PSEO Explorer

Projects

Photo courtesy of Minnesota State

Research Community of Practice

Join as an Inaugural Member

The PSEO Coalition is launching a Research Community of Practice (RCOP), a collaborative space for higher education professionals to learn from one another and deepen the use of PSEO outcomes data. 

About the RCOP

The RCOP brings together colleagues from two- and four-year institutions to deepen their understanding and use cases for PSEO data and data structures, as well as to learn insider tips and tricks for making the most of these valuable data. RCOP participants will refine their skills in applying data to inform campus decision-making and increase their capacity to use outcomes data through design thinking methodologies. Members will also be one of the first groups to learn about new PSEO updates, programs, and research grant opportunities.

Defining Tenets

Who Should Consider This Opportunity

Staff from institutions whose data are in PSEO and who will find this opportunity most engaging ideally should have experience in one or more of the following general areas: 

  • Institutional research
  • Institutional effectiveness
  • Career services
  • Student affairs assessment
  • Academic program development
  • Institutional advancement
  • Strategic planning
  • Institutional marketing and communications 

Key Dates

  • January 15, 2026: Interest form opens

  • January 30, 2026: Interest submissions due

  • Early February 2026: Welcome email and next steps

  • February 12, 2026, from 1-2 CT: First meeting of the RCOP

Members are invited to serve a minimum of one year in the community of practice. We will hold a 60-minute virtual meeting once every two months. 

Interest Form

To express your interest in joining the RCOP, please fill out this short form:

Interest Form

PSEO Data Visualization and Communication

Under the direction of Christopher Peña, two student interns are assisting the PSEO Coalition in developing visualizations of PSEO data and determining ways to communicate the resulting information to stakeholders, including students, parents, and career counselors. Funding for the work of the student interns is generously provided by Strada Education Foundation.

Christopher Peña

Assistant Professor of the Practice, University of Denver and Intern Supervisor, PSEO Coalition

DiviyaBharrathi Barathwaaj

Master of Science in Management Information Systems Candidate, Northern Illinois University

Sai Teja Tadikonda

Master of Science in Management Information Systems Candidate, Northern Illinois University

Measuring and Reporting the Value of Educational Credentials

Under the direction of the PSEO Director, Gina Johnson, a group of PSEO Coalition members is engaging in technical assistance, workshops, and peer engagement to adopt and operationalize the Postsecondary Value Commission’s Value Framework, improving their capacity to measure and report on the value of educational credentials at the institutional level. Funding for this work is generously provided by the Gates Foundation.

PSEO Coalition Grants: 2025-26 Request for Proposals

The PSEO Coalition invites proposals for projects that use the U.S. Census Bureau’s PSEO data to advance evidence-based decision-making in higher education. PSEO provides earnings outcomes (25th/50th/75th percentiles at one, five, and 10 years after graduation) and employment flows (graduates’ main employer by industry and geography), disaggregated by institution, degree field, degree level, and graduation cohort. Data are aggregated, governed for transparency, and refreshed annually (current cohorts: 2019-2021). Inclusion criteria follow full-time equivalent minimum-wage earnings with at least three quarters worked in a calendar year.

What We’re Funding

  • Up to five (5) grants of $15,000 (U.S.-based researchers)
  • Applied projects; quantitative or qualitative (anchored to PSEO)
  • Efforts that demonstrate practical utility for institutions, systems, states, and policy/NGO partners (e.g., decision-ready reporting templates, geographic/industry flow analyses, accreditation and program-review evidence, and myth-busting analyses of majors and outcomes).

Priority Audiences

Institutional Research/IE, career services, advancement/alumni, accreditation liaisons, data managers, faculty, system/state analysts, students and employers, and other consumers of postsecondary data.

Timeline

  • Proposals due: Tuesday, January 20, 2026, by 5 PM PST
  • Award notifications: Monday, February 9, 2026
  • First draft due (triggers first-half payment): Monday, April 27, 2026
  • Comments returned: Friday, May 22, 2026
  • Final draft due (triggers final payment): Friday, June 12, 2026

Proposal Components

  1. Project overview: Purpose, audience, questions/topics, alignment to evidence-based practice
  2. Data description: PSEO elements used; any non-PSEO data with validity/reliability steps
  3. Project outline: Final deliverable structure
  4. Applicant bio(s): Relevant experience

How to Apply

Application: Submit via the application form found here.

Review the RFP: Download the full request for proposals here.

For questions, email: research@pseocoalition.org

Publication: Selected projects will be co-branded and featured in the PSEO Coalition’s Resource Library.

PSEO Explorer