GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – Santa Fe College has earned a significant national honor as one of only two Florida public colleges to receive the new “Opportunity Colleges and Universities” designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The only other Florida college to receive the recognition is Chipola College in Marianna.

The updated Carnegie classifications, released today, highlight institutions with strong accessibility and measurable economic outcomes for students. Specifically, the “Opportunity” designation identifies schools that provide high access to underserved populations and lead to higher earnings for graduates and former students.

“Santa Fe College is proud to receive our 2025 Carnegie Classification,” said President Paul Broadie II. “This reflects the result of our unwavering commitment to student success, access and economic mobility.”

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Broadie emphasized the college’s work with advisory committees of educators and industry professionals who help shape programs that lead to in-demand, high-wage careers.

The Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education redesigned their classification system this year to better reflect the diverse missions and outcomes of U.S. colleges. The new framework incorporates factors such as student demographics, Pell Grant eligibility, and post-attendance earnings.

Timothy Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation, said the old designations were “incomplete measures,” and the new system aims to highlight schools that help students achieve upward mobility.

This marks the first major overhaul of the Carnegie Classifications since their inception in 1973.

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