1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. California State University-Channel Islands Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # California State University-Channel Islands CA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #149 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/admissions/)[Majors](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) California State University-Channel Islands #149 among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for California State University-Channel Islands is a public university in Camarillo, California, where Psychology and Health Professions lead the degree mix. Affordability is among the highest we track, and mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them, and the model attributes more of that to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study, so the four-year earnings figure captures the typical outcome. Return is around the average. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole. What students in the lowest income band actually pay after aid sits well below the published cost. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are not the largest. Nursing graduates report the highest earnings, from a program that awards a fraction of the degrees of Psychology. ## California State University-Channel Islands at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 94.8% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 51.3% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $59,304 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $9,083 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $15,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $22,033 ## California State University-Channel Islands rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) California State University-Channel Islands, a public university in Camarillo, California, enrolls 5,013 undergraduates. Azimuth places it in the upper tenth of its ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (90th percentile). Applicants face little selectivity: California State University-Channel Islands admits 94.8% of those who apply, a share above the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among full-time first-year students, 72.4% come back for a second year, a rate slightly below the 73.7% peer median. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/), which tracks only first-time full-time students, is 51.3%, just above the 49.1% median for comparable institutions. An estimated 67.1% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so that completion figure describes a minority of the people who study here. The four pillars sit far apart. Affordability is the strongest (94th percentile), while return is the weakest (54th percentile). Mobility sits close behind affordability (90th percentile), with access between the two extremes (76th percentile). That spread means the university's profile is led by cost and economic mobility, while the earnings picture sits closer to the middle of the field. Affordability is the clearest strength for families weighing California State University-Channel Islands, with mobility also near the top of nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places affordability in the 94th percentile and mobility in the 90th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access stands in the 76th percentile, while return is the weakest pillar at the 54th percentile. The low-cost and mobility measures point in the same direction, though the return measure is closer to the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions. 46.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks California State University-Channel Islands #350 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 66.9%, 15.6 percentage points above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (51.3%). Azimuth ranks the university #145 for mobility. Graduates earn about $8,518 more 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/) California State University-Channel Islands rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #149 | | [California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) | #32 | | [West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) | #43 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 90 **Access & reach** National percentile: 76 **[Affordability](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/cost/)** National percentile: 94 **[Return on investment](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/outcomes/)** National percentile: 54 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Education, Other**#3** 2. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#27** 3. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#41** 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/california-state-university-channel-islands/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / California State University-Channel Islands briefing ## [California State University-Channel Islands cost & financial aid](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) California State University-Channel Islands publishes a cost of attendance of $23,561, with in-state tuition and fees at $7,159 and room and board at $15,490. Out-of-state students face a higher published tuition of $19,759, which shifts the starting point before aid is applied. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $9,849. That is $4,219 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Aid covers about 58% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, reducing the sticker price by $13,712 on average. Azimuth ranks the university #84 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 94th percentile. California State University-Channel Islands posts a published cost of attendance of $23,561, with average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s that range widely by family income. The lowest-income band averages $6,857, the lower-middle band $7,083, the middle-income band $9,083, the upper-middle band $12,286, and the highest-income band $20,473, a spread of $13,616 between the bottom and top. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth ranks the university #84 for affordability. Aid covers about 58% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $13,712 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $9,849, which is $4,219 below the $14,068 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). In-state tuition and fees are $7,159, while out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,759; room and board are $15,490. Both the aid discount and the peer comparison point toward lower out-of-pocket costs. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $15,000, and 62.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That median is $6,229 below the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $170 a month if repaid over ten years. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $22,033. 