1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. East Texas A&M University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # East Texas A&M University TX · Medium public institution · Overall rank #185 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/east-texas-am-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/east-texas-am-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/east-texas-am-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/east-texas-am-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/east-texas-am-university/similar/) ## Composite standing: 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for East Texas A&M University is a public university in Commerce, Texas, where the degree mix is led by Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies and Business. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap to a remainder it does not explain, which adds, while the factors it measures subtracts. Return is around the average, the weakest of the four pillars, while the typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools. Affordability is well above average, and the net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell students complete at a rate above the overall cohort, and access is well above average. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are much smaller. ## East Texas A&M University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 92.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 42.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $57,494 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,067 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $20,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $15,265 ## East Texas A&M University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) East Texas A&M University is a public university in Commerce, Texas, enrolling 9,912 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (87th percentile). The university admits 92.2% of applicants, a rate above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Among full-time first-year students, 57.2% return for a second year, compared with a median of 73.7% for similar schools. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that cohort is 42.8%, against a median of 49.1% for comparable institutions. An estimated 55.2% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the first-time full-time cohort describes a minority of the student body. The graduation rate above applies only to that group, and the experience of the majority who transfer in is not captured by it. The four pillars sit far apart. Mobility is the strongest (91st percentile), and return is the weakest (50th percentile). Affordability and access fall in between (86th and 77th percentiles). East Texas A&M University is strongest on mobility, with affordability and access also forming a favorable part of its Azimuth profile. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, mobility stands in the 91st percentile, the university’s strongest pillar. Affordability is in the 86th percentile and access in the 77th percentile. Return, the weakest pillar, is in the 50th percentile. 40.5% of undergraduates at East Texas A&M University receive Pell Grants, the federal aid that marks financial access for families with limited means. This share appears alongside the completion rate for those students in the access pillar. Azimuth ranks East Texas A&M University #339 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 48.9%, which is 6.1 percentage points above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (42.8%). That gap places Pell students ahead of the entering cohort as a whole when it comes to completion. For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #138 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,785 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that coincides with the university's mobility performance. [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 Texas A&M University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #185 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #22 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #67 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 91 **Access & reach** National percentile: 77 **[Affordability](/school/east-texas-am-university/cost/)** National percentile: 86 **[Return on investment](/school/east-texas-am-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 50 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Music**#17** 2. Agriculture, General**#18** 3. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#22** 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-texas-am-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / East Texas A&M University briefing ## [East Texas A&M University cost & financial aid](/school/east-texas-am-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At East Texas A&M University, aid recipients face an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, of $11,841. The published annual cost of attendance is $23,438. In-state tuition and fees are $10,026, and room and board are $10,634. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $22,326. Average aid reduces the published cost by $11,597 for aid recipients. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, placing East Texas A&M $2,227 below that benchmark. Azimuth ranks the university #200 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The below-peer net price and strong affordability standing point in the same direction for families weighing cost. East Texas A&M University publishes a cost of attendance of $23,438. Azimuth ranks the university #200 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $9,709, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $12,067, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $20,005. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,296. Aid covers about 49% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $11,597 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $11,841, which is $2,227 below the median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $20,500 in federal student loans, $729 below the peer median of $21,229. 81.1% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $15,265. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month. It estimates what a degree might cost and what graduates earn in different fields. 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**$12,067** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at East Texas A&M University Federal loans reach 81.1% of federal aid recipients, so borrowing is a central part of the cost picture at East Texas A&M University. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $20,500. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $21,229; East Texas A&M University’s figure is $729 below it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $15,265. At East Texas A&M University, the investment picture has favorable modeled earnings and borrowing signals, though observed earnings occupy a more modest national position. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $57,494 four years after completion. Azimuth assigns that earnings figure to the 41st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,785 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places this measure in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program-mix scenarios put earnings at $46,042 in a downside scenario, $57,494 in a typical scenario, and $80,378 in an upside scenario. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $20,500, $729 below the peer median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. The modeled earnings signal and lower peer debt align, though the earnings percentile makes the return picture mixed. