1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania PA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #472 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/)[Majors](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/) ## East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania sits in Azimuth's 68th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public university in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, where the degree mix is led by Business, Education, and Health Professions. Mobility is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The factors the model measures add to earnings, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the overall cohort, and access 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. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study, and the best-paid programs are not the largest ones. ## East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 92.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 43.1% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $56,971 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $17,382 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,218 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $25,252 ## East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public university in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 4,814 undergraduates. Its composite standing in the Azimuth ranking sits above the middle of the field among nonprofit four-year institutions. The four pillars that make up that standing are spread across a wide range. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania admits most who apply, with an admission rate of 92.0% against a median of 85.9% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. For the full-time bachelor's-seeking first-year cohort, 72.1% continue into a second year, compared with a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 43.1%, against a comparable-institution median of 49.1%. An estimated 22.3% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year graduation rate covers only the first-time, full-time cohort and not the full student body. Mobility is the strongest pillar (80th percentile) and return is the weakest (46th). Access (71st) and affordability (55th) sit in between, so the four pillars are not clustered together. Mobility gives East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania its clearest Azimuth strength, even though the return picture is less favorable. Its mobility pillar is in the 80th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access is in the 71st percentile, and affordability is in the 55th percentile. Return, the weakest pillar, is in the 46th percentile. The profile therefore leans on mobility and access more than return. The middle 50% of SAT scores from enrolled students ran from 1,000 to 1,180, and the ACT middle half sat between 22 and 23. 41.5% of undergraduates are Pell Grant recipients, a financial-access measure that indicates the share of the student body receiving this federal aid. Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort finish within six years at 47.7%, a rate that is 4.6 percentage points above the overall cohort figure (43.1%). Azimuth ranks East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania #432 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, a standing that coincides with both the Pell share and the completion pattern. Mobility is the strongest pillar for East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, and Azimuth ranks the university #289 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,509 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/) East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #472 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 80 **Access & reach** National percentile: 71 **[Affordability](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)** National percentile: 55 **[Return on investment](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)** National percentile: 46 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Special Education and Teaching**#11** 2. Hospitality Administration/Management**#48** 3. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#49** 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/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania cost & financial aid](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania has a published annual cost of attendance of $27,917, and aid brings the average bill for recipients down but not below comparable colleges. The public university lists in-state tuition and fees of $11,536, out-of-state tuition and fees of $19,502, and room and board of $11,164. For aid recipients, average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $18,134; aid offsets $9,783 of published cost on average. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median net price of $14,068, placing this university above that midpoint by $4,066. Azimuth puts its affordability pillar in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published price, aid savings, and peer comparison all point to a cost above the comparable-college midpoint. At East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, the published cost of attendance is $27,917, and aid recipients face a wide range of prices by family income. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $15,365 in the lowest-income band; $14,511 in the next band; $17,382 in the middle band; $21,135 in the next-highest band; and $22,892 in the highest-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $7,527. Azimuth places the affordability pillar in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 35% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $9,783. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $18,134. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, with this university’s average $4,066 above it. Published in-state tuition is $11,536 and out-of-state tuition is $19,502, while room and board is $11,164. Aid reduces the listed cost, but the average price remains above the comparable-institution median. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $24,218, and 93.2% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, leaving this median $2,989 above that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $275 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $25,252. 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**$17,382** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania At East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 93.2% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, making borrowing common before completion. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $24,218. For comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median federal debt is $21,229; the university’s median is $2,989 above it. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $25,252. The investment picture at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is shaped by earnings that run slightly below the peer median and debt that runs above it. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $56,971, a figure at the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,509 less than the model expects for similar students, an outcome at the 46th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $47,120 in a downside case to $77,127 in an upside case, with $56,971 as the typical scenario. The median federal student debt at completion is $24,218, which is $2,989 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $275 a month. The return picture is mixed: earnings sit below the peer median and below the model's expectation, while debt runs above the peer median. Parent borrowers using PLUS loans had median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $25,252. For borrowers with median federal student debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $275 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $24,218 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $25,252 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $275/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $321/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=east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/) 02 / East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania career outcomes & earnings](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Mobility is the clearer strength at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, while its return measures give a mixed reading. Azimuth rates the return pillar in the 46th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,509 less than the model expects for similar students. That earnings-beyond-expectations measure, the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students, falls in the 46th 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 $4,647. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,156. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $56,971, in the 39th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions of the same type and size, is $57,301; the university’s earnings are $330 below it. Earnings edge past comparable peers but fall short of the model’s expectation. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania graduates who received federal aid and are working four years after completion earn a median of $56,971. That figure reflects 1,427 completers in the federal data. It sits $330 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That earnings level is in the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,509 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a wide range, from $47,120 on the downside to $77,127 on the upside, with $56,971 as the typical outcome. An estimated 29.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Mobility is the strongest Azimuth pillar for East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, though its return picture is mixed. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $56,971, placing them in the 39th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university’s figure is $330 below it. Graduates earn about $2,509 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, are in the 46th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,647. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,156. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $671. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $47,120 in the downside scenario to $77,127 in the upside scenario. