1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Bridgewater State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Bridgewater State University MA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #356 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/bridgewater-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/bridgewater-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/bridgewater-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/bridgewater-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/bridgewater-state-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Bridgewater State University #356 among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Bridgewater State University is a public university in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, whose degree mix is led by Business, Education, and Psychology. Mobility is the strongest of the four pillars, well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes a subtraction to a remainder it does not explain and an addition to the factors it measures—field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. Return is modestly below average, the weakest of the four pillars. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is well above average. The net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it, and affordability is above average. The admission rate is close to the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are much smaller. ## Bridgewater State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 87.8% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 53.4% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $59,669 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $13,559 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,286 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $18,070 ## Bridgewater State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Bridgewater State University is a public university in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, enrolling 7,829 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the upper quarter of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (76th percentile). The university admits 87.8% of applicants, a rate set against the middle value for comparable institutions of the same type and size, a peer median of 85.9%. Of students who start full time, 75.1% return for a second year, while the peer median is 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/), which tracks only the first-time full-time cohort, is 53.4%, compared with a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 34.4% of the undergraduate body transfers in, so a substantial share of students does not begin here as first-time freshmen. Mobility ranks highest among the four pillars (89th percentile) and return ranks lowest (42nd percentile). Access and affordability fall between the two, at the 63rd and 65th percentiles. The profile is uneven across the dimensions. Bridgewater State University presents a stronger mobility profile than return, a contrast prospective students should weigh alongside program outcomes. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, mobility is in the 89th percentile and access is in the 63rd percentile. Affordability reaches the 65th percentile, while return, the weakest pillar, is in the 42nd percentile. Mobility, access, and affordability point higher than the return measure. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 1,060 and 1,263, and the middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 25 and 30. Pell Grants reach 31.9% of undergraduates, a measure of financial access. Azimuth assigns the university an access rank of #550 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 61.3%, which sits 7.9 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (53.4%). Azimuth ranks the university #162 among nonprofit four-year institutions for mobility. Graduates earn about $1,898 less than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Bridgewater State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #356 | | [Massachusetts](/rankings/best-colleges-in-massachusetts/) | #17 | | [Northeast](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-northeast/) | #87 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 89 **Access & reach** National percentile: 63 **[Affordability](/school/bridgewater-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 65 **[Return on investment](/school/bridgewater-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 42 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Criminal Justice and Corrections**#17** 2. Social Work**#22** 3. Chemistry**#24** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/bridgewater-state-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Bridgewater State University briefing ## [Bridgewater State University cost & financial aid](/school/bridgewater-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Bridgewater State University is $26,160, an average across living arrangements. In-state tuition and fees are $11,808, and room and board is $15,247. Out-of-state students face tuition and fees of $17,948. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $16,383. That is $2,315 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Financial aid reduces the sticker price by $9,777 on average, covering about 37% of the published cost for the typical aid recipient. Azimuth ranks the university #494 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Bridgewater State University’s published cost of attendance is $26,160 (an average across living arrangements), but aid recipients face markedly different average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s by family-income band. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $10,007 for the lowest family-income band, $11,579 for the lower-middle band, $13,559 for the middle band, $16,904 for the upper-middle band, and $21,176 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $11,169. Azimuth ranks the public university #494 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 37% of the published cost, an average savings of $9,777. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $16,383, which is $2,315 above the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition is $11,808, out-of-state tuition is $17,948, and room and board is $15,247. The overall average price sits above its comparable-institution benchmark despite the aid offset. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $24,286, and 92.8% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. The peer median debt is $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size), making Bridgewater State University’s median $3,057 above that figure. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $18,070. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$13,559** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Bridgewater State University For completing borrowers, federal loan debt is common at Bridgewater State University, where 92.8% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. The median federal student loan debt at completion is $24,286. