1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. California State University-Monterey Bay Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # California State University-Monterey Bay CA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #134 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/admissions/)[Majors](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/similar/) ## An affordability-led public university with a strong Azimuth composite standing. ### Who it’s a good fit for California State University-Monterey Bay is a public university in Seaside, California, where the degree mix is led by Business, Liberal Arts & General Studies, and Psychology. 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. The model attributes more of that to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. So the advantage is not simply a matter of field of study or the local labor market. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the cohort as a whole, and the university's net price sits below the median for comparable institutions. What families at the bottom of the income scale pay is well under the published cost. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the highest-earning ones are not the largest. ## CSUMB at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 97.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 59.1% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $62,324 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,440 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $12,750 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $16,836 ## CSUMB rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Enrolling 6,819 undergraduates, California State University-Monterey Bay is a public university in Seaside, California, that sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. Its composite standing falls at the 91st percentile. At California State University-Monterey Bay, the admission rate stands at 97.4%, against a median of 85.9% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among first-time, full-time students, 79.9% return after the first year, while the peer median for comparable institutions is 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) reaches 59.1%, compared with a median of 49.1% at peer institutions of the same type and size. An estimated 50.0% of the undergraduate population enters as a transfer, so many students begin their college careers elsewhere. The four pillars sit far apart. Affordability is the strongest, at the 93rd percentile, and mobility is close behind at the 91st percentile. Return is the weakest of the four, at the 68th percentile, with access between them at the 73rd percentile. Affordability stands out for families considering California State University-Monterey Bay, with Azimuth placing the university in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility follows in the 91st percentile, and access is in the 73rd percentile, also measured by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return, the weakest pillar, is in the 68th percentile. High affordability and mobility sit alongside a more moderate return reading. Pell Grant recipients make up 43.2% of the undergraduate student body at California State University-Monterey Bay, a measure of financial access to the university. For access, Azimuth places the university at #391 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients finish at 65.0%, a level that sits 5.9 percentage points above the overall rate for the entering cohort as a whole. For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #131 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,732 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/) CSUMB rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #134 | | [California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) | #31 | | [West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) | #41 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 91 **Access & reach** National percentile: 73 **[Affordability](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/cost/)** National percentile: 93 **[Return on investment](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/outcomes/)** National percentile: 68 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Human Services, General**#4** 2. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#7** 3. Social Sciences, General**#12** 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-monterey-bay/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / CSUMB briefing ## [CSUMB cost & financial aid](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) California State University-Monterey Bay looks comparatively affordable after aid, with an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, of $13,663. The published cost of attendance is $26,987. In-state tuition and fees are $7,779, while out-of-state tuition and fees are $20,379. Room and board adds $17,234. Financial aid reduces the published total by $13,324 for the average aid recipient. That net price is $405 below the peer median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the university in the 93rd percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lower net price and strong affordability standing point in the same direction. The published cost of attendance is $26,987, and affordability is the strongest of the four pillars. Azimuth ranks California State University-Monterey Bay #96 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $9,970 in the lowest family-income band, $12,440 in the middle band, and $22,818 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $12,848. Aid covers about 49% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The average net price across all aid recipients is $13,663, which is $405 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $12,750 in federal student loans. That is $8,479 below the $21,229 peer median, and 66.2% of federal aid recipients borrow. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $16,836. