1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. DePauw University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # DePauw University IN · Small private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #657 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/depauw-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/depauw-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/depauw-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/depauw-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/depauw-university/similar/) ## DePauw University sits in Azimuth’s 55th percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for DePauw University is a private nonprofit university in Greencastle, Indiana, where the degree mix is led by Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Communication & Journalism. Return is well above average. Graduates earn above the median at comparable schools. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, so the four-year earnings picture captures the typical outcome. The price case turns on income. After grants and scholarships, aid recipients in the lowest income band pay well below the published cost, while those in the highest pay closer to it. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate above the overall six-year graduation rate, so the access picture is mixed: the Pell share is small, but those who enroll finish. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to the social sciences should go in knowing that the largest departments are not the best-paid ones. ## DePauw University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 57.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 74.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $70,091 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,979 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $27,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $35,134 ## DePauw University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) DePauw University is a private nonprofit university in Greencastle, Indiana, enrolling 1,905 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university admits 57.2% of applicants, a rate that is lower than the 75.7% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 88.6% return for a second year and 74.7% finish within six years. Both figures run above the medians for comparable institutions, which are 74.2% and 54.9%. An estimated 1.2% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so nearly all students begin their studies here. The four pillars are spread wide: return is the strongest, while access is the weakest. Mobility and affordability sit between them. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) counts first-time, full-time students only, and with a small transfer intake it describes most of the people who study here. Return is the clearest strength for families assessing DePauw University, although affordability and access make the overall profile uneven. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth places the university in the 82nd percentile for return and the 60th percentile for mobility. Azimuth assigns affordability to the 30th percentile; access, the weakest pillar, falls in the 15th percentile. Higher return and mobility sit beside lower affordability and access measures. DePauw University admits 57.2% of applicants to the reported entering class, an entry rate that describes the institution’s admissions results rather than any individual applicant’s chance. Pell Grants go to 16.4% of undergraduates, measuring the share receiving that federal aid. The estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 1.2%, indicating that transfer entry accounts for a small part of the undergraduate population. These measures describe both the front door and the financial-access reach of this private nonprofit university. Access is a weaker pillar here despite strong persistence among those who enroll. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 15th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The scale includes 1,905 undergraduates, and 88.6% of the full-time bachelor’s-seeking first-year cohort returns for a second year. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 74.7%. Pell recipients in that cohort have an 81.5% six-year completion rate, above the overall rate by 6.8 percentage points. The lower access standing sits alongside retention and completion figures that are comparatively high within the enrolled cohort. Mobility is stronger than the access showing, with completion carrying more weight than breadth of entry. Azimuth ranks DePauw University #586 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The contrast is clear: completion is strong, but the admission scale and undergraduate population are narrower than at broad-access institutions. That leaves a mobility picture shaped by solid outcomes among a relatively small entering and enrolled population. [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/) DePauw University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #657 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 60 **Access & reach** National percentile: 15 **[Affordability](/school/depauw-university/cost/)** National percentile: 30 **[Return on investment](/school/depauw-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 82 01 / DePauw University briefing ## [DePauw University cost & financial aid](/school/depauw-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At DePauw University, aid changes the cost picture: aid recipients pay far less on average than the published sticker price. The published cost of attendance is $74,320 (an average across living arrangements). Tuition and fees are $59,070, and room and board is $15,330. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $22,264. Average aid savings against the sticker price amount to $52,056 for these recipients. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $22,347. The university’s average is $83 below that peer median. Azimuth places affordability in the 30th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison is close, but affordability places lower across Azimuth’s national coverage. At DePauw University, the published cost of attendance is $74,320 (an average across living arrangements), making the price after aid the central affordability question. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $11,820 in the lowest family-income band; $13,957 in the lower-middle band; $12,979 in the middle band; $21,774 in the upper-middle band; and $31,225 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $19,405, and Azimuth ranks the university #994 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 70% of the published cost, offsetting $52,056 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $22,264. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $22,347, with DePauw’s average $83 below it. Published tuition and fees are $59,070, alongside $15,330 for room and board. