This section provides links to research and resources on the state of the social sciences and higher education that are produced by other organizations. Please contact Daniel Ginsberg, Professional Fellow at using this form if you have any questions.
College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
As the association for HR professionals in higher education, CUPA-HR provides leadership on higher education workplace issues in the U.S. and abroad. We monitor trends, explore emerging workforce issues, conduct research, and promote strategic discussions among colleges and universities.
Resources of interest:
Salary Surveys
All survey results available for purchase. When available to us, links to Executive Summaries, Fact Sheets, or other survey information are included below.
Publications (selected)
- The Higher Education Workplace magazine, CUPA-HR’s members-only publication for all things higher ed workforce-related, is published three times a year — January, May and September.
- The CUPA-HR eNews is the association’s bi-monthly members-only newsletter, designed to share news, information about resources and upcoming events, and HR success stories from higher ed institutions.
American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
The AAUP's purpose is to advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good.
Resources of interest:
Surveys
- The AAUP's faculty compensation survey, the Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession, is published in the March-April issue of Academe, the AAUP magazine. In Busting the Myths: The Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession, 2014–15, the American Association of University Professors debunks some myths about the challenges facing higher education and highlights how faculty are a key part of the solution.
- Americans’ Views of Political Bias in the Academy and Academic Freedom - read more here.
Policies & Reports
- Since 1915, the AAUP has been crafting policies for the academic profession on both fundamental principles and emerging issues. Selected 2015 reports are included below.
Publications
- Academe, the magazine of the AAUP, features articles on a wide range of topics in higher education as well as book reviews, Association news, and opinion columns.
- The Academe Blog is the blog of Academe Magazine. Opinions published here do not necessarily represent the policies of the AAUP.
- The Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors brings together in one volume the previous academic year’s academic freedom and tenure and governance investigative reports, standing committee and ad hoc subcommittee reports, new policy documents and revisions to previously published documents, and selected annual reports of the Association and other relevant business materials.
- Widely regarded as an authoritative source on sound academic practice, the AAUP's Policy Documents and Reports, also known as the Redbook, contains the Association's major policy statements.
- The AAUP Journal of Academic Freedom publishes scholarship on academic freedom and on its relation to shared governance, tenure, and collective bargaining. Scholarship on academic freedom is typically scattered across a wide range of disciplines; the Journal provides a central place to track the developing international discussion about academic freedom and its collateral issues.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…" NSF is the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences. We are tasked with keeping the United States at the leading edge of discovery in areas from astronomy to geology to zoology. So, in addition to funding research in the traditional academic areas, the agency also supports "high-risk, high pay-off" ideas, novel collaborations and numerous projects that may seem like science fiction today, but which the public will take for granted tomorrow.
Resources of interest:
Surveys
- The Higher Education Research and Development Survey, successor to the Survey of Research and Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges, is the primary source of information on R&D expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities. The survey collects information on R&D expenditures by field of research and source of funds and also gathers information on types of research and expenses and headcounts of R&D personnel.
- The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is an annual census conducted since 1957 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by six federal agencies: the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Endowment for the Humanities, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient’s educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans.
- The Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions is a congressionally mandated survey that is the only source of comprehensive data on federal science and engineering (S&E) funding to individual academic and nonprofit institutions.
- The Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering survey is an annual census of all U.S. academic institutions granting research-based master’s degrees or doctorates in science, engineering, and selected health fields as of fall of the survey year.
Reports
- Science and Engineering Indicators (SEI) is first and foremost a volume of record comprising the major high-quality quantitative data on the U.S. and international science and engineering enterprise. SEI is prepared by the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) under the guidance of the National Science Board (Board). The indicators reported in SEI are intended to contribute to an understanding of the current environment and to inform the development of future policies. View the 2014 Overview & Introduction.
National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies has grown to be the largest association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS engages and supports educators in strengthening and advocating social studies. With members in all the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 69 foreign countries, NCSS serves as an umbrella organization for elementary, secondary, and college teachers of history, civics, geography, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and law-related education.
