GraduateSmart
GraduateSmart
GraduateSmart 501(c)(3) is committed to transparency about the data that powers our platform. We use authoritative public data sources — primarily U.S. federal government databases and nonprofit organizations — to ensure accuracy and reliability for the students, parents, and counselors who rely on our tools.
The OOH is published by the U.S. Department of Labor and provides detailed information on hundreds of occupations including job duties, education requirements, pay, and projected job growth.
Used for:
Salary ranges (min/max), 10-year job growth projections, total employment figures, and degree requirements for all 200+ careers on the platform.
Public domain — U.S. Government work
O*NET is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration and provides detailed descriptors of job characteristics and worker attributes.
Used for:
Job demand ratings, skill requirements, and career descriptions.
Public domain — U.S. Government work
IPEDS is the primary federal database on colleges, universities, and technical and vocational institutions in the United States, maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Used for:
Tuition rates (in-state/out-of-state), graduation rates, retention rates, acceptance rates, institutional type (public/private), and location data for 390+ schools.
Public domain — U.S. Government work
College Navigator is a free consumer information tool provided by NCES that helps students search for colleges using a variety of criteria.
Used for:
Supplementary school stats, program offerings, and accreditation status.
Public domain — U.S. Government work
A collaborative effort between the higher education community and publishers of college guides. Provides standardized institutional data collected annually from participating colleges.
Used for:
SAT/ACT score ranges, GPA profiles, and financial aid data for select institutions.
Publicly available institutional disclosures
The New York State Education Department oversees all K-12 and postsecondary education in New York State.
Used for:
SUNY and CUNY institutional data, teacher certification requirements, and CTE program standards for NY schools.
Public domain — NY State Government work
CLEP is a program of the College Board that provides tests allowing students to earn college credit for knowledge they have already acquired.
Used for:
All 34 CLEP exam names, descriptions, passing scores (50), credit hour values, subject areas, registration fees ($93), and participating institution counts.
Publicly available program information
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program created by the College Board that offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students.
Used for:
All 38 AP exam names, descriptions, score scales (1–5), subject areas, difficulty ratings, recommended study hours, and credit policies at participating colleges.
Publicly available program information
A nonprofit that provides free online courses for every CLEP exam and covers the $93 exam fee through vouchers for qualified students.
Used for:
Free study resource links and fee waiver program information displayed on CLEP exam cards.
Publicly available nonprofit information
New York State Education Department provides oversight and curriculum standards for all CTE programs delivered through BOCES and local school districts.
Used for:
BOCES program names, curriculum standards, certification alignments, and program descriptions for all 16 CTE program types on the platform.
Public domain — NY State Government work
A program of the City University of New York that provides free college courses to eligible New York City public high school students.
Used for:
Course names, credit values, eligibility criteria, and enrollment information for College Now dual enrollment options.
Publicly available program information
A 6-year program model launched by IBM that enables students to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree at no cost.
Used for:
P-TECH program descriptions, pathway types, and partnership information.
Publicly available program information
A leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications recognized by employers worldwide.
Used for:
Certification names (A+, Network+, Security+, ITF+), exam costs, and career pathway information.
Publicly available certification information
The U.S. Department of Education is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation.
Used for:
Federal grant and scholarship program information (Pell Grant, TEACH Grant) referenced in opportunity descriptions.
Public domain — U.S. Government work
The CCD is the U.S. Department of Education's primary database on public elementary and secondary education.
Used for:
High school names, locations, school types (public/charter/private), and district affiliations for the high school directory.
Public domain — U.S. Government work
GraduateSmart 501(c)(3) is an independent nonprofit educational platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to the College Board, U.S. Department of Education, Bureau of Labor Statistics, CUNY, SUNY, NYC DOE, or any other data source listed above.
All data is used for educational and informational purposes only under fair use principles. Career salary data, job growth projections, school statistics, and exam information are approximate and should be independently verified before making academic or financial decisions.
If you are a data provider and believe any information should be corrected or removed, please contact us at data@graduatesmart.org.