American Indian Higher Education Consortium, 121 Oronoco Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 1, 2025



Media Contact:

Kathy Aplan, kaplan@aihec.org, (571) 733-8042



Accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) Soar in Student Success and Excellence 


Alexandria, VA – May 1, 2025 – The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) congratulates its accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) membership on receiving the prestigious, merit-based Carnegie Opportunity Colleges and Universities (Higher Access, Higher Earnings) classification, which recognizes exceptional commitment to expanding student access and fostering strong post-graduation earnings outcomes.


“Tribal Colleges and Universities are cornerstones of their communities as economic drivers and local systems of support for students and families from all walks of life in some of the most remote locations in the country,” said AIHEC President & CEO Ahniwake Rose. “Attaining this Carnegie classification is a well-deserved achievement, underscoring the outstanding work TCUs do in serving their communities and advancing student success every day.”


Congratulations to the AIHEC TCUs members receiving the highest student access and earnings classification as Opportunity Colleges and Universities including: Aaniiih Nakoda College (MT), Bay Mills Community College (MI), Blackfeet Community (MT), Dine College (AZ), Fort Peck Community College (MT), Haskell Indian Nations University (KS), Leech Lake Tribal College (MN), Little Big Horn College (MT), Little Priest Tribal College (NB), Salish Kootenai College (MT), Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (NM), Tohono O’odham Community College (AZ), Turtle Mountain Community College (ND), and White Earth Tribal and Community College (MN).


According to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, “Opportunity Colleges and Universities are institutions within the Student Access and Earnings Classification that can serve as models for studying how campuses foster student success. They provide higher than expected levels of access to low-income and underrepresented students, and their students experience strong earnings outcomes.”


The Carnegie Student Access and Earnings Classification has six categories, with TCU’s showing in the top three categories: twelve TCU’s attained the second level of Higher Access, Medium Earnings, five TCU’s were in the third Higher Access, Lower Earnings category, and three TCU’s were not classified.


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The above table shows the 34 accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities' (TCUs) rankings in the Carnegie Student Access and Earnings Classification.

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) provides a support network to the nation’s accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and works to influence public policy on American Indian and Alaska Native higher education issues through advocacy, research, and programmatic initiatives; promotes and strengthens Indigenous languages, cultures, communities, lands, and tribal nations; and through its unique position, serves member institutions and emerging TCUs.

American Indian Higher Education Consortium
www.aihec.org | (703) 838-0400
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