Menlo College Named an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classification

A new Student Access and Earnings Classification recognizes institutions that foster opportunities for student success

ATHERTON, CA, UNITED STATES, April 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Menlo College has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, recognizing Menlo as an institution that can serve as a model for how campuses can foster student success.

The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published this month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area. In 2025, 479 institutions were identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.

“We are proud that Menlo College is being recognized as a model institution for access and upward mobility,” said Steven Weiner, President of Menlo College. “Our mission is rooted in opening doors for students from all backgrounds and ensuring they leave Menlo with not just a degree, but the skills and support to thrive economically and professionally. This designation affirms our focus on real-world outcomes and inclusive opportunity.”

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Menlo College is a small, private, nonprofit institution founded in 1927 with a mission to “ignite potential and educate students to make meaningful contributions in the innovation economy.” Menlo offers undergraduate degrees in business and psychology, as well as graduate programs, including a Master of Science in Information Systems, a Master of Arts in Sport and Performance Psychology, and a newly launched Master of Science in Financial Technology. With a student body that includes many first-generation college students, Menlo emphasizes experiential learning, requiring internships as part of the curriculum to ensure students graduate career-ready. The College is also proud to be designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI).

Menlo has been classified as a Special Focus: Business institution in the 2025 Institutional Classification and was named an Opportunity College and University for its success in enrolling underrepresented students and fostering strong post-attendance earnings. These recognitions are based on publicly available data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.

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

About the Carnegie Classification
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education. The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the classification in 1973 to support its program of research and policy analysis, and it was updated in 1976, 1987, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2025 to reflect changes among colleges and universities. It will next be updated in 2028, with subsequent updates every three years.

About the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE, Pell Grants, and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education.

About the American Council on Education
ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member colleges, universities, and associations, ACE designs solutions for today’s challenges and advances public policy to support a diverse and dynamic higher education sector. Learn more at www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X (formerly Twitter) @ACEducation and LinkedIn american-council-on-education.

Media Contacts
Jon Riskind (ACE)
202-697-0741
jriskind@acenet.edu

Kito Cetrulo (Carnegie Foundation)
650-566-5100
kcetrulo@carnegiefoundation.org

Tess Rewick
Menlo College
pr@menlo.edu
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