1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Case Western Reserve University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Case Western Reserve University OH · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #322 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/case-western-reserve-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/case-western-reserve-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/case-western-reserve-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/case-western-reserve-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/case-western-reserve-university/similar/) ## Azimuth’s composite places the university in the 78th percentile nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Case Western Reserve University is a private nonprofit university in Cleveland, Ohio, where Engineering and Computer Science dominate the degree mix. Return is among the highest we track, while affordability is below the levels seen at many peers. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to earnings. The part it cannot explain subtracts. Pell Grant recipients complete within a few points of the overall rate, and mobility is well above average. The price case turns on income: the lowest band pays well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are not always the largest. ## Case Western at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 36.5% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 87.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $94,237 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $20,849 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $31,458 ## Case Western rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Case Western Reserve University enrolls 6,437 undergraduates at its campus in Cleveland, Ohio, as a private nonprofit university. It sits in the upper quarter of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (78th percentile). 36.5% of applicants gain admission to Case Western Reserve University, against a median of 71.2% at comparable institutions (same type and size). For the full-time first-year cohort, retention is 92.1%, compared with a peer median of 83.4%. 87.2% of the first-time full-time cohort finish within six years, against a peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 2.5% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the graduation rate describes the experience of the large majority who start at the university as first-year students. The four pillars are spread wide. Return is the strongest (95th percentile) and affordability the weakest (5th percentile). Access and mobility sit between them (65th and 79th percentiles). Return is the clearest strength at Case Western Reserve University, while affordability is the weakest part of its profile. Across Azimuth’s coverage of nonprofit four-year institutions, the return pillar sits in the 95th percentile and mobility in the 79th percentile. Azimuth places access in the 65th percentile and affordability in the 5th percentile. The strong return and mobility results sit beside a markedly weaker affordability result, so the profile favors outcomes more than price. 17.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, the federal need-based aid used here as a measure of financial access. The profile of the entering class therefore rests on how widely the university reaches students who qualify for that aid. Azimuth ranks Case Western Reserve University #513 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The pillar weighs both the share of students receiving that aid and the rate at which they finish. Pell recipients complete at 83.0%, 4.2 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Both figures come from the same first-time full-time cohort measured over six years. Azimuth ranks the university #304 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,900 more than the model expects for similar students, which is the earnings side of what the mobility pillar measures alongside completion for Pell recipients. [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/) Case Western rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #322 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 79 **Access & reach** National percentile: 65 **[Affordability](/school/case-western-reserve-university/cost/)** National percentile: 5 **[Return on investment](/school/case-western-reserve-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 95 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#13** 2. Computer Science**#34** 3. Economics**#39** 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/case-western-reserve-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Case Western briefing ## [Case Western cost & financial aid](/school/case-western-reserve-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At Case Western Reserve University, the published cost of attendance is $85,851, making aid a major part of what recipients pay. Tuition and fees account for $66,608, with room and board listed at $18,762. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $41,190. That leaves average financial aid savings of $44,661 against the published cost, and aid covers about 52% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The peer median net price, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $27,371; the university’s average is above that figure by $13,819. Azimuth ranks the university #1,342 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The large aid offset lowers the published price, but the average recipient cost remains above the peer benchmark. The published cost of attendance at Case Western Reserve University is $85,851. Azimuth ranks the university #1,342 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 $19,025, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $20,849, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $53,061. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $34,036. Aid covers about 52% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, leaving an average net price of $41,190 across all bands. That is $13,819 above the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $24,000 in federal student loans, $199 below the $24,199 peer median. 94.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $31,458. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 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**$20,849** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Case Western Federal borrowing is common at Case Western Reserve University: 94.3% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, and borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $24,000. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $24,199, so the university’s median is below it by $199. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are separate: their median debt is $31,458. