weston, MA
213 Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington, KY
213 Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville, GA
213 Allegany College of Maryland Cumberland, MD
213 Columbia Central University - Caguas Caguas, PR
220 Queensborough Community College Bayside, NY
220 St Clair County Community College Port Huron, MI
220 Walters State Community College Morristown, TN
220 Maria College of Albany Albany, NY
220 Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing Medford, MA
220 Purdue University Global Indianapolis, IN
220 Utah Valley University Orem, UT
220 Tri-County Technical College Pendleton, SC
220 James A Rhodes State College Lima, OH
220 Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital Syracuse, NY

Nursing by Region

View the Most Popular Nursing Associate Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 266,651
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 16,104
Nursing Administration 9,838
Nursing Practice 7,992
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 5,092
Nursing Science 4,600
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 2,287
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing 2,021
Nurse Anesthetist 1,936
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing 1,883
Critical Care Nursing 773
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing 563
School Nursing 553
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 509
Clinical Nurse Leader 444
Clinical Nurse Specialist 419
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing 331
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing 181
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing 57
Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing 53
Palliative Care Nursing 14
Forensic Nursing 14

Related Major Annual Graduates
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 84,274

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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