1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Coastal Carolina University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Coastal Carolina University SC · Large public institution · Overall rank #692 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/coastal-carolina-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/coastal-carolina-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/coastal-carolina-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/coastal-carolina-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/coastal-carolina-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places the university in the 53rd percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for Coastal Carolina University is a public university in Conway, South Carolina, where the degree mix is led by Business, Biological Sciences, and Parks, Recreation & Fitness. Access is above average, and most graduates are estimated to go into jobs rather than on to further study. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap to a remainder it does not explain, which subtracts, while the factors it measures adds. Return is below the levels seen at many peers, and the typical graduate earns below the median at comparable schools. Access is above average and mobility is above average, with Pell students completing within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. What the lowest income band pays on average sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools. A student drawn to Kinesiology or Communication should know that the largest departments are not the best-paid ones: the highest earnings come from smaller programs like Information Science and Finance. ## Coastal Carolina University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 75.3% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 48.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $52,398 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,938 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,750 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $35,414 ## Coastal Carolina University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Coastal Carolina University, a public university in Conway, South Carolina, enrolls 10,377 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (53rd percentile). Coastal Carolina University admits 75.3% of applicants, against a peer median of 78.1% among comparable institutions (same type and size). 77.4% of first-time, full-time students return after the first year, against a peer median of 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 48.5%, against a peer median of 65.0%. An estimated 21.1% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate covers only the first-time full-time cohort and misses a large share of the student body. Access is the strongest of the four pillars, at the 73rd percentile, while return is the weakest, at the 15th percentile. Mobility and affordability sit between them, at the 72nd and 65th percentiles. The four are spread across the ranking, with financial access and economic return sitting at opposite ends. Access is the clearest part of the picture at Coastal Carolina University, even as return is its weak point. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, access sits in the 73rd percentile, the strongest pillar, and mobility is in the 72nd percentile. Affordability is in the 65th percentile, whereas return is in the 15th percentile, the weakest pillar. Strong access and mobility contrast with the much lower return standing. 26.2% of undergraduates at Coastal Carolina University receive Pell Grants, a measure of financial access at this public university in Conway, South Carolina. Azimuth ranks Coastal Carolina University #390 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access pillar is shaped by the Pell share and by how those students fare. Pell recipients in the first-time, full-time cohort complete at a rate of 49.8%, which is 1.3 percentage points above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/). Azimuth ranks the university #417 for mobility. The mobility pillar reflects a combination of access and completion for Pell students. On the return side, graduates earn about $13,971 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/) Coastal Carolina University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #692 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 72 **Access & reach** National percentile: 73 **[Affordability](/school/coastal-carolina-university/cost/)** National percentile: 65 **[Return on investment](/school/coastal-carolina-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 15 01 / Coastal Carolina University briefing ## [Coastal Carolina University cost & financial aid](/school/coastal-carolina-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, Coastal Carolina University reported sticker charges for the 2025-26 academic year of $11,460 for in-state tuition and $180 in required fees. The university also reported $29,448 in out-of-state tuition and $13,100 for on-campus food and housing. 62.7% of full-time undergraduates pay more than the base charge. The published cost of attendance is $26,692, while the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,966. Average aid savings of $12,726 account for that difference. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $15,634; the university's average net price is $1,668 below it. Azimuth places the university in the 65th percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lower post-aid price and peer comparison point in the same direction. At Coastal Carolina University, the published cost of attendance is $26,692, but average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s vary by family-income band for aid recipients. Families in the lowest income band average $9,563; the lower-middle band averages $10,292; the middle band averages $12,938; the upper-middle band averages $16,350; and the highest band averages $20,219. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,656, and Azimuth ranks the university #497 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Across all aid recipients, the average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,966. Aid covers about 48% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, representing average financial aid savings of $12,726. The peer median net price, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $15,634; Coastal Carolina's average is $1,668 below that level. Lower average pricing than comparable institutions sits alongside substantial average aid savings. Borrowing is widespread among Coastal Carolina undergraduates: 93.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans, and borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $23,750. At comparable institutions (same type and size), median federal debt is $20,076, placing Coastal Carolina's median $3,674 above that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $270 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing among parent borrowers is $35,414. 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**$12,938** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Coastal Carolina University Federal borrowing is widespread at Coastal Carolina University: 93.