Carnegie Foundation's new Student Access and Earnings Classification recognizes STU for creating opportunities for students to succeed

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education has recognized St. Thomas University by designating STU as an "Opportunity College and University" under the newly developed "Student Access and Earnings Classification." The Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education recently published new classifications.

The recognition highlights that St. Thomas University is a model for how campuses can help students succeed.

The "Student Access and Earnings Classification" examines whether higher education institutions are increasing student access by enrolling those who reflect the communities that colleges serve, and how alumni earnings compare to similar colleges and universities.

"St. Thomas University's newest Carnegie Classification underscores two of our core values: expanding access to higher education and equipping graduates for high-earning careers," said David A. Armstrong, J.D., President of St. Thomas University. "According to the Florida Department of Education, recent STU undergraduate alumni earn an average annual salary of more than $73,000. This is the highest among Florida's Independent Colleges and Universities, and above the average for graduates of the State University System."

"This recognition further affirms STU's national ranking as a Top Performer in Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report," President Armstrong added.

In 2025, 479 institutions were identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.

The Carnegie Foundation describes the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education (CCIHE) as "the nation's leading framework for describing diverse U.S. higher education institutions."

More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here.

About St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (STU) is one of the South's premier Catholic universities. It is a private, nonprofit institution committed to fostering students' academic and professional success and helping them become ethical leaders in the global community. Rich with cultural and international diversity, STU is a Miami Archdiocesan university, the only archdiocesan university in Florida, and one of just 11 nationwide. STU offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degree programs online and on the university's beautiful Miami Gardens campus via its College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences & Technology, Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, Gus Machado College of Business, and Biscayne College for Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. STU serves 7,660 undergraduate, graduate, and dual enrollment students, a 78% increase since President David A. Armstrong, J.D., took office in the fall of 2018. STU is completing $123 million in improvements, its biggest expansion since its 1961 founding, including adding 400,000 square feet of new facilities. Among other objectives, President Armstrong's new "Pursue Excellence" strategic vision seeks to build a new 99,000-square-foot STEM and nursing building, expand the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, and construct new athletic facilities.

Contact: Dan Axelrod | St. Thomas University | 393978@email4pr.com | 305.474.2418 

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SOURCE St. Thomas University