A New Student Access and Earnings Classification Recognizes Institutions That Foster Opportunities for Student Success
FLUSHING, N.Y., April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications, recognizing Vaughn College as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success.
The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published this month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area. In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.
"This new recognition underscores the transformative educational experience Vaughn provides students that also includes strong industry connections and an affordable education," said Vaughn College President Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo. "This institution is a recognized leader in upward mobility which means that we consistently move students to high-income careers and a lifetime of success."
Founded in 1932, Vaughn College is a private, nonprofit four-year college that enrolls more than 1,300 students in master's, bachelor's and associate degree programs in engineering, technology, management and aviation on its main campus in New York City and online. The student-faculty ratio of 14 to 1 ensures a highly personalized learning environment. Ninety-five percent of Vaughn College graduates, 78 percent in their field of study, are employed in professional positions or choose to continue their education within one year of graduation. The institution serves many first-generation college students and is recognized by the US Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. In a study conducted by The Equality of Opportunity Project, and reported in The New York Times, Vaughn was ranked number one in upward mobility nationwide.
The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.
More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here.
About the Carnegie Classification
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education. The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the classification in 1973 to support its program of research and policy analysis, and it was updated in 1976, 1987, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2025 to reflect changes among colleges and universities. It will next be updated in 2028, with subsequent updates every three years.
About the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE, Pell Grants, and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education.
About the American Council on Education
ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member colleges, universities, and associations, ACE designs solutions for today's challenges and advances public policy to support a diverse and dynamic higher education sector. Learn more at http://www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X (formerly Twitter) @ACEducation and LinkedIn american-council-on-education.
Media Contact
Maureen Kiggins, Vaughn College, 718-429-6600, [email protected], vaughn.edu
Kito Cetrulo, Carnegie Foundation, 650-566-5100, [email protected]
SOURCE Vaughn College
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