IPEDS collects data on the number of students who complete a postsecondary education program (completers) and the number of postsecondary awards earned (completions). Business and industry, the military, and other groups that need to recruit individuals with particular skills use these data extensively.

Data collected include:

• Completions by field of study, award level, recipient race/ethnicity and gender;
• Completers by race/ethnicity, gender, and age (collected at the total as well as by award level); and
• Whether programs are offered via distance education

Field of study is categorized according to the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), a detailed coding system for postsecondary instructional programs.

• Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) page
• Race/Ethnicity Information Center
• Mapping Old Post-Baccalaureate Award Levels with New Levels
• The History and Origins of Survey Items (2022–23 Update)
• Distance Education in IPEDS
• Timing of IPEDS Data Collection
• Student Cohorts and Subgroups in IPEDS

• All Frequently Asked Questions

• Provides an overview of the survey component
• Discusses the reporting of completions and completers data
• Describes how to report data using the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)
• Discusses the reporting of distance education data