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**$9,083** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at California State University-Channel Islands At California State University-Channel Islands, federal borrowing at completion sits below the benchmark for comparable institutions. Among completers who borrowed federal student loans, median debt is $15,000, and 62.7% of federal aid recipients borrow through federal loans. The peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, placing this university's median below that figure by $6,229. For the separate parent-borrower population using [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/), median borrowing is $22,033. California State University-Channel Islands pairs [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) with borrowing below that of comparable institutions, although its reported earnings level sits nearer the middle of the national distribution. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $59,304. That figure is in the 48th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,518 more than the model expects for similar students. The earnings-beyond-expectations measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 80th percentile nationally. The typical earnings scenario matches the reported median, with a downside scenario of $47,682 and an upside scenario of $85,139. Median federal student debt at completion is $15,000, below the $21,229 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $6,229. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $170 a month if repaid over ten years. Above-expected earnings and lower borrowing point in the same direction. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $22,033. For student borrowers, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $170 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** $15,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $22,033 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $170/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $280/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=california-state-university-channel-islands#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/cost/) 02 / California State University-Channel Islands briefing ## [California State University-Channel Islands career outcomes & earnings](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Graduates of California State University-Channel Islands earn about $8,518 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the university at the 80th percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $2,637. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $5,881. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $59,304, at the 48th percentile nationally. That is $2,003 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the university at the 54th percentile for return. California State University-Channel Islands offers earnings that sit below the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions but exceed the model’s expectation for similar students. The median for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled is $59,304 four years after completion, in the 48th percentile. This measure covers 2,119 completers. [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 view. Graduates earn about $8,518 more than the model expects for similar students. An estimated 34.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. Earnings scenarios based on the program mix show a downside, typical, and upside outcome rather than observed groups of graduates. The median earnings figure and the higher-than-expected result point in different ways, so both are useful when judging the school’s return. California State University-Channel Islands graduates who received federal aid and are working four years after completion earn a median of $59,304, placing the university at the 48th percentile. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $57,301, leaving the campus $2,003 above that figure. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #679 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,518 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure the gap between what graduates actually earn and what the model expects for similar students. That result falls at the 80th 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 $2,637. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $714. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $5,881. Bachelor's degrees cluster heavily in psychology, health professions, and business administration, while STEM fields make up a smaller share of the overall program mix. Earnings scenarios estimated from that mix range from $47,682 on the downside to $85,139 on the upside. An estimated 34.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Earnings vary widely across the university’s earnings scenarios and across individual fields. The downside earnings scenario is $47,682, the typical scenario is $59,304, and the upside scenario is $85,139, all modeled four years after completion. Across 19 fields with published earnings data, Nursing has median earnings of $112,691, Computer Science reaches $100,887, and Economics reaches $71,662 four years after completion. Those field results show why the modeled range is broad. At California State University-Channel Islands, affordability starts with an average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, of $9,849. Aid covers about 58% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. That price sits $4,219 below the $14,068 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $15,000, $6,229 below the $21,229 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $170 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent PLUS borrowers, a separate population, have median debt of $22,033. Graduates earn about $8,518 more than the model expects for similar students. Lower net prices and lower borrowing coincide with higher-than-expected earnings. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$2,637 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$5,881 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$8,518 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/california-state-university-channel-islands/outcomes/) 03 / California State University-Channel Islands briefing ## [California State University-Channel Islands acceptance rate & admissions](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) California State University-Channel Islands admitted 94.8% of its reported applicant pool, which means that most applicants in that year's pool received an admission decision in their favor. That rate is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Admissions **Admission rate** 94.8% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/admissions/) 04 / California State University-Channel Islands briefing ## [What are the largest majors at California State University-Channel Islands?](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Among the ranked fields, Business Administration and Management has median earnings four years after completion of $71,183, with 215 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the field #115 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The moderate-earning fields show a different scale: Sociology records $56,855 four years after completion and 127 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth rank of #49 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing posts $112,691 on 100 degrees awarded and ranks #41 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. Education has $49,106 and 78 degrees awarded, alongside Azimuth's #3 national field rank among nonprofit four-year institutions. The