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 46% of graduates borrowed from any source, with average cumulative borrowing of $29,079 per borrower. This includes 8% of graduates with private loans, averaging $55,906. At Case Western Reserve University, high earnings measures sit alongside federal borrowing below the peer benchmark. For federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $94,237 four years after completion. That figure is in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,900 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that earnings-beyond-expectations measure in the 81st percentile nationally. The program-mix scenarios put earnings at $52,564 in a downside case and $117,704 in an upside case; the typical scenario matches the reported median earnings. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $24,000, below the $24,199 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $199. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month if repaid over ten years. High earnings standings and slightly lower borrowing point in the same direction. For the separate population of [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) parent borrowers, median borrowing is $31,458. The median federal student debt discussed above corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $24,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $31,458 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $273/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $400/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=case-western-reserve-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/case-western-reserve-university/cost/) 02 / Case Western briefing ## [Case Western career outcomes & earnings](/school/case-western-reserve-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) For students weighing return, Case Western Reserve University pairs a high earnings measure with a strong Azimuth return standing. Azimuth places its return pillar in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $94,237 four years after completion, in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,900 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts [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 81st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,580. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,680. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $68,250; the university's median is $25,987 above it. Above-peer earnings and higher-than-expected earnings point the same way. At Case Western Reserve University, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $94,237 four years after completion, a strong post-completion earnings result. Azimuth places that median in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, using an earnings cohort of 1,173 completers. Graduates earn about $8,900 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. A typical modeled scenario based on the program mix matches that middle earnings figure. An estimated 34.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The high median and the modeled earnings result point in the same direction, while the graduate-study estimate describes another possible path after completion. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $94,237. That is $25,987 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Case Western Reserve University #79 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,900 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 81st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,580. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,680. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $8,451. The university's program mix is heavily weighted toward engineering and computer science, fields that carry strong earnings. The downside earnings scenario, estimated from the program mix, is $52,564 and the upside is $117,704. An estimated 34.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. At Case Western Reserve University, earnings can differ sharply across fields, so the earnings scenarios provide a range rather than a single outcome. The downside earnings scenario is $52,564, and the upside scenario is $117,704 four years after completion. Program medians put that spread in concrete terms: Computer Science completers earn $143,580, Economics completers earn $114,601, and Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering completers earn $106,134, all four years after completion. The modeled range and these field results point to materially different earnings outcomes by academic option. Borrowers completing at Case Western Reserve University have median federal student loan debt of $24,000. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $24,199, placing the university below that mark. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $8,900 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. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $19,025 for the lowest income band, $18,506 for the middle-low band, $20,849 for the middle band, $26,159 for the middle-high band, and $53,061 for the highest band. Debt below the peer median and higher-than-expected earnings point in the same direction, though the price picture varies by family income. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,580 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$1,680 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$8,900 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/case-western-reserve-university/outcomes/) 03 / Case Western briefing ## [Case Western acceptance rate & admissions](/school/case-western-reserve-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Case Western Reserve University admitted 36.5% of applicants, below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 39,332 first-year applicants, 13,890 admitted applicants, and 1,663 enrolled first-year students. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 36.5% **25th percentile** 1440 **Median** 1490 **75th percentile** 1530 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/case-western-reserve-university/admissions/) 04 / Case Western briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Case Western?](/school/case-western-reserve-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program choice matters sharply at Case Western Reserve University, where Computer Science has median earnings of $143,580 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the field #34 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, and it awarded 141 degrees. Mechanical Engineering is another higher-earning large field, at $94,197; Azimuth ranks it #91 nationally, with 108 degrees awarded. The moderate-earning large fields tell a different part of the picture. Psychology records $55,540 four years after completion, ranks #110 nationally in Azimuth, and awarded 101 degrees. Biology reports $53,604, with an Azimuth national rank of #255 and 116 degrees awarded. The contrast between