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $145 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**$12,440** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at CSUMB California State University-Monterey Bay borrowers finish with a comparatively low federal debt figure, though borrowing is common. The median federal student loan debt at completion is $12,750, and 66.2% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a median federal debt of $21,229; California State University-Monterey Bay stands below that mark by $8,479. Parent borrowers are a separate population, with median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $16,836. California State University-Monterey Bay presents an encouraging return-and-debt picture for federally aided completers. Median earnings are $62,324 four years after completion, placing the university in the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,732 more 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, stands in the 91st percentile. The modeled program-mix earnings scenarios run from $46,117 in the downside scenario to $90,775 in the upside scenario; the typical scenario aligns with the observed median. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $12,750, $8,479 below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $145 a month if repaid over ten years. Above-expected earnings and lower borrowing point in the same direction. Parent borrowing is separate from student debt: median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $16,836 among parent borrowers. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $145 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** $12,750 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $16,836 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $145/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $214/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-monterey-bay#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/cost/) 02 / CSUMB briefing ## [CSUMB career outcomes & earnings](/school/california-state-university-monterey-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 $62,324, at the 58th percentile nationally. That is $5,023 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $14,732 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 91st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,167. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $9,565. Azimuth places the university at the 68th percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. California State University-Monterey Bay shows an above-expected early-career earnings picture for its federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Median earnings are $62,324 four years after completion, and Azimuth places that measure in the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort contains 2,237 completers. Graduates earn about $14,732 more than the model expects for similar students. This is [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. The typical earnings scenario matches the overall median, with a downside scenario of $46,117 and an upside scenario of $90,775. An estimated 29.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. Above-expected earnings sit alongside scenarios that vary by program. Median earnings four years after completion reach $62,324 among federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled, a figure at the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median sits $5,023 above the $57,301 mark for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) California State University-Monterey Bay #477 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,732 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 earn and what the model expects for similar students. This outcome falls in the 91st 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 $5,167. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $9,565. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,376. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from a downside of $46,117 to an upside of $90,775. An estimated 29.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings advantage holds across both the peer comparison and the model expectation, while the scenarios show a wide spread between lower- and higher-earning clusters. Earnings at California State University-Monterey Bay vary substantially by field. The downside earnings scenario is $46,117 four years after completion, whereas the upside scenario is $90,775; these scenarios describe possibilities based on the program mix rather than observed graduate groups. Separate program-level medians show a wider set of outcomes: four years after completion, Nursing has median earnings of $134,489, Computer Science has $101,787, and Business Administration and Management has $72,558. Those figures are distinct measures from the earnings scenarios, so they are not boundaries for them. For borrowers who complete at California State University-Monterey Bay, the debt picture is lower than at comparable institutions, alongside an earnings measure that compares graduates with the model’s expectation. Median federal student loan debt is $12,750, or $8,479 below the peer median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $145 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $14,732 more than the model expects for similar students. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,663, and aid covers about 49% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Parent PLUS parent borrowers have median debt of $16,836. Lower borrower debt and [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) point in the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,167 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$9,565 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$14,732 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-monterey-bay/outcomes/) 03 / CSUMB briefing ## [CSUMB acceptance rate & admissions](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission is broadly available at California State University-Monterey Bay, which admitted 97.4% of applicants in the reported entering class. That rate is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size), indicating a less restrictive admission outcome than its institutional peers. Admissions **Admission rate** 97.4% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/admissions/) 04 / CSUMB briefing ## [What are the largest majors at CSUMB?](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program choice separates the higher- and moderate-earning ranked fields at California State University-Monterey Bay. Business Administration and Management had median earnings of $72,558 four years after completion and 265 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #90 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Liberal Arts and General Studies had $59,017 and 242 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth rank of #25 nationally. Psychology recorded $54,074 on 231 degrees awarded and ranks #94 nationally through Azimuth. Kinesiology and Physical Education posted $47,736 with 172 degrees awarded; Azimuth ranks it #138 nationally. The first field has the higher earnings figure, while the others form a more moderate range. Program choices pair nationally ranked fields with earnings that differ widely across the largest offerings. California State University-Monterey Bay has 16 ranked programs and published earnings data for 20 programs. Azimuth places Human Services at #4 nationally within its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing stands at #7 nationally within its field, awarded 52 degrees, and shows median earnings of $134,489 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Social Sciences #12 nationally within its field. 