SPI Insights

Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) was one of only 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. and 10 Texas higher education institutions to attain R2 Carnegie Classification (Doctoral University; High Research Activity.

In the 2021 update to the Carnegie Classifications, Prairie View A&M was joined by these public and private universities in Texas:

The honor represents excellence in teaching, research, and innovation in institutions of higher education across the nation. The second-highest ranking for universities with a commitment to research, this designation is now held by 133 higher education institutions nationwide.

Colleges and universities with at least 20 annual doctoral degrees and at least $5 million in total annual research expenditures are eligible for the classification. PVAMU awarded 22 doctoral degrees in 2020 and increased its research expenditures to over $23.6 million in the same year. The University awarded 63 doctoral degrees in the past five years and amassed $105 million in research expenditures for the period, placing PVAMU in the Top 10 for Historically Black Colleges and Universities in regard to research.

Texas universities achieving the R1 Very High Research designation for 2021 are:

Updated every three years, the Carnegie Classification separates colleges into research, teaching, and other institutional characteristics that are often used to assess the quality of educational experiences for both students and faculty.

The 2021 classifications are being reviewed by higher education leaders and administrators and could change. The listing of institutions in one of more than 30 basic classification categories becomes official by the end of January.