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229. Bridgewater State University's median is $3,057 above that benchmark. For [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers, a separate parent-borrower population, median borrowing is $18,070. Mobility is the university's strongest Azimuth pillar, yet the investment picture is mixed. Bridgewater State University graduates earn a median of $59,669 four years after completion among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Azimuth places those earnings in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is less favorable. Graduates earn about $1,898 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 48th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The downside, typical, and upside earnings scenarios are $50,472, $59,669, and $71,286. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $24,286, $3,057 above the $21,229 peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. The return picture is mixed: debt sits above the peer median and graduates earn less than the model expects. Parent borrowers have median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $18,070, separate from student federal-loan borrowers. The median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $24,286 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $18,070 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $276/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $230/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=bridgewater-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/bridgewater-state-university/cost/) 02 / Bridgewater State University briefing ## [Bridgewater State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/bridgewater-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Graduates earn about $1,898 less than the model expects for similar students, though the median four years after completion is $59,669. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, putting Bridgewater State University $2,368 above that mark. Azimuth places its return pillar in the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between graduate earnings and the model's expectation for similar students, is in the 48th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,809. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $4,707. The median earnings figure is in the 50th percentile. Above-peer earnings sit alongside below-expected earnings. Bridgewater State University posts median earnings of $59,669 four years after completion, a middle-of-the-pack result among the institutions Azimuth tracks. The measure covers federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, rather than every person who attended the university. Azimuth places those earnings in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, using an earnings cohort of 3,078 completers. The typical earnings scenario is $59,669, based on the program mix; it is a scenario, not an observed group of graduates. Graduates earn about $1,898 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, offers a separate model-based check on the median. An estimated 32.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The central earnings figure and the model result point in different directions. Bridgewater State University has median earnings of $59,669 four years after completion for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That figure sits in the 50th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with the university's median $2,368 above it. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, falls in the 48th percentile. Graduates earn about $1,898 less than the model expects for similar students. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,809. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $4,707. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $74. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from a downside of $50,472 to an upside of $71,286. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The return picture is mixed: the school median is above the peer median, but graduates earn less than the model expects. Psychology is the largest bachelor's program, with 312 degrees awarded. Its median earnings are $51,939 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #129 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Criminal Justice awarded 164 degrees and has median earnings of $64,178; Azimuth ranks it #17 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Criminal Justice has a benchmark ratio of 1.16x of the national median for its field. Subject-Area Teacher Education awarded 157 degrees, with median earnings of $58,255 and an Azimuth national rank of #27 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. These larger programs span different earnings levels and national positions. Observed program earnings differ enough that earnings scenarios offer only a view of potential outcomes at Bridgewater State University. The downside and upside earnings scenarios, modeled from the program mix rather than observed groups, run from $50,472 to $71,286. Among published program medians four years after completion, Computer Science reaches $87,099, Chemistry is $80,287, and Accounting is $79,315. Those observed program figures extend above the upside, so field choice and the scenario range describe different parts of the earnings picture. At Bridgewater State University, federal borrowing deserves close attention alongside the graduate earnings record. Borrowers who completed had median federal student loan debt of $24,286, a measure that excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, placing Bridgewater State University above that figure by $3,057. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowers are a separate group, with median Parent PLUS borrowing of $18,070. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, adds a less favorable result. Graduates earn about $1,898 less than the model expects for similar students. Debt above the peer median and earnings below the model’s expectation point in the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$2,809 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$4,707 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$1,898 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/bridgewater-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Bridgewater State University briefing ## [Bridgewater State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/bridgewater-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At 87.8%, Bridgewater State University admits most applicants in the reported pool, a rate above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The comparison shows that admission was more common here than at the middle comparable institution in that release. