The research presented in this article examines the predictors of institutional commitment of first-year students at 28 two-year and 23 four-year public institutions. Previous research has demonstrated that institutional commitment is a strong predictor of college students' intent to persist, and ultimately student persistence itself (Braxton, Milem, & Sullivan, 2000; Cabrera, Nora, & Castaneda, 1993; Nora, Kraemer, & Itzen, 1997; Sandler, 2000, Tinto, 1987, 1993). Since institutional commitment is a precursor or predictor of student-persistence behavior, institutional commitment itself becomes an important object of study. Specifically, the study asks what are the factors that influence student commitment and what are the similarities and differences at two-year and four-year institutions.