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 46th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Kinesiology and Physical Education is the largest program, with 86 degrees awarded and median earnings of $55,237 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #105 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions within its field. Special Education and Teaching had 45 degrees awarded and median earnings of $60,391, with Azimuth ranking it #11 nationally within its field. The larger and highest-earning programs point to a varied set of outcomes across fields. The earnings scenarios at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania show a broad earnings spread across its program mix: $47,120 in the downside scenario and $77,127 in the upside scenario. They are scenarios rather than observed groups of graduates. Several programs sit near the upper end four years after completion: Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at $104,383, Computer and Information Sciences at $104,026, and Nursing at $97,321. Those figures show how much the earnings picture can differ by field. For borrowers who complete, the debt picture is less favorable than at comparable schools. At East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, median federal student loan debt is $24,218 among borrowers who completed, excluding Parent PLUS. This is above the peer median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size), by $2,989. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $275 a month if repaid over ten years. For parent borrowers, median Parent PLUS debt is $25,252. [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, offer a separate return check. Graduates earn about $2,509 less than the model expects for similar students. Higher borrowing sits alongside earnings below the model's expectation, making the return picture cautious. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,647 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$7,156 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$2,509 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/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/) 03 / East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania acceptance rate & admissions](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission is broadly open at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, which admitted 92.0% of applicants in the reported cycle. That rate is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size), so the outcome was more open than the peer midpoint. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 92.0% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1000 **Reported average** 1084 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1180 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/) 04 / East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [What are the largest majors at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania?](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program-level results range from more moderate to higher earnings four years after completion, making field choice a central part of the return picture at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. Criminal Justice recorded median earnings of $57,494 and 76 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #75 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Special Education and Teaching posted $60,391 with 45 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #11 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Hospitality Administration/Management had median earnings of $58,882 across 21 degrees awarded, ranking #48 nationally by Azimuth in its field. At the more moderate end, Allied Health Professions recorded $58,113 and 35 degrees awarded; Azimuth ranks it #71 nationally in its field. The university has 17 ranked fields. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Special Education and Teaching #11 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; it awarded 45 degrees, and median earnings four years after completion were $60,391. Azimuth ranks Hospitality Administration/Management #48 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, with 21 degrees awarded and $58,882 in median earnings four years after completion. Azimuth ranks Subject-Area Teacher Education #49 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; 57 degrees were awarded, and median earnings were $55,303 four years after completion. The degree mix at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is spread across several professional and applied fields, with no single family dominating. Business accounts for 15.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, closely followed by Education at 15.1% and Health Professions at 13.5%. The university has 17 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 25 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single programs are Kinesiology and Physical Education at 86 degrees awarded, Business Administration and Management at 84, and Criminal Justice at 76. The highest-ranked program is Special Education and Teaching, with median earnings of $60,391 four years after completion and a state rank of #1 in Pennsylvania within its field. Hospitality Administration/Management ranks #48 nationally and #3 in Pennsylvania within its field, with earnings of $58,882. The highest-earning programs are in computing: Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management graduates earn $104,383, and Computer and Information Sciences graduates earn $104,026. Both are small programs, at 16 and 21 degrees awarded respectively. Nursing, with 54 degrees awarded, earns $97,321. The pattern is one of applied fields that coincide with licensure or employment pathways, with the top national ranks held by Special Education and Teaching and Hospitality Administration/Management. The highest earnings are concentrated in technical programs that award relatively few degrees, while the largest programs sit close to the national median for their fields. 14.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. The largest programs carry earnings near the national median for their fields: Kinesiology and Physical Education at 1.01x, Business Administration and Management at 0.85x, and Criminal Justice at 1.04x. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 86 degrees awarded** $55,237 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 84 degrees awarded** $58,287 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 76 degrees awarded** $57,494 **Psychology, General 67 degrees awarded** $46,912 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 57 degrees awarded** $55,303 **Biology, General 57 degrees awarded** $63,320 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/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) 05 / East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania briefing ## How does East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is the university’s clearest measured pillar, though its completion figures and modeled earnings do not point in the same direction. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 43.1%; Pell recipients complete within six years at 47.7%, above the overall rate by 4.6 percentage points. Azimuth puts the mobility pillar in the 80th 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 46th percentile. Graduates earn about $2,509 less than the model expects for similar students. The mobility picture is stronger than the modeled earnings result. Access at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania combines a 41.5% Pell Grant share with a 92.0% admission rate. The university has 4,814 undergraduates, and an estimated 22.3% of them enter as transfers or part-time students. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the access pillar stands in the 71st percentile. Grant-supported enrollment, transfer entry, and a high admission rate describe several points of entry to this public university. 06 / East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [What colleges are similar to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania?](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/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/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. Admissions peerSaint Peter's University90.3% admitted+ Comparison with East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Measure | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Saint Peter's University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,971 | $64,352+$7,381 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $18,134 | $12,199\-$5,935 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 90.3% | [Explore Saint Peter's University →](/school/saint-peters-university/) Nearby alternativeSusquehanna UniversityNearby option · PA+ Comparison with East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Measure | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Susquehanna University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,971 | $58,506+$1,535 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $18,134 | $28,819+$10,685 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 81.4% | [Explore Susquehanna University →](/school/susquehanna-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeLa Salle University$70,254 earnings+ Comparison with East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Measure | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | La Salle University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,971 | $70,254+$13,283 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $18,134 | $19,409+$1,275 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 96.6% | Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Measure | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,971 | $62,833+$5,862 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $18,134 | $3,103\-$15,031 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileSUNY OneontaMatched across several measures+ Comparison with East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Measure | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | SUNY Oneonta | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,971 | $58,809+$1,838 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $18,134 | $19,158+$1,024 vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 69.6% | [Explore SUNY Oneonta →](/school/suny-oneonta/) 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/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance 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/)