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What are CIP Codes?

The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) is a taxonomic coding scheme that provides a standardized way to support the accurate tracking, assessment, and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity. Developed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CIP codes are widely used across higher education for program classification and federal reporting requirements.
For the complete, official CIP codes reference, visit the NCES CIP Code Browser. This is the authoritative source for all CIP code definitions and updates.

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How CIP Codes Work in Mapademics

CIP codes serve as the foundation for connecting your academic programs to relevant career pathways and labor market data. Here’s how the platform uses them:

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Program-to-Career Mapping

When you assign a CIP code to a program, Mapademics automatically:
  • Maps the program to relevant SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) codes
  • Identifies potential career pathways for graduates
  • Connects to current labor market intelligence and wage data
  • Enables skills gap analysis between curriculum and job requirements

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Skills Alignment Analysis

CIP codes help the platform understand:
  • What types of skills are typically associated with your program area
  • How your curriculum compares to national standards for similar programs
  • Which industries commonly hire graduates from your program classification

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CIP Code Structure

CIP codes follow a hierarchical six-digit structure: 
XX.XXXX

Where:
- First 2 digits = Instructional Program Class (broad field)
- Last 4 digits = Instructional Program (specific specialization)

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Hierarchy Levels

Broad instructional program classes like:
  • 01 = Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
  • 11 = Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
  • 14 = Engineering
  • 52 = Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

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Using CIP Codes in Your Programs

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Assigning CIP Codes

  1. Navigate to Programs: Go to your Programs section in the Mapademics dashboard
  2. Edit Program Details: Select the program you want to classify
  3. Choose CIP Code: Use the searchable dropdown to find the most appropriate CIP code
  4. Save Changes: The system will automatically map relevant SOC codes and career pathways
Use the most specific CIP code that accurately describes your program. A more specific code provides better career pathway mapping and more relevant labor market data.

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Bulk CIP Code Assignment

For multiple programs, use the bulk import feature:
1

Prepare your data

Include a “CIP Code” column in your program import file with the six-digit codes (e.g., “11.0101”)
2

Upload via bulk import

Use the bulk data import tool to upload your program data with CIP codes included
3

Review mappings

After import, verify that SOC codes and career pathways have been correctly mapped

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Common CIP Code Categories

Here are frequently used CIP code categories in higher education:

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CIP Code Best Practices

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Choosing the Right Code

Selecting an inappropriate CIP code can result in misleading career pathway data and inaccurate skills gap analysis. Take time to review the official descriptions.
Guidelines for selection:
  1. Review official definitions at the NCES CIP Code Browser
  2. Choose the most specific code that accurately describes your program content
  3. Consider graduate outcomes - where do your graduates actually work?
  4. Align with institutional reporting - use codes consistent with your IPEDS reporting

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Validation and Quality Assurance

Before finalizing CIP code assignments:
1

Cross-reference with NCES

Verify your chosen codes against the official NCES CIP Code Browser
2

Review SOC mappings

Check that the automatically mapped SOC codes align with your program’s career outcomes
3

Validate with stakeholders

Confirm selections with academic departments and career services teams
4

Monitor outcomes

Regularly review whether the mapped career pathways match actual graduate employment

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Integration with Workforce Data

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Automatic SOC Mapping

When you assign a CIP code, Mapademics automatically connects your program to relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes. This enables:
  • Real-time labor market data including wages, employment growth, and job openings
  • Skills gap analysis between your curriculum and industry requirements
  • Career pathway visualization for students and advisors
  • Program performance metrics based on employment outcomes

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Custom Job Market Integration

CIP codes also work with custom employer data:
  • Match local employer job descriptions to your programs
  • Analyze skills alignment with regional workforce needs
  • Identify partnership opportunities with area employers

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Reporting and Analytics

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Program Performance Tracking

CIP codes enable powerful analytics including:
  • Comparison of your programs to national benchmarks
  • Skills coverage analysis against industry standards
  • Employment outcome tracking by program classification
  • ROI analysis based on career pathway data

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Compliance and Accreditation

Proper CIP code usage supports:
  • IPEDS reporting requirements for federal compliance
  • Accreditation reviews with standardized program classification
  • State reporting for workforce development initiatives
  • Grant applications requiring program classification data

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

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Resources and References

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Official Resources

  • NCES CIP Code Browser - Complete official CIP code directory
  • IPEDS Data Collection System - For understanding federal reporting requirements
  • National Center for Education Statistics - Updates and methodology documentation
Ready to get started? Navigate to your Programs section and begin assigning CIP codes to unlock comprehensive career pathway mapping and labor market analysis for your academic offerings.