# IPEDS Institution Comparator (`junipr/ipeds-institution-comparator`) Actor

Compare institutions using IPEDS-style variables from supplied files, API responses, or normalized exports, with clear variable labels, years, peer rankings, and missing-data handling.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/junipr/ipeds-institution-comparator.md
- **Developed by:** [junipr](https://apify.com/junipr) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $6.50 / 1,000 record fetcheds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## IPEDS Institution Comparator

### Store Positioning

**Store title:** IPEDS Institution Comparator

**Short description:** Compare institutions using IPEDS-style variables from supplied files, API responses, or normalized exports, with clear variable labels, years, peer rankings, and missing-data handling.

**SEO title:** IPEDS Institution Comparator — official public data extraction and monitoring

**SEO description:** Compare institutions using IPEDS-style variables from supplied files, API responses, or normalized exports, with clear variable labels, years, peer rankings, and missing-data handling. Use it to normalize official public data into clean Apify datasets with source-specific fields and report artifacts.

**Categories:** DEVELOPER\_TOOLS

**Keywords:** ipeds, institution, comparator, data qa, api testing, official/public-data actor

### Pay-Per-Event Pricing

This actor uses pay-per-event pricing. Event prices include Apify platform usage; users are not expected to pay a separate platform-usage pass-through charge for the configured pricing model.

- Tier: D1 — Official/public-data actor
- Primary event: `record-fetched` at $0.00908 base
- Default max charge: $15.00
- Store discounts: FREE/BRONZE base, SILVER discounted, GOLD deepest approved discount

Event set:

- `actor-start`: base $0.02000, GOLD $0.01760. Ipeds Institution Comparator: charged when actor start is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.
- `record-fetched`: base $0.00908, GOLD $0.00799. Ipeds Institution Comparator: charged when record fetched is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.
- `event-detected`: base $0.01300, GOLD $0.01140. Ipeds Institution Comparator: charged when event detected is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.
- `report-generated`: base $0.05000, GOLD $0.04400. Ipeds Institution Comparator: charged when report generated is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.

The actor accepts `actor-start` before work, accepts the primary event before each dataset row, and accepts the configured report event before writing report files. If `maxChargeUsd` or the live PPE limit blocks a charge, the corresponding row or report is not written.

### Public Task Concepts

- Compare previous and current IPEDS Institution snapshots
- Monitor IPEDS Institution changes for a capped watchlist
- Build an IPEDS Institution change digest from supplied evidence
- Prioritize high-impact IPEDS Institution changes
- Export IPEDS Institution change rows for client review
  Compare IPEDS-style institution variables by UNITID, year, variable code, rank, and missing-data coverage.

### Inputs

- `unitIds`
- `institutionNames`
- `ipedsDataFiles`
- `ipedsCsvUrls`
- `variables`
- `years`
- `peerGroupName`
- `comparisonMode`
- `includeMissingDataRows`
- `normalizeValues`
- `maxInstitutions`

The exact default compares public College Scorecard/IPEDS-derived enrollment and completion observations for Harvard, MIT, and Stanford captured at 2026-07-12T06:00:00Z; its source label identifies that derivation.

### Outputs

- `unitId`
- `institutionName`
- `year`
- `variableCode`
- `variableLabel`
- `value`
- `normalizedValue`
- `valueUnit`
- `peerGroupRank`
- `peerGroupPercentile`
- `sourceFile`
- `missingDataFlag`
- `warning`

Run locally with `npm test` and `npm run build`.

# Actor input Schema

## `unitIds` (type: `array`):

Unit IDs controls IPEDS Institution Comparator processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `institutionNames` (type: `array`):

Institution Names controls IPEDS Institution Comparator processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `ipedsDataFiles` (type: `array`):

IPEDS Data Files to inspect during the run.

## `ipedsCsvUrls` (type: `array`):

Public IPEDS CSV URLs to fetch or inspect for IPEDS Institution Comparator.

## `variables` (type: `array`):

Variables controls IPEDS Institution Comparator processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `years` (type: `array`):

Years controls IPEDS Institution Comparator processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `peerGroupName` (type: `string`):

Peer Group Name controls IPEDS Institution Comparator processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `comparisonMode` (type: `string`):

Comparison Mode controlling how IPEDS Institution Comparator processes the supplied inputs.

## `includeMissingDataRows` (type: `boolean`):

Include missing data rows in output rows or reports when available.

## `normalizeValues` (type: `boolean`):

Normalize Values controls IPEDS Institution Comparator processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `maxInstitutions` (type: `integer`):

Maximum institutions to process in one run; keep defaults low for safe first runs.

## `maxChargeUsd` (type: `number`):

Maximum pay-per-event charge allowed before the actor stops without emitting unpaid output.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "unitIds": [
    "166027",
    "166683",
    "243744"
  ],
  "institutionNames": [],
  "ipedsDataFiles": [
    {
      "name": "college-scorecard-latest-ipeds-derived.json",
      "records": [
        {
          "unitId": "166027",
          "institutionName": "Harvard University",
          "year": 2023,
          "variableCode": "EFYTOTLT",
          "value": 7601
        },
        {
          "unitId": "166027",
          "institutionName": "Harvard University",
          "year": 2023,
          "variableCode": "GRRTTOT",
          "value": 97.45
        },
        {
          "unitId": "166683",
          "institutionName": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology",
          "year": 2023,
          "variableCode": "EFYTOTLT",
          "value": 4535
        },
        {
          "unitId": "166683",
          "institutionName": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology",
          "year": 2023,
          "variableCode": "GRRTTOT",
          "value": 96.24
        },
        {
          "unitId": "243744",
          "institutionName": "Stanford University",
          "year": 2023,
          "variableCode": "EFYTOTLT",
          "value": 7554
        },
        {
          "unitId": "243744",
          "institutionName": "Stanford University",
          "year": 2023,
          "variableCode": "GRRTTOT",
          "value": 92.37
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "ipedsCsvUrls": [],
  "variables": [
    "EFYTOTLT",
    "GRRTTOT"
  ],
  "years": [
    2023
  ],
  "peerGroupName": "Harvard, MIT, and Stanford",
  "comparisonMode": "long",
  "includeMissingDataRows": true,
  "normalizeValues": true,
  "maxInstitutions": 3,
  "maxChargeUsd": 1
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("junipr/ipeds-institution-comparator").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("junipr/ipeds-institution-comparator").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call junipr/ipeds-institution-comparator --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,junipr/ipeds-institution-comparator"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/QIzNej9Gfacz7ffM7/builds/prrUprNeOE73Ahdf1/openapi.json