Introduction
IPEDS is the dataset everything else in higher ed gets compared against, and it is also the one IR teams pull most often. Clema has a dedicated IPEDS AI agent so you can query the federal database in plain English without navigating the data center or writing joins. These five questions cover the most useful first pulls and what each one tells you about the dataset.
What is our fall enrollment headcount for the latest IPEDS year?
A foundation pull. Clema returns the headcount, the IPEDS year, and the survey component (Fall Enrollment). This confirms the institution is in the database and shows how Clema surfaces the source.
What is our 150% graduation rate for the most recent cohort?
The accountability metric. Clema applies the GRS 150% time definition and returns the cohort, the completers, and the rate. Watch for the cohort year; IPEDS publishes graduation rates on a lag.
How does our tuition compare to our Carnegie peers?
A peer comparison. Clema builds the peer group from your Carnegie class, pulls tuition and fees for each, and returns the comparison with the IPEDS year shown. This is the building block for board memos.
What is our total operating revenue per FTE student?
A finance cut. Clema pulls operating revenue from the Finance survey and FTE from Fall Enrollment and computes the ratio. This is a question deans ask that crosses two IPEDS components.
What share of our faculty are full-time versus part-time?
A faculty composition pull. Clema returns the counts from the Human Resources survey and computes the share. Useful for tenure-track signaling and accreditation reviews.
What Each Answer Shows
- The IPEDS component. Every answer names the survey (Fall Enrollment, GRS, Finance, HR) so you know where the figure lives.
- The collection year. IPEDS publishes on a lag; Clema shows the year so you do not accidentally mix a 2023 finance figure with a 2024 enrollment count.
- The cohort definition. Graduation rate answers should specify the cohort year and the 150% time window so the figure is defensible.
Where to Go Next
Once these five confirm Clema understands the IPEDS schema, move to peer benchmarking. Build a stable peer group by Carnegie class, control, region, or designation, and pull the same metric for each peer in one conversation. See the IR metrics and benchmarks reference for which metrics to compare and how to keep the cohort definitions comparable. For the federal release calendar so you know which IPEDS year is current, see the federal data release calendar.
Ask IPEDS in plain English
Start a 14-day free trial and ask these five IPEDS questions in your first session.
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