A Guide to Higher Education Federal Earnings Data: Sources, Implications, and Opportunities
AIR’s Guide to Higher Education Federal Earnings Data, written by Dr. Alexandria Walton Radford of Sova, provides a side-by-side comparison of four federal sources of postsecondary earnings data: the Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS), College Scorecard, Census Bureau’s Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Explorer, and IRS-supported Secure Query System. The guide compares their purposes, earnings measures, populations, and coverage; examines potential financial aid and reputational implications; and identifies opportunities for institutions to use these data to better understand program outcomes and support institutional improvement.
Copyright © Association for Institutional Research 2026
Date: 2026
Pages: 13