The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS®) is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to gauge relative progress toward sustainability.

Each STARS rating is an indication of sustainability leadership; Campuses can use a STARS logo with their rating level on their website and print materials. The STARS rating means that an institution has gone through a comprehensive process of collecting and publicly reporting information related to their sustainability performance. AASHE's aim is to have STARS be recognized as the consistent tool of measuring sustainability in higher education.

Institutions earn points in three main categories: Education & Research; Operations; and Planning, Administration & Engagement. Each of these categories includes subcategories such as Purchasing, Curriculum, Energy, and Human Resources. There is also an Innovation category to recognize pioneering practices that aren’t covered by other STARS credits.