1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Columbus State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Columbus State University GA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #467 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/columbus-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/columbus-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/columbus-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/columbus-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/columbus-state-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #467 overall among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Columbus State University is a public university in Columbus, Georgia, where the degree mix is led by Health Professions and Business. Affordability is above average, and access is above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — than to what it cannot explain. Return is around the average. Pell recipients complete at a rate below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is above average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. The admission rate is above 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 one, Nursing, is also the largest. ## Columbus State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 99.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 41.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $60,912 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $13,786 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $26,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $13,815 ## Columbus State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Columbus State University, a public university in Columbus, Georgia, enrolls 5,625 undergraduates. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university lands near the middle of the field (68th percentile). At Columbus State University, 99.1% of applicants gain admission, against a peer median of 85.9% among comparable institutions of the same type and size. First-year retention among full-time students is 69.7%, which falls short of the peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 41.8%, below the peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 34.3% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes only a subset of the students who study here. Affordability is the strongest of the four pillars and return is the weakest. Access and mobility sit between those two extremes. The four pillars span a wide range, leaving the overall profile uneven across the dimensions Azimuth measures. Affordability is the clearest part of the profile, with access also standing well above the midpoint. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Columbus State University is in the 72nd percentile for affordability, its strongest pillar, and the 72nd percentile for access. Mobility sits in the 60th percentile, while return, the weakest pillar, is in the 50th percentile. The profile is strongest on cost and access rather than return. Pell Grants reach 44.6% of undergraduates at Columbus State University, a share that shapes the university's access profile. The six-year completion rate for Pell recipients at Columbus State University is 36.3%, a level 5.5 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. For access, Azimuth ranks the university #414 among nonprofit four-year institutions. For mobility, Azimuth ranks Columbus State University #590 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,125 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Columbus State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #467 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 60 **Access & reach** National percentile: 72 **[Affordability](/school/columbus-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 72 **[Return on investment](/school/columbus-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 50 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Business/Commerce, General**#66** 2. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#68** 3. Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**#109** 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/columbus-state-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Columbus State University briefing ## [Columbus State University cost & financial aid](/school/columbus-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients at Columbus State University, the published cost of attendance is $21,676, and the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,115. Average financial aid offsets $8,561 of the published cost and covers about 39% of that cost for the average aid recipient. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, placing the university's average net price $953 below it. Azimuth ranks the university #398 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported sticker charges for the 2025-26 academic year of $5,610 for in-state tuition and $1,410 in required fees. Out-of-state tuition was $20,250, and on-campus food and housing was $12,070. 5.0% of full-time undergraduates pay more than the base tuition and fees charge. The lower average cost than comparable institutions and the affordability rank point in the same direction. For families receiving aid, prices vary across the listed family-income bands. Columbus State University lists a published cost of attendance of $21,676. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $11,271 for the low-income family-income band, $11,873 for the lower-middle band, $13,786 for the middle band, $16,542 for the upper-middle band, and $18,329 for the high-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $7,058, a difference between band averages rather than a bill for any one family. Azimuth places Columbus State University in the 72nd percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid reduces the published price for the average recipient, though the overall net price remains a useful planning figure. Aid covers about 39% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average reduction of $8,561. For first-time, full-time federal aid recipients, the average net price is $13,115. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068; the university’s average is $953 below it. Lower average pricing than comparable institutions and substantial aid coverage point in the same direction. Borrowing is common among undergraduates here, and federal debt at completion sits above the comparable-school median. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $26,000, and 83.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The peer median debt at comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, placing Columbus State University $4,771 above that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $13,815. 