Overview
The National Survey of IR Offices is a nationally representative, longitudinal study of the institutional research (IR) function within U.S. higher education institutions.
The survey collects information about IR office structure, leadership, resources, and effectiveness.
This project, which began in 2015, seeks to better understand and improve IR office operations, which support the efficiency and effectiveness of data-informed decision making in higher education.
2021 AIR National Survey of IR Offices
Thank you to all who completed the survey! You've made a contribution to the knowledge and understanding of the institutional research function.
Please note: Benchmarking access is limited to those who completed the survey.
Important Dates
- December 17, 2021: Survey closed
- January 2022: Access to benchmarking data/reporting
- March – July 2022: Survey reports released
Benchmarking
Don't forget about your access to two benchmarking tool options, basic and premium. For a complete breakdown of benchmarking, how it works, reporting options/filters, etc., see Benchmarking Options.
Access to data is limited to those who completed the survey.
AIR Member | AIR Nonmember | |
---|---|---|
Basic Benchmarking | FREE | FREE |
Premium Benchmarking | $199 | $249 |
National Survey Webinar
Understanding the Evolving Role of IR in Higher Education covers:
- The types of data collected from the National Survey
- How to leverage benchmarking data for improvement
- The types of available reports
- The enhanced benchmarking tools
- How to participate in the National Survey
Recorded December 2, 2021. Presentation slides are available for download (PDF).
Survey Results
Bite by Bite
eAIR features a snapshot of data from the results of the National Survey of IR Offices. See a couple of key 2018 Data Bites below.

Do Staff Adhere to Standards Dictating Ethical Use of Data?

Evaluation of Stakeholder Data Literacy Skills
2021 AIR National Survey of IR Offices
This survey has closed. Survey reports will be released throughout 2022.
2018 AIR National Survey of IR Offices
The National Survey of IR Offices gathers data on a wide array of topics. In an effort to ensure that key findings are made available in a manner that is useful, the 2018 results are presented in a series of report briefs. This approach allows for focused attention on specific topics, and collectively, the briefs provide a rich overview of the field of IR.
2015 AIR National Survey of IR Offices
A report of 2015 data is available to the public.
Questions?
Send an email to nsiro@airweb.org.