these fields shows why the schoolwide earnings figure does not describe every major equally. Program choice carries wide earnings differences at Case Western Reserve University, which has 14 bachelor’s programs ranked by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering ranks #13 nationally in its field, awarded 46 degrees, and shows median earnings of $106,134 four years after completion. Computer Science ranks #34 nationally in its field, with 141 degrees awarded and median earnings of $143,580 four years after completion. Economics ranks #39 nationally in its field, awarded 67 degrees, and reports median earnings of $114,601 four years after completion. Case Western Reserve University awards bachelor's degrees across a concentrated set of technical and scientific fields, with 61.1% of degrees awarded in STEM. Engineering is the largest program family, accounting for 25.4% of degrees awarded, followed by Biological Sciences at 13.1% and Social Sciences at 9.1%. The university has 14 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 15 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Computer Science, at 141 degrees awarded, with Biology next at 116 degrees awarded and Mechanical Engineering at 108 degrees awarded. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering is the highest-ranked program. Its graduates earn a median of $106,134 four years after completion, a benchmark ratio of 1.08x against the national median for its field. Computer Science ranks #34 nationally and #1 in Ohio within its field, with median earnings of $143,580. Economics ranks #39 nationally and #1 in Ohio within its field, with 67 degrees awarded. Economics, a smaller program at 67 degrees awarded, reports median earnings of $114,601 and a benchmark ratio of 1.39x. The strongest national rank now belongs to a smaller program, while the largest programs in engineering and computer science still carry the highest earnings. The high-earning programs sit well above the national median for their fields, while the largest programs outside of engineering, such as Biology and Psychology, show earnings closer to the national median. Four-year earnings for fields that commonly precede graduate study may understate later trajectories. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Computer Science 141 degrees awarded** $143,580 **Biology, General 116 degrees awarded** $53,604 **Mechanical Engineering 108 degrees awarded** $94,197 **Psychology, General 101 degrees awarded** $55,540 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 99 degrees awarded** $87,582 **Biomedical/Medical Engineering 86 degrees awarded** $94,168 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/case-western-reserve-university/majors/) 05 / Case Western briefing ## How does Case Western serve students from different backgrounds? Graduates earn about $8,900 more than the model expects for similar students, putting [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/)—the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students—in the 81st percentile. The first-time full-time cohort has an 87.2% [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/); Pell recipients complete within six years at 83.0%, below the overall rate by 4.2 percentage points. Azimuth places Case Western Reserve University’s mobility pillar in the 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Completion and modeled earnings both point toward a strong mobility picture. Case Western Reserve University admits 36.5% of applicants and enrolls 6,437 undergraduates, defining an access profile with a comparatively limited transfer presence. Pell Grant recipients account for 17.5% of undergraduates, and an estimated 2.5% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Enrollment, Pell participation, and transfer entry describe different routes into the university. 06 / Case Western briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Case Western?](/school/case-western-reserve-university/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/case-western-reserve-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Case Western. Admissions peerOberlin College34.2% admitted+ Comparison with Case Western | Measure | Case Western | Oberlin College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $94,237 | $51,715\-$42,522 vs Case Western | | Average annual net price | $41,190 | $38,645\-$2,545 vs Case Western · lower cost | | Admission rate | 36.5% | 34.2% | [Explore Oberlin College →](/school/oberlin-college/) Higher-admission alternativeMissouri University of Science and Technology72.6% admitted+ Comparison with Case Western | Measure | Case Western | Missouri University of Science and Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $94,237 | $93,514\-$723 vs Case Western | | Average annual net price | $41,190 | $16,298\-$24,892 vs Case Western · lower cost | | Admission rate | 36.5% | 72.6% | [Explore Missouri University of Science and Technology →](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/) Nearby alternativeIllinois Institute of TechnologyNearby option · IL+ Comparison with Case Western | Measure | Case Western | Illinois Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $94,237 | $91,312\-$2,925 vs Case Western | | Average annual net price | $41,190 | $18,425\-$22,765 vs Case Western · lower cost | | Admission rate | 36.5% | 54.9% | [Explore Illinois Institute of Technology →](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/) Higher-earnings alternativeBentley University$108,577 earnings+ Comparison with Case Western | Measure | Case Western | Bentley University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $94,237 | $108,577+$14,340 vs Case Western | | Average annual net price | $41,190 | $37,930\-$3,260 vs Case Western · lower cost | | Admission rate | 36.5% | 45.1% | [Explore Bentley University →](/school/bentley-university/) Lower-cost alternativeUnited States Merchant Marine Academy$6,174 average net price+ Comparison with Case Western | Measure | Case Western | United States Merchant Marine Academy | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $94,237 | $92,950\-$1,287 vs Case Western | | Average annual net price | $41,190 | $6,174\-$35,016 vs Case Western · lower cost | | Admission rate | 36.5% | 34.2% | [Explore United States Merchant Marine Academy →](/school/united-states-merchant-marine-academy/) Similar profileUniversity of St ThomasMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Case Western | Measure | Case Western | University of St Thomas | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $94,237 | $82,136\-$12,101 vs Case Western | | Average annual net price | $41,190 | $29,155\-$12,035 vs Case Western · lower cost | | Admission rate | 36.5% | 85.4% | [Explore University of St Thomas →](/school/university-of-st-thomas-mn/) 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/case-western-reserve-university/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/)