Grinnell College earns research activity designation

GRINNELL — The Carnegie Classifications have been a hallmark of institutions that excel in research and practice. This year, under the newly reimagined classification system, Grinnell has been designated as a Research College and University, reflecting the College’s ongoing commitment to scholarly inquiry and impactful research.

This designation is a first for Grinnell, as the 2025 Carnegie Classification system introduces a more nuanced approach to categorizing institutions based on their research activity, according to a press release.

In the previous 2021 classification, Grinnell was categorized under Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus. The new Research Activity Designations, which are now being published separately from the broader Institutional Classifications, provide a more accurate representation of research engagement across different types of higher education institutions.

The Research Activity Designation is determined using data from the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

Institutions qualify for the Research Colleges and Universities category if they spend at least $2.5 million annually on research and development but do not meet the higher thresholds for the R1 (Very High Research Activity) or R2 (High Research Activity) categories.

Grinnell is one of a small number of selective small liberal arts colleges to receive the designation, the press release says.

Faculty research, scholarship, and creative activity is a key factor in undergraduate access to mentored research experiences. Almost 2/3 of Grinnell College graduates participate in an undergraduate research experience, according to the press release.

In 2024 alone, 58 Grinnell students were listed as coauthors with faculty on peer-reviewed publications, conference papers, and presentations.

In late April 2025, the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation will publish the full 2025 Institutional Classifications, which will group institutions based on degree types, fields of study, and institutional size. Until then, Grinnell College’s 2021 Basic Classification remains applicable alongside the new 2025 Research Activity Designation.