Postsecondary Data Collaborative

The Postsecondary Data Collaborative, better known as “PostsecData,” is a coalition of diverse organizations that recognize the power of high-quality data to ensure equitable access and success in higher education. The coalition jointly advocates for the use of high-quality postsecondary data, recognizing that thoughtful use of higher education data has the power to:

• Promote student success. College administrators and faculty can use data to encourage learning, retention, completion, and successful post-college outcomes.
• Evaluate and inform federal, state, and institutional policies. With better data, decision-makers can assess public resources and target them to the postsecondary system’s needs, with a focus on institutional improvement.
• Empower college choices. Students and families can use data to make educated decisions about where to attend college, how to pay for it, and what to study.

​We realize that developing robust and impactful postsecondary education data policies is far from simple. Policy leaders must make critical decisions about what data to collect, how to collect it, who should have access to it, how to define metrics, and how to present data to the public. By working together, members of PostsecData promote the use of high-quality data to improve outcomes for students, their families and communities, the workforce, and our shared future.

To learn more about national data systems and voluntary data initiatives, visit this overview of postsecondary data collections in the United States. For PostsecData letters and recommendations, visit our News & Events page and select the category “PostsecData letters.” 

Follow @PostsecData on Twitter/X and sign up below to receive our bi-weekly newsletter. For questions, contact PostsecData@ihep.org.