1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. California State University-East Bay Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # California State University-East Bay CA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #67 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/admissions/)[Majors](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/similar/) ## A public university in Hayward, California, ranked #67 nationally by Azimuth. ### Who it’s a good fit for California State University-East Bay is a public university in Hayward, California, where Business and Health Professions lead the degree mix and most graduates are estimated to go into jobs rather than on to further study. Mobility is among the highest we track, and access is well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gain to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. Students who arrive with Pell Grants finish at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, and the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones — Nursing and Computer Science — are not the largest. ## Cal State East Bay at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 97.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 47.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $72,596 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $8,990 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $16,544 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $15,738 ## Cal State East Bay rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) California State University-East Bay is a public university in Hayward, California, enrolling 9,809 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (95th percentile). The university admits 97.4% of applicants, a rate above the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Retention runs just above the peer median: 75.7% of full-time entrants return for a second year, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 47.9%, compared to a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 72.6% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes a minority of the people who study here. The four pillars are not far apart, but mobility is the strongest at the 96th percentile and access the weakest at the 79th. Affordability and return sit between them, at the 95th and 89th percentiles. The shape is a broad-access public campus where the pillars that measure what students pay and earn are nearly as strong as the one that measures who they become. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) California State University-East Bay #67 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The strongest pillar is mobility, at the 96th percentile, followed closely by affordability at the 95th percentile. The return pillar sits at the 89th percentile, and access is the weakest pillar at the 79th percentile. 44.4% of undergraduates at California State University-East Bay receive Pell Grants. The university is a broad-access public university in Hayward, California, where the student body is shaped by a high estimated transfer-in share (72.6%) alongside a near-open admission rate (97.4%). Azimuth ranks the university #305 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate of 58.0%, which is 10.1 percentage points above the rate for the first-time full-time cohort as a whole. The access pillar is the weakest of the four for this institution. Azimuth ranks the university #64 for mobility. The mobility pillar is the strongest of the four. The picture is one of a public university where Pell students complete at a rate that exceeds the overall average, combining per-student outcomes with a large scale of access. [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/) Cal State East Bay rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #67 | | [California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) | #23 | | [West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) | #25 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 96 **Access & reach** National percentile: 79 **[Affordability](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/cost/)** National percentile: 95 **[Return on investment](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/outcomes/)** National percentile: 89 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#2** 2. Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services**#9** 3. Criminal Justice and Corrections**#9** 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-east-bay/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Cal State East Bay briefing ## [Cal State East Bay cost & financial aid](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) California State University-East Bay lists a published cost of attendance of $22,850, an average across living arrangements. In-state tuition is $7,583 and room and board is $17,831. Out-of-state students see tuition of $20,183. Aid recipients pay an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) of $9,320, a reduction of $13,530 from the sticker total. That average sits below the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $4,748. Azimuth places the university #78 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance at California State University-East Bay is $22,850 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #78 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $6,360, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $8,990, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $19,397. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,037. Aid covers about 59% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the overall average net price to $9,320. That is $4,748 below the median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $16,544 in federal student loans, which is $4,685 below the peer median of $21,229. About 59.9% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $15,738. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $188 a month. 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**$8,990** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Cal State East Bay At California State University-East Bay, borrowers who complete leave with a median federal debt of $16,544. Roughly 59.9% of federal aid recipients take out federal loans. The peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, while the university's median federal debt is below by $4,685. Parent borrowers hold a median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) debt of $15,738, a population distinct from student borrowers. California State University-East Bay records a median of $72,596 four years after completion. That earnings level falls in the 80th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $21,543 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that lands in the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Scenarios derived from the institution's program mix span from $53,906 on the downside to $101,584 on the upside, with $72,596 representing the typical case. The median federal debt of $16,544 is below the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions (same type and size), a difference of $4,685. If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment is $188. Parent borrowers at the university took on a median of $15,738 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans, a separate federal borrowing population. The estimated monthly payment on the median federal student debt if repaid over ten years is $188. [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** $16,544 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $15,738 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $188/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $200/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-east-bay#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/cost/) 02 / Cal State East Bay briefing ## [Cal State East Bay career outcomes & earnings](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $72,596, at the 80th percentile. That is $15,295 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $21,543 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 97th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $7,812. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $13,731. Azimuth places the university at the 89th percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of California State University-East Bay who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $72,596. That figure is $15,295 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the university's median earnings in the 80th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 3,637 completers. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a typical figure of $72,596, with a downside scenario of $53,906 and an upside scenario of $101,584. An estimated 28.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. California State University-East Bay graduates earn a median of $72,596 four years after completion, well above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The gap is $15,295. