IPEDS
is the core postsecondary education data collection program in the U.S.
Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES). It was designed to help NCES meet its mandate to report full and
complete statistics on the condition of postsecondary education in the
United States. It is a single, comprehensive data collection system
developed to encompass all institutions and organizations whose primary
purpose is to provide postsecondary education. The IPEDS system is built
around a series of interrelated surveys to collect institution-level
data in such areas as enrollment, program completions, faculty and
staff, and financing.