Rogue Community College has been awarded the Carnegie Foundation’s new Opportunity College Classification—a first-of-its-kind recognition, and RCC is the only public college in Oregon to receive this prestigious honor.
Joining the Exchange is RCC President Dr. Randy Weber to discuss the Carnegie classification.
ABOUT THE AWARD
In April 2025, the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education announced the new Student Access and Earnings Classification, a unique approach to describing the contributions of postsecondary institutions nationwide. This classification compares similar institutions across the country, identifying whether they provide access to students in communities they serve, and whether those students go on to successful, wealth-generating careers in the regions where they live and work.
479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, meaning these offer higher access and their graduates have higher earnings, serving as models for studying how campuses can foster student success.
REPRESENTATIVE OF COMMUNITY
The student body must be at least as representative of the local population as the broader community. The makeup of RCC’s student body—meaning the backgrounds, income levels, and demographics of students—closely matches the makeup of the wider local community. This shows that RCC is open, inclusive and serving the people who live in the area, not just a select group.
DELIVERS REAL ECONOMIC IMPACT \ STUDENTS GET AHEAD FINANCIALLY
On average, students who complete their education at RCC go on to earn at least 25% more than the typical person in the area.
FIRST AWARD
This classification was created by the Carnegie Foundation, a national organization known for setting high standards in higher education. This is the first time the Carnegie Foundation has issued this classification.
RCC ONLY AWARDED OREGON INSTITUTION
RCC is the only public college in Oregon to make the cut. Less than 17% of colleges and universities in the country received this recognition.