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #163 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $21,543 more than the model expects for similar students. That result sits at the 97th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,812. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $13,731. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $790, which is modest alongside the larger contribution from the mix of fields and the local labor market. Estimated from the program mix, the downside earnings scenario is $53,906 and the upside is $101,584. An estimated 28.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a wide range: from $53,906 on the downside to $101,584 on the upside, with $72,596 as the typical scenario. These are scenarios, not observed groups of graduates. At the upper end, Nursing graduates earn $150,921 four years after completion, from 171 degrees awarded a year. Computer Science follows at $119,900, with 193 degrees awarded. Graduates earn about $21,543 more than the model expects for similar students. At California State University-East Bay, the average net price runs $9,320, which is $4,748 below the median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish hold a median of $16,544 in federal student loans, $4,685 below the peer median of $21,229. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated monthly payment of $188. Parents who borrow through the separate Parent PLUS program hold a median of $15,738. Net prices vary by income band. Aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 average $6,360, while those from families earning over $110,000 average $19,397. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,037, and the overall price and debt levels sit below peer medians alongside earnings that exceed the model's expectation. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$7,812 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$13,731 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$21,543 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-east-bay/outcomes/) 03 / Cal State East Bay briefing ## [Cal State East Bay acceptance rate & admissions](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) California State University-East Bay admits 97.4% of applicants, well above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The university serves a broad pool of applicants. Admissions **Admission rate** 97.4% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/admissions/) 04 / Cal State East Bay briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Cal State East Bay?](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) California State University-East Bay awards bachelor's degrees across 25 fields with published four-year earnings, and the contrast between higher- and moderate-earning fields is sharp. Nursing, the highest-earning program, shows a median of $150,921 four years after completion, alongside 171 degrees awarded. Computer Science follows at $119,900 with 193 degrees awarded. Among the largest programs, Business Administration and Management reports median earnings of $77,567 and an Azimuth national rank of #43 on 800 degrees awarded. Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies sit in a more moderate earnings band at $54,436 and $57,898, respectively, with 460 and 228 degrees awarded. The spread across these fields reflects the university's mix of professional and liberal-arts programs. Only 18 bachelor's programs at California State University-East Bay hold an Azimuth national rank, yet the largest, Business Administration and Management, awarded 800 degrees and ranks #43 nationally. Completers earn a median of $77,567 four years after completion. The university's best national standing belongs to Nursing, ranked #2 nationally and #2 in California. It awarded 171 degrees and shows a median of $150,921. The highest-earning field is Nursing, with 171 degrees awarded and a median of $150,921. Psychology, the second-largest program, awarded 460 degrees and reports a median of $54,436. Criminal Justice awarded 238 degrees, with a median of $64,835. Across the catalog, earnings data are published for 25 bachelor's fields. California State University-East Bay awards bachelor's degrees across 25 programs with published four-year earnings data, and 18 hold an Azimuth national rank within their field. The program mix is led by Business, which accounts for 23.0% of degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 13.5% and Psychology at 11.9%. The largest single programs are Business Administration and Management at 800 degrees awarded, Psychology at 460, and Health Sciences at 311. Nursing is the highest-ranked program, at #2 nationally and #2 in California within its field. Business Administration and Management, the largest program, ranks #6 in California within its field, and graduates earn a median of $77,567 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Nursing, where graduates earn a median of $150,921 four years out, from 171 degrees awarded a year. Computer Science follows at $119,900 with 193 degrees awarded. Nursing carries a benchmark ratio of 1.70x against the national median for its field. Strength is concentrated in a few programs rather than spread evenly. The highest-ranked program and the highest-earning program are both Nursing, and the top earner outpaces the rest by a wide margin. 14.8% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 800 degrees awarded** $77,567 **Psychology, General 460 degrees awarded** $54,436 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 311 degrees awarded** $68,231 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 238 degrees awarded** $64,835 **Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services 228 degrees awarded** $57,898 **Computer Science 193 degrees awarded** $119,900 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-east-bay/majors/) 05 / Cal State East Bay briefing ## How does Cal State East Bay serve students from different backgrounds? Azimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #64 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the mobility pillar in the 96th percentile. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 47.9%, while Pell recipients complete at 58.0%, above the overall rate by 10.1 percentage points. Four years after completion, graduates earn about $21,543 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 97th percentile nationally. California State University-East Bay enrolls 9,809 undergraduates, and an estimated 72.6% of them enter as transfers or part-time students. The public university admits 97.4% of applicants, and Pell Grant recipients make up 44.4% of the undergraduate body. Azimuth ranks the university's access pillar in the 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. 06 / Cal State East Bay briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Cal State East Bay?](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/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-east-bay/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Cal State East Bay. Admissions peerSan Francisco State University96.4% admitted+ Comparison with Cal State East Bay | Measure | Cal State East Bay | San Francisco State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $72,596 | $67,804\-$4,792 vs Cal State East Bay | | Average annual net price | $9,320 | $12,278+$2,958 vs Cal State East Bay · higher cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 96.4% | [Explore San Francisco State University →](/school/san-francisco-state-university/) Nearby alternativeSan Francisco State UniversityNearby option · CA+ Comparison with Cal State East Bay | Measure | Cal State East Bay | San Francisco State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $72,596 | $67,804\-$4,792 vs Cal State East Bay | | Average annual net price | $9,320 | $12,278+$2,958 vs Cal State East Bay · higher cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 96.4% | [Explore San Francisco State University →](/school/san-francisco-state-university/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with Cal State East Bay | Measure | Cal State East Bay | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $72,596 | $62,833\-$9,763 vs Cal State East Bay | | Average annual net price | $9,320 | $3,103\-$6,217 vs Cal State East Bay · lower cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileUniversity of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Cal State East Bay | Measure | Cal State East Bay | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $72,596 | $74,059+$1,463 vs Cal State East Bay | | Average annual net price | $9,320 | $11,900+$2,580 vs Cal State East Bay · higher cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 74.7% | [Explore University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus →](/school/university-of-colorado-denveranschutz-medical-campus/) 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-east-bay/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 is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. 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/)