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $27,000. That is $2,000 above the $25,000 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Federal loans are borrowed by 94.5% of federal aid recipients, and that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $35,134. 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**$12,979** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at DePauw University Borrowing is a common part of the picture at DePauw University, where 94.5% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among completers who borrowed, median federal student loan debt is $27,000. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median federal debt of $25,000, placing DePauw’s median $2,000 above that figure. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $35,134. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 83% of graduates borrowed from any source, averaging $25,565 in cumulative debt per borrower. Of those graduates, 70% had federal loans averaging $20,864. Private loans were held by 9% of graduates, averaging $49,787 per private borrower. DePauw University presents a favorable earnings picture, though borrowers finish with debt above the comparable-institution benchmark. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $70,091 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings scenarios range from $47,219 in the downside scenario to $101,372 in the upside scenario, with $70,091 as the typical scenario. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $27,000, which is $2,000 above the $25,000 median at comparable institutions of the same type and size. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. The above-peer earnings standing and higher-than-peer borrowing point in different directions for the investment picture. For parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $35,134. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 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** $27,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $35,134 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $307/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $446/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=depauw-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/depauw-university/cost/) 02 / DePauw University briefing ## [DePauw University career outcomes & earnings](/school/depauw-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) DePauw University’s four-year earnings sit above the middle value for comparable institutions, giving its return picture a favorable peer comparison. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $70,091 four years after completion, placing the school-level figure in the 76th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $55,915, leaving DePauw University $14,176 above that benchmark. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The above-peer earnings figure and return standing point in the same direction. An earnings median above comparable peers gives DePauw University a favorable early-career pay picture. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $70,091 four years after completion. That is above the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $55,915 by $14,176. Azimuth places this earnings measure in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, from an earnings cohort of 408 completers. The typical earnings scenario matches the institutional median, while the downside scenario is $47,219 and the upside scenario is $101,372. An estimated 36.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Above-peer median earnings sit alongside a modeled range that varies substantially by program mix. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $70,091. That places the median at the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort includes 408 completers measured in the most recent federal release. That median is $14,176 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) DePauw University #260 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program mix spans Social Sciences, Biological Sciences and Communication & Journalism. Earnings scenarios estimated from that mix show a typical outcome of $70,091, a downside of $47,219 and an upside of $101,372. These scenarios are estimates, not observed groups, and they show the range of outcomes associated with the institution's fields of study. An estimated 36.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. That estimate comes from the fields students choose, not from observed graduate enrollment. The four-year earnings figure is based on the outcomes of those who enter the workforce directly rather than continuing their education. Program mix leaves a wide spread between lower- and higher-earning modeled possibilities at DePauw University. The downside earnings scenario is $47,219, whereas the upside scenario is $101,372. These are earnings scenarios from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. Published program medians also vary: Computer Science reaches $120,076 four years after completion, Economics reaches $94,761, and Political Science reaches $79,117. Those results give the modeled range practical context. Paying for DePauw University depends substantially on family income, and borrower debt is above the peer median. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $22,264. Across the family-income bands, average net price is $11,820 in the lowest band, $13,957 in the next band, $12,979 in the middle band, $21,774 in the next-higher band, and $31,225 in the highest band. Aid covers about 70% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $27,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $25,000, and the university’s figure is above it by $2,000. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. Income-sensitive net prices sit alongside debt above peers, so both figures belong in the cost assessment. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/depauw-university/outcomes/) 03 / DePauw University briefing ## [DePauw University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/depauw-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission to DePauw University was recorded at 57.2%, a lower share than the median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size). That difference describes admissions outcomes across the reported pools, rather than a prediction for an individual applicant. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 6,772 first-year applicants, 3,794 admitted applicants, and 484 enrolled first-year students. