Browse Colleges

Find, compare, and understand colleges to make the best decision for your future

Data Sources

Browse Colleges is committed to providing accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date information about colleges and universities across the United States. Our data is sourced from authoritative government databases and other reliable sources to help you make informed decisions about your education.

Data-Driven Decision Making

We believe in the power of data to help students and families make better educational choices. Our goal is to present college information in an accessible way, allowing you to compare institutions based on factors that matter most to you, including costs, graduation rates, student demographics, and more.

Primary Data Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

Our primary data source is the official U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard API, which provides comprehensive data on accredited post-secondary institutions that participate in federal financial aid programs. This dataset includes information on:

  • Basic institutional details (location, size, public/private status)
  • Student body demographics
  • Admissions statistics and selectivity
  • Graduation and retention rates
  • Cost of attendance
  • Financial aid metrics
  • Student debt and loan repayment information

The College Scorecard data is collected from various federal reporting systems, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and federal tax records.

Visit College Scorecard Data Website
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

IPEDS is a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in federal student financial aid programs is required to report data through IPEDS.

IPEDS provides valuable information on:

  • Institutional characteristics
  • Enrollment data
  • Program completion rates
  • Graduation rates
  • Student financial aid
  • Institutional finances
  • Faculty and staff
Learn More About IPEDS
Federal Student Aid Data Center

The Federal Student Aid (FSA) Data Center provides information about federal student aid programs, including student loan data and institutional participation details. This source helps us provide accurate information about:

  • Federal loan participation rates
  • Student loan default rates
  • Financial aid availability
  • Title IV program participation
Visit FSA Data Center

Data Update Frequency

Different data elements are updated at varying frequencies, depending on the collection and release schedules of our source organizations. The table below provides an overview of update frequencies for major data categories:

Data Category Update Frequency Typical Release Timeline
Basic Institution Information As needed Varies Updated when institutions report changes
Enrollment Data Annually Annual Fall of the following academic year
Graduation Rates Annually Annual Approximately 18 months after the end of the academic year
Cost of Attendance Annually Annual Late summer/early fall for the upcoming academic year
Financial Aid Statistics Annually Annual Approximately 12-18 months after the end of the financial aid year
Admissions Data Annually Annual Fall of the following academic year
Student Loan Data Quarterly Quarterly Approximately 3-4 months after the end of each quarter

We make every effort to update our database promptly when new data becomes available from our sources. The specific reference year for each data point is indicated in our API calls (currently using 2019 data for most metrics) and will be updated as newer data is released.

Data Quality and Limitations

While we strive to provide the most accurate and complete information possible, there are some inherent limitations to the data:

Reporting Delays

Due to the time required for data collection, validation, and publication by source organizations, there is typically a lag between when events occur and when the data becomes available. For example, graduation rate data may reflect cohorts who enrolled several years ago.

Missing Data

Not all institutions report all data elements. When data is missing for a particular institution, we indicate this in our display. Missing data does not necessarily reflect negatively on an institution; it may simply mean the data was not reported or not applicable.

Data Corrections and Updates

Occasionally, institutions or the Department of Education may correct previously reported data. We update our database when such corrections are published, but there may be a short delay between when corrections are issued and when they appear in our system.

Important Note

browsecolleges.com should be used as a research tool to compare general characteristics of institutions and identify colleges that meet your basic criteria. We recommend confirming all information with the official websites or admissions offices of specific institutions before making important educational decisions.

API Documentation

Our application uses the College Scorecard API version 1, which is maintained by the U.S. Department of Education. The API provides access to the most recent data available from the College Scorecard dataset.

API Endpoints Used

We primarily use the following endpoint:

https://api.data.gov/ed/collegescorecard/v1/schools.json

Data Fields

Our application specifically requests the following fields from the API:

  • school.name - The name of the institution
  • school.city - The city where the institution is located
  • school.state - The state where the institution is located
  • 2019.student.size - Undergraduate student enrollment
  • 2019.completion.consumer_rate - Graduation rate
  • 2019.cost.avg_net_price.public - Average annual cost
  • 2019.aid.ftft_federal_loan_rate_pooled - Percentage of students receiving federal loans
  • school.price_calculator_url - Link to the institution's net price calculator
  • school.school_url - The official website of the institution
  • 2019.student.demographics.men - Percentage of male students
  • 2019.student.demographics.women - Percentage of female students
  • 2019.admissions.admission_rate.overall - Overall admission/acceptance rate

For more detailed information about the College Scorecard API, including available fields and query parameters, please refer to the official documentation:

College Scorecard API Documentation

The official documentation provides comprehensive information about:

  • Available endpoints
  • Query parameters
  • Data dictionary
  • Response formats
  • Rate limits and authentication
View API Documentation

Data Usage Policies

We adhere to the data usage policies set forth by our data sources. The College Scorecard data is provided under an open license that allows for free use, reuse, and redistribution. However, we encourage proper attribution when sharing information from our site.

When using information from browsecolleges.com:

  • Please cite the original data source (U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard)
  • Reference our website as the tool used to access and display the data
  • Be aware of the reference year for the data being cited
  • Consider the limitations and context of the data, as described above

Start Exploring College Data

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Feedback and Corrections

We are committed to providing accurate and helpful information. If you believe you've found an error in our data display or have suggestions for additional data points that would be valuable to include, please contact us.

For questions or feedback about our data sources, please contact us at:

Email: contact@browsecolleges.com
Subject: Data Sources Feedback