89 degrees were awarded, and median earnings were $57,200 four years after completion. California State University-Monterey Bay awards bachelor's degrees across 20 programs with published four-year earnings, 16 of which carry an Azimuth national rank. The program mix leans toward the social sciences and business: Business accounts for 14.7% of degrees awarded, followed by Liberal Arts & General Studies at 12.5% and Psychology at 11.9%. The largest single program is Business Administration and Management, at 265 degrees awarded, with Liberal Arts and General Studies close behind at 242 and Psychology at 231. Nursing has a benchmark ratio of 1.51x against the national median for its field. Liberal Arts and General Studies, the second-largest program on campus, ranks #4 in California. The highest-earning program is a much smaller one: Nursing graduates earn $134,489 four years after completion, from 52 degrees awarded a year. Computer Science, the fourth-largest program at 191 degrees awarded, is the second-highest earner at $101,787 four years after completion. The pattern is one of breadth, with strength concentrated in a few programs rather than spread evenly across the catalog. The largest programs sit in the middle of the earnings distribution, while the highest payoffs come from smaller, more specialized fields like Nursing. 18.3% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, a share that points toward the social sciences and business as the primary engines of enrollment. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 265 degrees awarded** $72,558 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 242 degrees awarded** $59,017 **Psychology, General 231 degrees awarded** $54,074 **Computer Science 191 degrees awarded** $101,787 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 172 degrees awarded** $47,736 **Biology, General 122 degrees awarded** $55,654 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-monterey-bay/majors/) 05 / CSUMB briefing ## How does CSUMB serve students from different backgrounds? Completion figures and higher-than-expected earnings point to a strong mobility picture at California State University-Monterey Bay. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 91st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 59.1%, while Pell recipients complete at 65.0%, above the overall rate by 5.9 percentage points. Graduates earn about $14,732 more than the model expects for similar students, placing [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, in the 91st percentile. Completion and modeled earnings both point in the same direction. The reported admission rate of 97.4% gives California State University-Monterey Bay a broad entry point, with 6,819 undergraduates enrolled. Among undergraduates, 43.2% receive Pell Grants, and an estimated 50.0% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 73rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission rate and enrollment mix describe access through both initial admission and transfer entry. 06 / CSUMB briefing ## [What colleges are similar to CSUMB?](/school/california-state-university-monterey-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-monterey-bay/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with CSUMB. Admissions peerCalifornia State University-East Bay97.4% admitted+ Comparison with CSUMB | Measure | CSUMB | California State University-East Bay | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,324 | $72,596+$10,272 vs CSUMB | | Average annual net price | $13,663 | $9,320\-$4,343 vs CSUMB · lower cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 97.4% | [Explore California State University-East Bay →](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/) Nearby alternativeSan Francisco State UniversityNearby option · CA+ Comparison with CSUMB | Measure | CSUMB | San Francisco State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,324 | $67,804+$5,480 vs CSUMB | | Average annual net price | $13,663 | $12,278\-$1,385 vs CSUMB · lower cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 96.4% | [Explore San Francisco State University →](/school/san-francisco-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeMichigan Technological University$84,560 earnings+ Comparison with CSUMB | Measure | CSUMB | Michigan Technological University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,324 | $84,560+$22,236 vs CSUMB | | Average annual net price | $13,663 | $14,182+$519 vs CSUMB · higher cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 92.4% | [Explore Michigan Technological University →](/school/michigan-technological-university/) Lower-cost alternativeCalifornia State University-Stanislaus$6,067 average net price+ Comparison with CSUMB | Measure | CSUMB | California State University-Stanislaus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,324 | $58,952\-$3,372 vs CSUMB | | Average annual net price | $13,663 | $6,067\-$7,596 vs CSUMB · lower cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 98.1% | [Explore California State University-Stanislaus →](/school/california-state-university-stanislaus/) Similar profileEastern Washington UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with CSUMB | Measure | CSUMB | Eastern Washington University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,324 | $60,781\-$1,543 vs CSUMB | | Average annual net price | $13,663 | $13,886+$223 vs CSUMB · higher cost | | Admission rate | 97.4% | 90.8% | [Explore Eastern Washington University →](/school/eastern-washington-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-monterey-bay/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/)