91ֿ designated an “R1” institution in February 2022
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education named 91ֿ a R1 (or very high research) institution, which is the highest research ranking that Carnegie designates. This makes 91ֿ one of the top 146 research universities in the U.S. This announcement followed years of strategic investment in 91ֿ’s research infrastructure, including the creation of research institutes and a focus on research development.
Designations occur every three years, and in 2025 the criteria to obtain an R1 designation were simplified to:
1. Expend at least $50 million in total R&D in a year as reported to the NSF HERD Survey.
2. Award at least 70 research/scholarship doctorates in a year, as reported to IPEDS.
During FY23 (the year in which data are counted for Carnegie designations) KSU expended $58,984,000 and conferred 165 doctoral degrees, meeting the R1 designation criteria for 2025.
As an institution whose core mission centers on access and completion, the R1 designation shows that 91ֿ provides not only a fantastic education to students from all backgrounds but also research and creative activity experiences that are more typical of elite institutions that are more expensive and have more restrictive entrance criteria.