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 87.8% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1060 **Reported average** 1180 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1263 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/bridgewater-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Bridgewater State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Bridgewater State University?](/school/bridgewater-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The nationally ranked programs at Bridgewater State University show several earnings levels four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Criminal Justice #17 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; 164 degrees were awarded, and median earnings were $64,178. For Chemistry, Azimuth places the field #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions; 25 degrees were awarded and median earnings reached $80,287. Social Work ranks #22 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, with 92 degrees awarded and $59,510 in median earnings. Azimuth ranks Subject-Area Teacher Education #27 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; it awarded 157 degrees and posted $58,255 in median earnings. The higher-earning pair and the more moderate programs point to a mixed return picture by field. The strongest ranked fields pair prominent program standings with distinct earnings levels across the university’s offerings. Social Work ranks #22 nationally in Azimuth, with 92 degrees awarded and median earnings of $59,510 four years after completion. Bridgewater State University awards bachelor's degrees across 20 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 24 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is anchored by Business, which accounts for 17.1% of degrees awarded, followed by Education at 15.6% and Psychology at 15.1%. The largest single programs are Psychology with 312 degrees awarded, Management Science with 188, and Criminal Justice with 164. Criminal Justice is the highest-ranked program, with 164 degrees awarded and median earnings of $64,178 four years after completion. It carries a benchmark ratio of 1.16x against the national median for its field and ranks #4 in Massachusetts. Social Work ranks #22 nationally within its field and #1 in Massachusetts, with 92 degrees awarded. Computer Science is the highest-earning program, at $87,099, though it awards only 44 degrees a year. Management Science, the second-largest program, reports median earnings of $64,769 and ranks #56 nationally. Strength is concentrated in a few fields rather than spread across the university. The highest-ranked programs are in criminal justice, social work, and management, while the highest earnings come from a small computer science program. Across all fields, 9.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Psychology, General 312 degrees awarded** $51,939 **Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 188 degrees awarded** $64,769 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 164 degrees awarded** $64,178 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 157 degrees awarded** $58,255 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 138 degrees awarded** $51,523 **Communication and Media Studies 131 degrees awarded** $56,968 Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/bridgewater-state-university/majors/) 05 / Bridgewater State University briefing ## How does Bridgewater State University serve students from different backgrounds? For Bridgewater State University, the mobility picture is strongest in completion: Pell recipients finish within six years at 61.3%, above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort of 53.4% by 7.9 percentage points. Azimuth places its mobility pillar in the 89th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, sits in the 48th percentile. Graduates earn about $1,898 less than the model expects for similar students. Strong completion measures sit alongside below-expected earnings. At Bridgewater State University, entry routes include admissions, transfer enrollment, and Pell Grant participation. The university admits 87.8% of applicants and enrolls 7,829 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients account for 31.9% of undergraduates, while an estimated 34.4% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places access in the 63rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. These measures describe a public university with several routes into a sizable undergraduate population. 06 / Bridgewater State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Bridgewater State University?](/school/bridgewater-state-university/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/bridgewater-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Bridgewater State University. Admissions peerFramingham State University83.6% admitted+ Comparison with Bridgewater State University | Measure | Bridgewater State University | Framingham State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,669 | $61,569+$1,900 vs Bridgewater State University | | Average annual net price | $16,383 | $16,114\-$269 vs Bridgewater State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 87.8% | 83.6% | Higher-admission alternativeNew Jersey City University98.4% admitted+ Comparison with Bridgewater State University | Measure | Bridgewater State University | New Jersey City University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,669 | $60,965+$1,296 vs Bridgewater State University | | Average annual net price | $16,383 | $16,053\-$330 vs Bridgewater State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 87.8% | 98.4% | [Explore New Jersey City University →](/school/new-jersey-city-university/) Nearby alternativeWestfield State UniversityNearby option · MA+ Comparison with Bridgewater State University | Measure | Bridgewater State University | Westfield State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,669 | $59,434\-$235 vs Bridgewater State University | | Average annual net price | $16,383 | $16,721+$338 vs Bridgewater State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 87.8% | 81.4% | [Explore Westfield State University →](/school/westfield-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Massachusetts-Lowell$81,163 earnings+ Comparison with Bridgewater State University | Measure | Bridgewater State University | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,669 | $81,163+$21,494 vs Bridgewater State University | | Average annual net price | $16,383 | $17,163+$780 vs Bridgewater State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 87.8% | 83.0% | [Explore University of Massachusetts-Lowell →](/school/university-of-massachusetts-lowell/) Lower-cost alternativeRhode Island College$9,478 average net price+ Comparison with Bridgewater State University | Measure | Bridgewater State University | Rhode Island College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,669 | $59,430\-$239 vs Bridgewater State University | | Average annual net price | $16,383 | $9,478\-$6,905 vs Bridgewater State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 87.8% | 91.8% | [Explore Rhode Island College →](/school/rhode-island-college/) Similar profileStockton UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Bridgewater State University | Measure | Bridgewater State University | Stockton University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,669 | $58,872\-$797 vs Bridgewater State University | | Average annual net price | $16,383 | $20,670+$4,287 vs Bridgewater State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 87.8% | 88.9% | [Explore Stockton University →](/school/stockton-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/bridgewater-state-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)