1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Citadel Military College of South Carolina Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Citadel Military College of South Carolina SC · Medium public institution · Overall rank #371 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/admissions/)[Majors](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Citadel Military College of South Carolina #371 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Citadel Military College of South Carolina is a public university in Charleston, South Carolina, where the degree mix is led by Business and Engineering. The strongest pillar is mobility, which is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures and a subtraction to the remainder it cannot explain. Pell recipients finish within a few points of the overall rate, and the net price for the lowest income band is well below the published cost. Affordability is around the average, the weakest of the four pillars. The admission rate is far below the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are in engineering. ## Citadel Military College of South Carolina at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 22.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 75.0% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $74,517 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $18,140 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $21,096 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $33,899 ## Citadel Military College of South Carolina rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Citadel Military College of South Carolina enrolls 2,705 undergraduates at its campus in Charleston, South Carolina, operating as a public university. It lands in the upper quarter among nonprofit four-year institutions (75th percentile). The university admits 22.7% of applicants, against a median of 85.9% at comparable institutions (same type and size). Of students who start full time, 85.8% return after the first year; the peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size) is 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 75.0%, against a peer median of 49.1% at comparable institutions (same type and size). An estimated 12.0% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate covers only the first-time full-time cohort. Mobility is the strongest pillar (77th percentile), affordability the weakest (52nd percentile), and return and access fall between them. The four sit somewhat apart across the profile rather than clustered at one end of the scale. Mobility is the strongest of the four pillars for Citadel Military College of South Carolina, at the 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return sits at the 72nd percentile and access at the 68th percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar, at the 52nd percentile. 19.8% of undergraduates at Citadel Military College of South Carolina receive Pell Grants. Those students complete at 72.1%, 2.9 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (75.0%). Azimuth ranks the university #476 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #338 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,269 less than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Citadel Military College of South Carolina rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #371 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 77 **Access & reach** National percentile: 68 **[Affordability](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/cost/)** National percentile: 52 **[Return on investment](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/outcomes/)** National percentile: 72 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Criminal Justice and Corrections**#16** 2. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**#29** 3. Political Science and Government**#77** 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/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Citadel Military College of South Carolina briefing ## [Citadel Military College of South Carolina cost & financial aid](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Citadel Military College of South Carolina is $33,880. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $8,356 and required fees of $4,214 for the 2025-26 academic year. Nonresidents face out-of-state tuition of $34,867, and on-campus food and housing adds $10,229. For aid recipients, grants and scholarships reduce the sticker price by an average of $13,157, bringing the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to $20,723. That net price is $6,655 above the $14,068 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #683 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance at Citadel Military College of South Carolina is $33,880. Azimuth ranks the university #683 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 $15,430, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $18,140, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $24,047. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $8,617. Aid covers about 39% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The average net price across all aid recipients is $20,723, which is $6,655 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $21,096 in federal student loans. That is $133 below the $21,229 peer median. About 89.9% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $33,899. If repaid over ten years, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $240 a month. It estimates what a family might pay, rather than relying on published averages alone. 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**$18,140** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Citadel Military College of South Carolina About 89.9% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Borrowers who complete a degree at Citadel Military College of South Carolina leave with a median of $21,096 in federal student loans. That median sits $133 below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $33,899. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 58% of graduates borrowed from any source, with an average cumulative amount of $38,217 per borrower. Of those, including 55% of graduates who held federal loans, the average was $18,735. Of graduates, 21% held private loans, averaging $56,130. At Citadel Military College of South Carolina, earnings four years after completion reach $74,517 for federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled. That amount exceeds the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $17,216. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 83rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,269 less than the model expects for similar students. The gap between actual and expected earnings sits at the 24th percentile. Estimated from the program mix, the earnings scenarios run from $62,858 on the downside through $74,517 typically to $86,678 on the upside. Borrowers who finish hold a median of $21,096 in federal loans. That amount is $133 below the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $240 a month if repaid over ten years. Earnings exceed the peer median but fall short of the model's expectation, while debt sits almost close to that same group. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $33,899. For student borrowers, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $240 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** $21,096 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $33,899 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $240/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $431/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=citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/cost/) 02 / Citadel Military College of South Carolina briefing ## [Citadel Military College of South Carolina career outcomes & earnings](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/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 of Citadel Military College of South Carolina who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $74,517. That figure sits at the 83rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, and is $17,216 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar in the 72nd percentile. Graduates earn about $8,269 less than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 24th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,305. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $14,574. Four years after graduating, federally aided completers from Citadel Military College of South Carolina who are working and not enrolled show median earnings of $74,517. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, that earnings level is in the 83rd percentile. The estimate draws on a cohort of 799 completers, which means it reflects the overall program mix rather than the outcomes of any single field. Azimuth also publishes earnings scenarios estimated from the mix of degrees awarded to show how outcomes might vary. The downside earnings scenario is $62,858 and the upside scenario is $86,678, while the typical outcome sits at $74,517. An estimated 23.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $74,517, a figure Azimuth places at the 83rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median sits $17,216 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Citadel Military College of South Carolina #412 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,269 less 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 among nonprofit four-year institutions. That gap falls at the 24th 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 $6,305. