The University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford has been named an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications.

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The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications, recognizing USJ as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success.

The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published last month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve, and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area.

In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.

The University of Saint Joseph is the only Connecticut institution to receive the distinction of the 2025 Student Access and Earnings Classification: Opportunity Colleges and Universities – Higher Access, Higher Earnings.

“This recognition from the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education affirms what we have long known at the University of Saint Joseph: when students from all backgrounds are given access to rigorous, mission-driven academics, they achieve meaningful outcomes,” said University of Saint Joseph President Rhona C. Free. “Being named an Opportunity College and University reflects our ongoing commitment to helping students thrive academically, professionally, and personally, and to graduate with the skills to transform their communities.”

The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.

More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here.

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