Opportunity Colleges and Universities (OCUs) are U.S. postsecondary institutions identified through the Carnegie Student Access and Earnings Classification as delivering both broad access to students and strong economic outcomes for graduates. These institutions enroll significant numbers of students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds and produce graduates who achieve competitive earnings—indicating meaningful upward economic mobility.

Introduced in 2025, the Student Access and Earnings Classification is among the most recent updates to the Carnegie Classifications and reflects a growing emphasis on student outcomes and economic mobility. It was launched alongside the Student Learning Environment Classification as part of a broader modernization of how higher education institutions are described and compared. Rather than focusing primarily on inputs (such as selectivity or resources), it evaluates who institutions serve and how their students fare after completion. OCUs are institutions that perform strongly on:

• Access: Enrolling and supporting students from historically underserved populations, including low-income, first-generation, and racially/ethnically underrepresented groups.
• Outcomes: Producing graduates with earnings that meet or exceed expectations relative to peers and regional labor markets.

As of 2025, 479 institutions have been designated as OCUs, collectively enrolling approximately 2.75 million undergraduate students across the U.S.

OCUs typically demonstrate:

• High Student Access - Commitment to enrolling and supporting students from a wide range of backgrounds, particularly those historically excluded from higher education.
• Strong Graduate Earnings - Evidence that students achieve competitive post-graduation earnings, signaling return on investment and long-term economic mobility.
• Diverse Institutional Types - OCUs span the full spectrum of U.S. higher education, including community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges and universities, regional public universities, and flagship and research-intensive institutions.
• Regional Anchor - Many OCUs serve as anchors in their regions, contributing to local workforce development and economic vitality by preparing graduates for in-demand careers.

Institutions do not apply for the OCU designation; it is assigned based on national data on student access and post-graduation earnings. The Carnegie Classifications are expected to be updated on a regular cycle (approximately every three years), meaning an institution’s designation may change over time as outcomes evolve.