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $14,574 overall. Within the measured factors, the STEM portion alone adds $3,350. Degrees awarded cluster in engineering and business, alongside military technologies. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $62,858 on the downside to $86,678 on the upside for graduates. An estimated 23.2% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios show a range of $62,858 to $86,678, with $74,517 as the typical scenario. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups. At the upper end, Electrical Engineering graduates earn $88,869 four years after completion, from 30 degrees awarded a year. Mechanical Engineering, the largest program, reports $83,912 on 63 degrees awarded. Federal debt for borrowers who complete at Citadel Military College of South Carolina sits at a median of $21,096. That figure is $133 below the median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that median debt brings an estimated monthly payment of $240. Parent borrowers hold a separate median of $33,899 through Parent PLUS. After grants and scholarships, aid recipients pay an average net price of $20,723. That average net price is $6,655 above the median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). For the average aid recipient, grants and scholarships cover about 39% of the published cost of attendance. That is an average across recipients, not a promise of any individual package. Graduates earn about $8,269 less than the model expects for similar students, even though median federal debt is below the peer median and the net price is above it. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,305 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$14,574 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$8,269 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/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/outcomes/) 03 / Citadel Military College of South Carolina briefing ## [Citadel Military College of South Carolina acceptance rate & admissions](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Citadel Military College of South Carolina admits 22.7% of applicants, a rate well below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 2,989 first-year applicants and 851 admitted applicants, with 713 enrolling. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 22.7% **25th percentile** 1010 **Median** 1130 **75th percentile** 1220 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/admissions/) 04 / Citadel Military College of South Carolina briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Citadel Military College of South Carolina?](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The highest-earning programs at Citadel Military College of South Carolina are in engineering. Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $88,869 four years after completion, from 30 degrees awarded. Mechanical Engineering, the largest program on campus at 63 degrees a year, follows at $83,912. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #198 nationally within its field. A few programs outside of engineering post strong earnings as well. Accounting graduates earn $83,337 from 19 degrees awarded, and Business Administration and Management reports $73,116 from 13 degrees. The best-ranked programs nationally are not the highest earners. Criminal Justice holds an Azimuth national rank of #16 with 56 degrees awarded and median earnings of $65,574. Kinesiology and Physical Education ranks #29 nationally and graduates earn $66,934 from 36 degrees a year. Business accounts for 29.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Engineering at 20.2%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 6 programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Criminal Justice is the highest-ranked, at #16 nationally and #1 in South Carolina. It awarded 56 degrees and its completers earned a median of $65,574 four years after completion. The largest program with published earnings is Mechanical Engineering, with 63 degrees awarded, a national rank of #198, and median earnings of $83,912. The highest-earning program is Electrical Engineering, where graduates earn $88,869 four years out, from 30 degrees awarded. Citadel Military College of South Carolina awards degrees across 6 ranked programs, with earnings data available for 9. Business is the largest program family, accounting for 29.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Engineering at 20.2% and Military Technologies at 13.2%. The largest programs with published earnings are Mechanical Engineering with 63 degrees awarded, Criminal Justice with 56, and Civil Engineering with 44. The highest-ranked program is Criminal Justice, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #16 nationally within its field and #1 in South Carolina. Kinesiology and Physical Education is also highly ranked, at #2 in South Carolina, with 36 degrees awarded. Electrical Engineering is the highest-earning program, with a median of $88,869 from 30 degrees awarded. Kinesiology and Physical Education stands out for its return, with a benchmark ratio of 1.23x against the national median for its field and median earnings of $66,934. The pattern here is one of concentrated strength in a few fields. The top-ranked programs are not the largest, and the highest-earning program is a relatively small one. 30.3% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, and several programs sit above their national benchmarks. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business/Commerce, General 173 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations 98 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Mechanical Engineering 63 degrees awarded** $83,912 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 56 degrees awarded** $65,574 **Civil Engineering 44 degrees awarded** $81,055 **Political Science and Government 42 degrees awarded** $68,504 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/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/majors/) 05 / Citadel Military College of South Carolina briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Citadel Military College of South Carolina?](/school/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/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/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Citadel Military College of South Carolina. Admissions peerBerea College19.3% admitted+ Comparison with Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Measure | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Berea College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $74,517 | $42,924\-$31,593 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina | | Average annual net price | $20,723 | $6,106\-$14,617 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina · lower cost | | Admission rate | 22.7% | 19.3% | [Explore Berea College →](/school/berea-college/) Higher-admission alternativeBarry University77.2% admitted+ Comparison with Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Measure | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Barry University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $74,517 | $73,480\-$1,037 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina | | Average annual net price | $20,723 | $22,613+$1,890 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina · higher cost | | Admission rate | 22.7% | 77.2% | [Explore Barry University →](/school/barry-university/) Nearby alternativeClemson UniversityNearby option · SC+ Comparison with Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Measure | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Clemson University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $74,517 | $75,142+$625 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina | | Average annual net price | $20,723 | $22,253+$1,530 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina · higher cost | | Admission rate | 22.7% | 38.3% | [Explore Clemson University →](/school/clemson-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Virginia-Main Campus$91,448 earnings+ Comparison with Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Measure | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | University of Virginia-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $74,517 | $91,448+$16,931 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina | | Average annual net price | $20,723 | $21,565+$842 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina · higher cost | | Admission rate | 22.7% | 16.8% | [Explore University of Virginia-Main Campus →](/school/university-of-virginia-main-campus/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Bernard M Baruch College$3,033 average net price+ Comparison with Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Measure | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $74,517 | $82,748+$8,231 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina | | Average annual net price | $20,723 | $3,033\-$17,690 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina · lower cost | | Admission rate | 22.7% | 47.5% | [Explore CUNY Bernard M Baruch College →](/school/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college/) Similar profileUniversity of West AlabamaMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Measure | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | University of West Alabama | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $74,517 | $64,122\-$10,395 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina | | Average annual net price | $20,723 | $12,684\-$8,039 vs Citadel Military College of South Carolina · lower cost | | Admission rate | 22.7% | 42.7% | 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/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/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/)