nationally ranked fields span education, health sciences, nursing, sociology, and fine and studio arts, giving applicants several program-level results to weigh. Azimuth assigns 16 bachelor’s fields a national rank among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among them, [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Education #3 nationally; it awarded 78 degrees and its completers earned a median of $49,106 four years after completion. Health Sciences ranks #27 nationally, with 236 degrees awarded and median earnings of $58,396 four years after completion. Sociology is ranked #49, with 127 degrees awarded and $56,855 in median earnings four years after completion. The degree mix at California State University-Channel Islands is led by Psychology, which accounts for 18.8% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed closely by Health Professions at 17.7% and Business at 11.3%. The university has 16 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 19 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Psychology, at 356 degrees awarded, with Health Sciences next at 236 degrees awarded and Business Administration and Management at 215 degrees awarded. The highest-ranked program is Education, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #2 in California within its field, and its graduates earn a median of $49,106 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Nursing, where graduates earn $112,691 four years out, from 100 degrees awarded. Computer Science follows at $100,887, with 66 degrees awarded. Health Sciences is another of the university's better-ranked programs, sitting at #27 nationally and #8 in California, with median earnings of $58,396. The pattern here is one of strength spread across several fields rather than concentrated in a single department. The highest-ranked and highest-earning programs are not the largest by degrees awarded, and the largest program, Psychology, posts earnings below the university's top performers. Across all fields, 14.3% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Psychology, General 356 degrees awarded** $48,789 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 236 degrees awarded** $58,396 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 215 degrees awarded** $71,183 **Sociology 127 degrees awarded** $56,855 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 116 degrees awarded** $54,015 **Communication and Media Studies 103 degrees awarded** $59,332 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/california-state-university-channel-islands/majors/) 05 / California State University-Channel Islands briefing ## How does California State University-Channel Islands serve students from different backgrounds? Completion is higher for Pell recipients than for the broader first-time, full-time cohort. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 51.3%, while Pell recipients complete at 66.9%, above the overall rate by 15.6 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 90th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. On [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, graduates earn about $8,518 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 80th percentile nationally. Higher Pell completion and above-expected earnings point in the same direction. A 94.8% admission rate gives applicants a relatively open entry point at California State University-Channel Islands. The public university enrolls 5,013 undergraduates, with 46.6% receiving Pell Grants and an estimated 67.1% entering as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places its access pillar in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The enrollment mix combines a substantial Pell Grant share with a large estimated transfer-in presence. 06 / California State University-Channel Islands briefing ## [What colleges are similar to California State University-Channel Islands?](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/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/california-state-university-channel-islands/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with California State University-Channel Islands. Admissions peerCalifornia State University-San Bernardino93.7% admitted+ Comparison with California State University-Channel Islands | Measure | California State University-Channel Islands | California State University-San Bernardino | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,304 | $55,441\-$3,863 vs California State University-Channel Islands | | Average annual net price | $9,849 | $4,564\-$5,285 vs California State University-Channel Islands · lower cost | | Admission rate | 94.8% | 93.7% | [Explore California State University-San Bernardino →](/school/california-state-university-san-bernardino/) Nearby alternativeCalifornia State University-BakersfieldNearby option · CA+ Comparison with California State University-Channel Islands | Measure | California State University-Channel Islands | California State University-Bakersfield | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,304 | $59,109\-$195 vs California State University-Channel Islands | | Average annual net price | $9,849 | $5,652\-$4,197 vs California State University-Channel Islands · lower cost | | Admission rate | 94.8% | 93.9% | [Explore California State University-Bakersfield →](/school/california-state-university-bakersfield/) Higher-earnings alternativeCalifornia State University-East Bay$72,596 earnings+ Comparison with California State University-Channel Islands | Measure | California State University-Channel Islands | California State University-East Bay | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,304 | $72,596+$13,292 vs California State University-Channel Islands | | Average annual net price | $9,849 | $9,320\-$529 vs California State University-Channel Islands · lower cost | | Admission rate | 94.8% | 97.4% | [Explore California State University-East Bay →](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/) Lower-cost alternativeCalifornia State University-Los Angeles$3,967 average net price+ Comparison with California State University-Channel Islands | Measure | California State University-Channel Islands | California State University-Los Angeles | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,304 | $59,756+$452 vs California State University-Channel Islands | | Average annual net price | $9,849 | $3,967\-$5,882 vs California State University-Channel Islands · lower cost | | Admission rate | 94.8% | 91.3% | [Explore California State University-Los Angeles →](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/) Similar profileSonoma State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with California State University-Channel Islands | Measure | California State University-Channel Islands | Sonoma State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,304 | $65,997+$6,693 vs California State University-Channel Islands | | Average annual net price | $9,849 | $12,885+$3,036 vs California State University-Channel Islands · higher cost | | Admission rate | 94.8% | 93.4% | [Explore Sonoma State University →](/school/sonoma-state-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/california-state-university-channel-islands/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 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/)