Carnegie Classifications: Hartnell and CSUMB recognized for student success
Hartnell College and Cal State Monterey Bay both received national recognition as institutions that provide broad student access and earning opportunities. CSUMB was also recognized for its investments in research.
The 2025 Carnegie Classifications recognize colleges and universities that prioritize student success and access to higher education for students from lower socioeconomic and historically underrepresented backgrounds, as well as the degree to which students go on to earn competitive wages.
“This classification affirms Hartnell’s institutional mission to expand educational opportunity and support student achievement,” said Michael Gutierrez, superintendent/president of Hartnell in a news release. “We remain focused on advancing economic mobility for our students and the communities we serve.”
Being named Opportunity Colleges and Universities means the Carnegie Foundation believes Hartnell and CSUMB can serve as models for institutions to study how to foster student success.
The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education’s Carnegie Classification framework was first published in 1973 as a way to support research and policy analysis. The Carnegie Foundation collaborates with the American Council on Education to preserve the Classification system, which serves as “the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education,” according to its website. The framework is updated every three years to reflect changes in colleges and universities.
Hartnell is one of 60 community colleges in the country, and one of two in the state, to be named as an Opportunity College and University.
CSUMB is one of 216 institutions to be recognized as a Research College and University for spending at least $2.5 million on research. It’s one of 33 institutions to earn both recognitions.
“More than just a recognition, it celebrates our continued excellence and dedication to student success,” CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones wrote in a letter to the campus community, “and serves as a powerful reminder of the strength and spirit of our university.”
The Student Access and Earnings Classification looks at the percentage of a university’s students who receive Pell Grants, how many students come from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds and the average earnings eight years after enrollment. Local economic and demographic data is also taken into account.
The classification compares the earnings of the students who have graduated from Opportunity Colleges and Universities compared to a similar population in those areas with a high school diploma or higher credential.
The median earnings for Hartnell graduates is about $40,000 compared to $31,000. CSUMB graduates earn approximately $55,000 compared to a similar population which makes just under $34,000.
“Being named an Opportunity College affirms what drives our work at Hartnell: the belief that education transforms lives, both for our students and their families,” said Gayle Pitman, vice president of institutional equity, effectiveness and success in a news release. “We are committed to expanding opportunity in ways that disrupt cycles of poverty and close gaps in education and income across generations.”