Resources of interest:
Publications
- Social Education, our flagship journal, contains a balance of theoretical content and practical teaching ideas. The award-winning resources include techniques for using materials in the classroom, information on the latest instructional technology, reviews of educational media, research on significant social studies-related topics, and lesson plans that can be applied to various disciplines. Departments include Looking at the Law, Surfing the Net, and Teaching with Documents.
- National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A Framework for Teaching, Learning, and Assessments. This valuable resource defines and presents each of the ten thematic strands and correlated performance expectations for three distinct levels: early grades, middle grades, and high schools. Included are an executive summary and a special supplement on powerful teaching and learning.
- Theory & Research in Social Education (TRSE) is published by the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA) of NCSS. Articles cover a variety of topics: teacher training; learning theory and child development research; models and theories used in developing social studies curricula; and schemes for student participation and social action.
- The Social Studies Professional — known as TSSP — is the official member newsletter of National Council for the Social Studies. TSSP features the latest news, new resource and professional development listings, and information on local and state meetings.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES is located within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences. NCES fulfills a Congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.
Resources of interest:
- Fast Facts - The primary purpose of the Fast Facts website is to provide users with concise information on a range of educational issues, from early childhood to adult learning. Fast Facts draw from various published sources and are updated as new data become available.
- State Education Data Profiles - Search for statewide information in elementary/secondary education, postsecondary education and selected demographics for all states in the U.S. using a variety of NCES data sources.
- NAEP State Comparisons - State Comparisons provides tables and maps that compare states and jurisdictions based on the average scale scores for selected groups of public school students within a single assessment year, or compare the change in performance between two assessment years.
- The primary purpose of the Digest of Education Statistics is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest includes a selection of data from many sources, both government and private, and draws especially on the results of surveys and activities carried out by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
IPEDS is the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. It is a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs.
Resources of interest:
Data
- College Stats - Review a few informational tables to help with your college search. Learn more about enrollment, graduation rates, institutional prices, student financial aid, and faculty and staff.
- - Start here to find information about how much it costs students to attend different colleges, how fast those costs are going up, and information related to why costs are going up.
- Career Options - various career tools from other federal agencies.
- - Use the Trend Generator to view trends on most frequently asked subject areas including: Enrollment, Completions, Graduation Rates, Employees and Staff, Institutional Revenues, and Financial Aid.
Publications (selected)
- Postsecondary Institutions and Price of Attendance in 2014-15; Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2013-14; and 12-Month Enrollment: 2013-14: First Look (Preliminary Data) - This First Look report is a preliminary report of the data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) fall 2014 collection, which included three survey components: Institutional Characteristics for the 2014-15 academic year, Completions covering the period July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014, and data on 12-Month Enrollment for the 2013-14 academic year.
- Graduation Rates for Selected Cohorts, 2005-10; and Student Financial Aid in Postsecondary Institutions, Academic Year 2012-13: First Look (Provisional Data) - This provisional First Look report includes fully edited and imputed data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) winter 2013-14 data collection, which included two survey components: Graduation Rates for selected cohorts 2005-2010, as well as Student Financial data for the academic year 2012-13.
National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE)
Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) connects more than 6,300 college career services professionals at nearly 2,000 colleges and universities nationwide, more than 2,700 university relations and recruiting professionals, and the business affiliates that serve this community.
Resources of interest:
Surveys
- The Job Outlook survey is conducted each fall to forecast hiring for the graduating class. Based on responses from 260 organizations nationwide that hire new college graduates, Job Outlook 2015 contains hiring projections for the college Class of 2015; it also offers insights into what employers seek in job candidates, information about compensation plans, and more.