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 57.2% **25th percentile** 1170 **Median** 1290 **75th percentile** 1390 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/depauw-university/admissions/) 04 / DePauw University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at DePauw University?](/school/depauw-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Computer Science sits at the upper end of the program picture, with median earnings of $120,076 four years after completion and 41 degrees awarded. Economics also occupies the higher-earning end, reporting $94,761 in median earnings from 61 degrees awarded. The more moderate-earning fields include Political Science, where median earnings were $79,117 across 23 degrees awarded. Communication and Media Studies recorded $69,228 four years after completion and 50 degrees awarded. The contrast between the higher-earning and moderate-earning fields means the institution-level earnings figure does not describe each field equally, while degree-award counts show the scale of each program separately. Earnings differ substantially across DePauw University’s largest programs, making the field of study especially relevant here. The largest programs with published earnings include Economics, with 61 degrees awarded and median earnings of $94,761 four years after completion; Communication and Media Studies, with 50 degrees awarded and $69,228; Computer Science, with 41 degrees awarded and $120,076; Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, with 27 degrees awarded and $62,917; and Political Science, with 23 degrees awarded and $79,117. The range among these large fields means the school-wide earnings figure is only a starting point; program-level results provide the more specific view. DePauw University’s bachelor’s output is anchored in Social Sciences, which accounts for 19.7% of degrees awarded, with Biological Sciences at 13.5% and Communication & Journalism at 9.8%. Published four-year earnings cover 9 fields. The largest program with published earnings is Economics, with 61 degrees awarded; Communication and Media Studies awarded 50 degrees, and Computer Science awarded 41. The highest-earning listed field is Computer Science, where median earnings are $120,076 four years after completion. Economics has median earnings of $94,761, and Political Science has $79,117; its 23 degrees awarded make it a smaller program than the largest fields. The earnings list spans social science, computing, communication, political science, and physical education rather than resting on one field alone. Economics has a benchmark ratio of 1.15x against the national median for its field, and Kinesiology and Physical Education has a ratio of 1.31x. The pattern pairs the largest program’s substantial award count with a range of published earnings across several fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Economics 61 degrees awarded** $94,761 **Communication and Media Studies 50 degrees awarded** $69,228 **Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology 42 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Computer Science 41 degrees awarded** $120,076 **Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 27 degrees awarded** $62,917 **Psychology, General 26 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report 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/depauw-university/majors/) 05 / DePauw University briefing ## How does DePauw University serve students from different backgrounds? DePauw University has a higher six-year completion rate for Pell recipients than for its full first-time, full-time cohort. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 74.7%, whereas Pell recipients complete within six years at 81.5%, above the overall rate by 6.8 percentage points. Azimuth assigns the mobility pillar to the 60th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The higher Pell completion rate and middle-range mobility standing offer a favorable completion picture. DePauw University admits 57.2% of applicants and has 1,905 undergraduates, giving its access profile a defined entry point and a small undergraduate scale. Pell Grant recipients account for 16.4% of undergraduates, a financial-access measure, and the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 1.2%. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 15th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Admission, Pell participation, and transfer entry together describe the routes into the university. 06 / DePauw University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to DePauw University?](/school/depauw-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/depauw-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with DePauw University. Admissions peerPurdue University-Main Campus49.9% admitted+ Comparison with DePauw University | Measure | DePauw University | Purdue University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,091 | $81,751+$11,660 vs DePauw University | | Average annual net price | $22,264 | $14,600\-$7,664 vs DePauw University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 57.2% | 49.9% | [Explore Purdue University-Main Campus →](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/) Higher-admission alternativeIndiana Wesleyan University-Marion88.9% admitted+ Comparison with DePauw University | Measure | DePauw University | Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,091 | $68,838\-$1,253 vs DePauw University | | Average annual net price | $22,264 | $22,866+$602 vs DePauw University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 57.2% | 88.9% | [Explore Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion →](/school/indiana-wesleyan-university-marion/) Nearby alternativeWabash CollegeNearby option · IN+ Comparison with DePauw University | Measure | DePauw University | Wabash College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,091 | $68,626\-$1,465 vs DePauw University | | Average annual net price | $22,264 | $24,336+$2,072 vs DePauw University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 57.2% | 63.3% | [Explore Wabash College →](/school/wabash-college/) Higher-earnings alternativeMaine Maritime Academy$113,298 earnings+ Comparison with DePauw University | Measure | DePauw University | Maine Maritime Academy | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,091 | $113,298+$43,207 vs DePauw University | | Average annual net price | $22,264 | $23,414+$1,150 vs DePauw University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 57.2% | 54.1% | [Explore Maine Maritime Academy →](/school/maine-maritime-academy/) Lower-cost alternativeIndiana University-Indianapolis$11,668 average net price+ Comparison with DePauw University | Measure | DePauw University | Indiana University-Indianapolis | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,091 | $64,616\-$5,475 vs DePauw University | | Average annual net price | $22,264 | $11,668\-$10,596 vs DePauw University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 57.2% | 76.4% | [Explore Indiana University-Indianapolis →](/school/indiana-university-indianapolis/) Similar profileBethel UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with DePauw University | Measure | DePauw University | Bethel University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,091 | $70,633+$542 vs DePauw University | | Average annual net price | $22,264 | $28,556+$6,292 vs DePauw University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 57.2% | 87.8% | [Explore Bethel University →](/school/bethel-university-mn/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/depauw-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/)