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, and borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $23,750. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $20,076, leaving the university's median $3,674 above that figure. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $35,414. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported that 70% of graduates borrowed from any source, with average cumulative borrowing of $42,005 per borrower. This included 68% of graduates with federal loans averaging $22,298. It also included 25% of graduates with private loans averaging $56,632. Although access is Coastal Carolina University’s strongest pillar, the return figures suggest a guarded investment picture. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $52,398 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings level in the 25th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [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, also falls near the bottom of the distribution. Graduates earn about $13,971 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places earnings beyond expectations in the 10th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The downside scenario is $41,942 and the upside scenario is $64,790, while the typical scenario matches the reported median earnings level. Median federal student loan debt is $23,750, which is $3,674 above the peer median of $20,076 at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $270 a month if repaid over ten years. Below-expected earnings and debt above the peer median point in the same direction. Among parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $35,414. For student borrowers at the median federal debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $270 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** $23,750 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $35,414 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $270/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $450/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=coastal-carolina-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/coastal-carolina-university/cost/) 02 / Coastal Carolina University briefing ## [Coastal Carolina University career outcomes & earnings](/school/coastal-carolina-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Access is the stronger Azimuth pillar at Coastal Carolina University, whereas the return evidence is less favorable. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, its return pillar is in the 15th percentile. Graduates earn about $13,971 less 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, is in the 10th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,617. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $21,588. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $52,398, placing them in the 25th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610; the university is $13,212 below that mark. The model comparison and peer comparison both point in the same direction. The earnings picture at Coastal Carolina University is restrained: federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled report median earnings of $52,398 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 25th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, using an earnings cohort of 2,533 completers. Graduates earn about $13,971 less than the model expects for similar students. The model measure [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) is the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students. The earnings scenarios span $41,942 in the downside scenario, $52,398 in the typical scenario, and $64,790 in the upside scenario. An estimated 28.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The scenario range and the Azimuth percentile point to the same restrained earnings picture. Federally aided graduates of Coastal Carolina University who are working and not enrolled earn $52,398 four years after completion, at the 25th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $65,610, which leaves a gap of $13,212 below. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university ranks #1,250 for return. Graduates earn about $13,971 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the earnings gap at the 10th 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 $7,617. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $21,588. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $938. The program mix centers on business, the biological sciences and parks and recreation, with a modest STEM footprint. Estimated from that mix, the downside earnings scenario is $41,942 and the upside is $64,790. An estimated 28.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Earnings can differ widely across the earnings scenarios tied to the university’s program mix. The downside scenario is $41,942, and the upside scenario is $64,790; both are earnings scenarios rather than observed groups of graduates. The debt-and-earnings picture calls for close comparison of costs with other options. Borrowers who completed at Coastal Carolina University have median federal student loan debt of $23,750, excluding Parent PLUS and private loans. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $20,076, and the university’s figure is above it by $3,674. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $270 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowers are a separate population, with median Parent PLUS borrowing of $35,414. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measures what graduates earn compared to what the model expects for similar students. For these graduates, that figure also runs below the model: Graduates earn about $13,971 less than the model expects for similar students. Debt above the peer median and below-expected earnings point in the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$7,617 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$21,588 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$13,971 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/coastal-carolina-university/outcomes/) 03 / Coastal Carolina University briefing ## [Coastal Carolina University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/coastal-carolina-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Coastal Carolina University admitted 75.3% of applicants, so most people in the reported applicant pool received an admission decision. The rate is below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported 21,028 first-year applicants and admitted 15,828 of them. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 75.3% **25th percentile** 1070 **Median** 1140 **75th percentile** 1210 CDS 2024-25 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/coastal-carolina-university/admissions/) 04 / Coastal Carolina University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Coastal Carolina University?](/school/coastal-carolina-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Information Science/Studies sits at the higher-earning end at $77,999 four years after completion, though it accounted for 11 degrees awarded. Finance also falls on that end, with median earnings of $70,181 and 55 degrees awarded. These fields show higher earnings among programs with comparatively smaller award totals. The picture is more moderate in larger programs. Kinesiology and Physical Education recorded $50,228 four years after completion across 198 degrees awarded, and Psychology recorded $45,469 across 127 degrees awarded. The contrast between these fields and the higher-earning programs makes the choice of field especially relevant when reading the university’s overall earnings figure. Program earnings range widely across Coastal Carolina’s higher-earning fields, so the field chosen matters to the outcome. The range across these fields gives the overall earnings figure important context. The degree mix at Coastal Carolina University is anchored by Business, which accounts for 25.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Biological Sciences and Parks, Recreation & Fitness follow at 10.6% and 10.5%, respectively. The largest single programs are Kinesiology and Physical Education with 198 degrees awarded, Business Administration and Management with 191, and Marketing with 154. Across all fields, 15.7% of degrees are in STEM. The university has 28 programs with published four-year earnings data. The highest-earning program is a small one: Information Science/Studies graduates earn a median of $77,999 four years after completion, from just 11 degrees awarded a year. Finance follows at $70,181 with 55 degrees awarded. Among the largest programs, Marketing posts the highest earnings at $62,373, while Kinesiology and Physical Education, the largest program, sits at $50,228. Psychology graduates earn $45,469, the lowest among the five largest fields. The pattern is one of broad access to business and service-oriented fields, with the highest earnings concentrated in a handful of technical and quantitative programs that graduate relatively few students. The largest programs, which serve the bulk of the student body, all sit below the national median for their fields, while the smaller, higher-earning programs like Information Science/Studies and Finance also sit below their field medians. The most popular paths and the best-paid ones are not the same. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 198 degrees awarded** $50,228 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 191 degrees awarded** $59,946 **Marketing 154 degrees awarded** $62,373 **Communication and Media Studies 134 degrees awarded** $51,010 **Psychology, General 127 degrees awarded** $45,469 **Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology 117 degrees awarded** $45,323 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/coastal-carolina-university/majors/) 05 / Coastal Carolina University briefing ## How does Coastal Carolina University serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is relatively strong on completion measures, but the earnings model tells a less favorable story. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 48.5%, and Pell recipients complete within six years at 49.8%, above the overall rate by 1.3 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 72nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [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, is in the 10th percentile. Graduates earn about $13,971 less than the model expects for similar students. The completion and modeled earnings measures point in different directions. At Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina, the public university combines a 75.3% admission rate with 10,377 undergraduates. 26.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, while an estimated 21.1% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 73rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Admissions, Pell participation, and transfer entry give that access standing practical context. 06 / Coastal Carolina University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Coastal Carolina University?](/school/coastal-carolina-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/coastal-carolina-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Coastal Carolina University. Admissions peerMethodist University75.1% admitted+ Comparison with Coastal Carolina University | Measure | Coastal Carolina University | Methodist University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,398 | $60,011+$7,613 vs Coastal Carolina University | | Average annual net price | $13,966 | $24,704+$10,738 vs Coastal Carolina University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.3% | 75.1% | Higher-admission alternativeUniversity of North Carolina at Pembroke93.3% admitted+ Comparison with Coastal Carolina University | Measure | Coastal Carolina University | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,398 | $49,668\-$2,730 vs Coastal Carolina University | | Average annual net price | $13,966 | $10,260\-$3,706 vs Coastal Carolina University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.3% | 93.3% | [Explore University of North Carolina at Pembroke →](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-pembroke/) Nearby alternativeCollege of CharlestonNearby option · SC+ Comparison with Coastal Carolina University | Measure | Coastal Carolina University | College of Charleston | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,398 | $58,354+$5,956 vs Coastal Carolina University | | Average annual net price | $13,966 | $18,960+$4,994 vs Coastal Carolina University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.3% | 60.0% | Higher-earnings alternativeSan Jose State University$89,614 earnings+ Comparison with Coastal Carolina University | Measure | Coastal Carolina University | San Jose State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,398 | $89,614+$37,216 vs Coastal Carolina University | | Average annual net price | $13,966 | $13,760\-$206 vs Coastal Carolina University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.3% | 84.6% | [Explore San Jose State University →](/school/san-jose-state-university/) Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of North Carolina at Pembroke$10,260 average net price+ Comparison with Coastal Carolina University | Measure | Coastal Carolina University | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,398 | $49,668\-$2,730 vs Coastal Carolina University | | Average annual net price | $13,966 | $10,260\-$3,706 vs Coastal Carolina University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.3% | 93.3% | [Explore University of North Carolina at Pembroke →](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-pembroke/) Similar profileEast Tennessee State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Coastal Carolina University | Measure | Coastal Carolina University | East Tennessee State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,398 | $53,033+$635 vs Coastal Carolina University | | Average annual net price | $13,966 | $15,983+$2,017 vs Coastal Carolina University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.3% | 86.2% | [Explore East Tennessee State University →](/school/east-tennessee-state-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/coastal-carolina-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)