- Salary Survey features three reports, each of which reports data from a different set of sources at different points in the life of the graduating class. The January issue marks the first report for the current graduating class—the Class of 2015—and features starting salary projections provided by employers. The Fall issue reports actual starting salary data, provided by institutions participating in the NACE national First-Destination Survey initiative. The Spring issue serves as the final report for the previous year’s graduating class. View Fall 2015 highlights.
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) serves as the unified national voice of private nonprofit higher education. Since 1976, the association has represented this subset of American colleges and universities on policy issues with the federal government, such as those affecting student aid, taxation, and government regulation.
Resources of interest:
Data & Research
- A snapshot of America's more than 1,700 private, nonprofit colleges and universities, Private Colleges: FactFile presents a data-based look at this robust sector of the nation's higher education system. Private colleges enroll more than 5 million students in institutions that range from as few as 100 students to more than 45,000 students.
U.S. Census Bureau
The Census Bureau's mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. We honor privacy, protect confidentiality, share our expertise globally, and conduct our work openly. The U.S. Census Bureau has been headquartered in Suitland, Md. since 1942, and currently employs about 4,285 staff members. The Census Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The U.S. Census Bureau is overseen by the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) within the Department of Commerce.
Resources of interest:
Surveys & Programs
- The American Community Survey, sometimes referred to as the ACS, is a nationwide survey that produces characteristics of the population and housing, similar to the long-form questionnaire used in Census 2000. The American Community Survey produces these estimates for small areas and small population groups. The American Community Survey is a continuous survey, in which each month a sample of housing unit addresses receives a questionnaire. About 3.5 million addresses are surveyed each year. The content collected by the American Community Survey can be grouped into four main types of characteristics – social, economic, demographic, and housing.
- Educational attainment data in the American Community Survey are reported annually. These data provide estimates of educational attainment from 2000 to present, and are available for the U.S., states, metropolitan area, and more specific geographic areas that meet minimum population sizes for the given survey year.
- Data on School Enrollment characteristics are available for the U.S., states, counties, selected metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, and selected zip codes from 2000 to the present. There are over a thousand detailed tables in American FactFinder (AFF), of which over 20 are school enrollment tables.
- The Current Population Survey (CPS), sponsored jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is the primary source of labor force statistics for the population of the United States. The CPS is the source of numerous high-profile economic statistics, including the national unemployment rate, and provides data on a wide range of issues relating to employment and earnings. The CPS also collects extensive demographic data that complement and enhance our understanding of labor market conditions in the nation overall, among many different population groups, in the states and in substate areas.
- Educational attainment data in the Current Population Survey are reported annually from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC, formerly the March Supplement). These data provide national estimates of educational attainment from 1947 to present, with limited detail for states and some metropolitan areas.
- School enrollment data are collected annually in the October Current Population Survey (CPS) since 1947 for the nation. The school enrollment statistics from the CPS are based on replies to the interviewer’s inquiry whether the person was enrolled in regular school. Interviewers were instructed to count as enrolled anyone who had been enrolled at any time during the current term or school year in any type of public, parochial, or other private school in the regular school system.
- The National Survey of College Graduates is a biennial survey of college graduates residing in the United States. The NSCG is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and conducted by the Census Bureau. The NSCG began in the 1970s and has been conducted approximately every two to three years. The survey provides data on the number and characteristics of individuals with a bachelor's or higher degree, with a special focus on individuals with education and/or employment in science or engineering.
- The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is the premier source of information for income and program participation. SIPP collects data and measures change for many topics including: economic well-being, family dynamics, education, assets, health insurance, childcare, and food security. The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is a household-based survey designed as a continuous series of national panels. Each panel features a nationally representative sample interviewed over a multi-year period lasting approximately four years.
- Survey of Income and Program Participation Data on School Enrollment - The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) collects information about respondent's highest level of school completed or degree received, course or programs studied, and dates of receipt of high school and postsecondary degrees or diplomas. The education module determines if the respondent attended a public or a private high school. Job-related-training questions address training designed to help find or develop skills for a new job as well as to improve skills at the current or most recent job.