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**$13,786** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Columbus State University At Columbus State University, completion debt exceeds the comparable-school benchmark. 83.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Federal-loan borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $26,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229; this is $4,771 above it. A separate parent-borrower population has median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $13,815. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported that 57% of graduates borrowed from any source, with average cumulative borrowing of $31,489 per borrower. Those figures include 53% of graduates with federal loans, averaging $24,070. They also include 10% of graduates with private loans, averaging $24,349. For Columbus State University, the investment picture pairs above-expected earnings with borrowing above its peer benchmark. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn median earnings of $60,912 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) show that graduates earn about $6,125 more than the model expects for similar students. That measure is the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 74th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios put earnings at $38,771 in a downside case, $60,912 in a typical case, and $80,033 in an upside case. Median federal debt is $26,000, compared with a peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $21,229; the university's figure is $4,771 above it. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Above-expected earnings sit alongside debt above the peer median, so the return picture is mixed. For [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers, a separate parent-borrower population, median borrowing is $13,815. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 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** $26,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $13,815 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $295/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $176/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=columbus-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/columbus-state-university/cost/) 02 / Columbus State University briefing ## [Columbus State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/columbus-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Columbus State University has a return record stronger against the model than its earnings position. Azimuth places its return pillar in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,125 more than the model expects for similar students. That [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between graduate earnings and model expectations for similar students, sits in the 74th 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 $4,219. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $1,906. Federally aided completers working and not enrolled have median earnings of $60,912 four years after completion, in the 54th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university is $3,611 above it. Above-peer earnings and model gap point the same way. Four years after completing a degree, Columbus State University graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $60,912. That figure is $3,611 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), based on an earnings cohort of 1,608. Graduates earn about $6,125 more than the model expects for similar students, placing the gap at the 74th percentile. An estimated 27.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix put typical earnings at the same level as the observed median, with a downside scenario of $38,771 and an upside scenario of $80,033. The range between the downside and upside scenarios is wide. Return evidence is favorable against comparable institutions and the model, although modeled program scenarios span a broad range. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, Columbus State University has median earnings of $60,912 four years after completion, in the 54th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university's median is $3,611 above it. Graduates earn about $6,125 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, are in the 74th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,219. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $1,906. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,520. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $38,771 on the downside to $80,033 on the upside. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison and model estimate point in the same direction, and the scenario range reflects variation across program clusters. Nursing is the largest program, with 122 degrees awarded and median earnings of $89,659 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #159 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Other high-earning programs include Computer and Information Sciences, with 54 degrees awarded and $80,694 in median earnings; Finance, with 14 degrees awarded and $65,380; and Management Information Systems and Services, with 9 degrees awarded and $63,514. The largest program's scale and earnings stand apart from the other named programs' smaller award counts and lower medians. The earnings scenarios show that earnings can differ widely across the program mix at the university. The downside earnings scenario is $38,771 and the upside scenario is $80,033; both are scenarios rather than observed groups of graduates. Four years after completion, program median earnings are $89,659 in Nursing, $80,694 in Computer and Information Sciences, and $65,380 in Finance. These field results occupy different parts of the modeled range, so the schoolwide median does not stand in for every program. Columbus State University posts an average net price of $13,115, which is $953 below the $14,068 peer median. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $26,000 in federal student loans, which is $4,771 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $13,815. The net price advantage and the fact that graduates earn about $6,125 more than the model expects for similar students point the same way. The debt figure sits above the peer median, so the return picture is mixed. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,219 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$1,906 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$6,125 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/columbus-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Columbus State University briefing ## [Columbus State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/columbus-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Columbus State University admitted 99.1% of applicants, making admission broadly available within the reported applicant pool. The rate is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported 3,651 first-year applicants and 3,617 admitted applicants. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 99.1% **25th percentile** 800 **Median** 930 **75th percentile** 1030 CDS 2024-25 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/columbus-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Columbus State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Columbus State University?](/school/columbus-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At Columbus State University, prominent programs show markedly different median earnings four years after completion. Nursing reported $89,659 across 122 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #159 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Health Sciences had median earnings of $45,997 and 62 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth rank of #68 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Communication and Media Studies recorded $48,499 across 68 degrees awarded; Azimuth places it #207 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The higher earnings in the first field sit alongside more moderate medians in the other two fields. Columbus State University has 17 ranked bachelor’s fields. Health Sciences ranks #68 nationally in Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 62 degrees awarded and median earnings of $45,997 four years after completion. The ranked fields span markedly different earnings levels. Columbus State University awards bachelor's degrees across 23 programs with published four-year earnings data, and 17 hold an Azimuth national rank. The program mix is led by Health Professions, which accounts for 18.7% of degrees awarded, with Business close behind at 17.5%. The largest single programs are Nursing at 122 degrees awarded, Communication and Media Studies at 68, and Health Sciences at 62. The highest-ranked program is Business/Commerce, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #3 in Georgia within its field. Nursing, the largest program, is also the highest-earning. Its graduates report a median of $89,659, and Azimuth ranks the program #159 nationally and #4 in Georgia within its field. Computer and Information Sciences is the second-highest earner at $80,694, from 54 degrees awarded a year. The largest program is also the best-paid, and the highest-ranked program is Business/Commerce. Four-year earnings for fields where many graduates continue to graduate study may not capture the full trajectory. 19.2% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 122 degrees awarded** $89,659 **Communication and Media Studies 68 degrees awarded** $48,499 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 62 degrees awarded** $45,997 **Psychology, General 55 degrees awarded** $41,266 **Business/Commerce, General 55 degrees awarded** $53,246 **Computer and Information Sciences, General 54 degrees awarded** $80,694 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/columbus-state-university/majors/) 05 / Columbus State University briefing ## How does Columbus State University serve students from different backgrounds? The mobility picture combines a 41.8% [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort with modeled earnings above expectations. Pell recipients in that cohort have a 36.3% six-year completion rate, below the overall rate by 5.5 percentage points. Azimuth puts the mobility pillar in the 60th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/)—the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students—sit in the 74th percentile. Graduates earn about $6,125 more than the model expects for similar students. Above-expected earnings sit alongside lower Pell completion. Entry is broad at Columbus State University: its admission rate is 99.1%, and undergraduate enrollment is 5,625 undergraduates. 44.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, with an estimated 34.3% entering as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth assigns the access pillar to the 72nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The enrollment mix shows multiple paths into the university alongside broad admission. 06 / Columbus State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Columbus State University?](/school/columbus-state-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/columbus-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Columbus State University. Admissions peerAlabama State University97.6% admitted+ Comparison with Columbus State University | Measure | Columbus State University | Alabama State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,912 | $45,998\-$14,914 vs Columbus State University | | Average annual net price | $13,115 | $20,435+$7,320 vs Columbus State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 99.1% | 97.6% | Nearby alternativeMiddle Georgia State UniversityNearby option · GA+ Comparison with Columbus State University | Measure | Columbus State University | Middle Georgia State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,912 | $62,068+$1,156 vs Columbus State University | | Average annual net price | $13,115 | $12,361\-$754 vs Columbus State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.1% | 99.7% | Higher-earnings alternativeMichigan Technological University$84,560 earnings+ Comparison with Columbus State University | Measure | Columbus State University | Michigan Technological University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,912 | $84,560+$23,648 vs Columbus State University | | Average annual net price | $13,115 | $14,182+$1,067 vs Columbus State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 99.1% | 92.4% | [Explore Michigan Technological University →](/school/michigan-technological-university/) Lower-cost alternativeClayton State University$8,365 average net price+ Comparison with Columbus State University | Measure | Columbus State University | Clayton State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,912 | $54,430\-$6,482 vs Columbus State University | | Average annual net price | $13,115 | $8,365\-$4,750 vs Columbus State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.1% | 68.5% | [Explore Clayton State University →](/school/clayton-state-university/) Similar profileAugusta UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Columbus State University | Measure | Columbus State University | Augusta University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,912 | $62,546+$1,634 vs Columbus State University | | Average annual net price | $13,115 | $13,787+$672 vs Columbus State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 99.1% | 86.4% | [Explore Augusta University →](/school/augusta-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/columbus-state-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/)