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, has a median of $15,265. [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** $20,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $15,265 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $233/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $194/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-texas-am-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/east-texas-am-university/cost/) 02 / East Texas A&M University briefing ## [East Texas A&M University career outcomes & earnings](/school/east-texas-am-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return data point in different directions: graduates exceed the model’s expectation, while the return pillar sits near the middle of Azimuth’s rankings. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,785 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, is in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures subtracts $8,419. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $11,204. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn median earnings of $57,494 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 41st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university is $193 above it. Above-expected earnings and earnings above the peer median point the same way. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of East Texas A&M University who are working and not enrolled report a median of $57,494. That covers 2,320 completers. That median sits $193 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That earnings level lands at the 41st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,785 more than the model expects for similar students. That result sits at the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #739 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios derived from the program mix range from $46,042 on the downside to $80,378 on the upside, with $57,494 as the typical outcome. Based on the program mix, an estimated 27.8% of graduates continue to graduate study. For federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, East Texas A&M University has median earnings of $57,494 four years after completion, in the 41st percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with the university $193 above it. Graduates earn about $2,785 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 65th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) subtracts $8,419. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $11,204. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $42. Downside and upside earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix are $46,042 and $80,378. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer and model comparisons are above their reference points, alongside a return placement near the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies is the largest program, with 570 degrees awarded and median earnings of $54,059 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #22 nationally in its field. Music has median earnings of $55,438 four years after completion, ranks #17 nationally by Azimuth, and has a 1.29x benchmark ratio against the national median for its field. The program figures range from a large interdisciplinary program near its field benchmark to smaller offerings with higher reported earnings. The program mix at East Texas A&M University coincides with a wide range of earnings scenarios. The downside earnings scenario is $46,042, the typical outcome is $57,494, and the upside reaches $80,378. Published program medians cluster at both ends of that spectrum. At the high end, Computer and Information Sciences graduates report a median of $100,394 four years after completion. Information Science/Studies shows $89,459, and Criminal Justice records $46,596. Individual program medians trace that full span. Debt sits slightly below the comparable-peer figure at East Texas A&M University, while graduate earnings exceed the model's expectation. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $20,500; this federal measure excludes Parent PLUS and does not describe every undergraduate borrower. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229, and the university's debt is below it by $729. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowers using PLUS loans have median debt of $15,265. Graduates earn about $2,785 more than the model expects for similar students. The lower debt comparison and favorable model result point in the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** \-$8,419 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$11,204 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$2,785 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-texas-am-university/outcomes/) 03 / East Texas A&M University briefing ## [East Texas A&M University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/east-texas-am-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At East Texas A&M University, the reported admission outcome indicates that most applicants were admitted. The admission rate was 92.2%, above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 92.2% **Approximate lower endpoint** 910 **Reported average** 1076 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1150 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-texas-am-university/admissions/) 04 / East Texas A&M University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at East Texas A&M University?](/school/east-texas-am-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Among the fields with [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), Music has median earnings of $55,438 four years after completion from 48 degrees awarded. Azimuth ranks the field #17 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Agriculture earned a median of $51,983 from 25 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth rank of #18 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies earned a median of $54,059 from 570 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #22 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Business/Commerce had $63,965 in median earnings and 30 degrees awarded, ranking #47 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The ranked fields therefore span higher and more moderate earnings four years after completion. Program results range from a high-ranked arts field to large broad-study fields, with earnings varying considerably by field. East Texas A&M University has 17 bachelor’s fields ranked by Azimuth nationally within their fields among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places Music at #17 nationally within its field; 48 degrees were awarded, and median earnings were $55,438 four years after completion. Agriculture stands at #18 within its field, with 25 degrees awarded and $51,983 in median earnings four years after completion. For Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Azimuth assigns #22 nationally within the field; 570 degrees were awarded and median earnings reached $54,059 four years after completion. The program mix at East Texas A&M University is anchored by Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, which accounts for 28.6% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Business at 13.4% and Computer & Information Sciences at 8.3%. Across the university, 17 programs carry an Azimuth national rank and 25 have published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, at 570 degrees awarded, with Criminal Justice next at 144 and Liberal Arts and General Studies at 122. The highest-ranked program is Music, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #9 in Texas within its field, with 48 degrees awarded and median earnings of $55,438 four years after completion. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, the largest program, ranks #22 nationally and #5 in Texas within its field, with median earnings of $54,059. The highest-earning program is Computer and Information Sciences, at $100,394 from 97 degrees awarded, and it carries a benchmark ratio of 1.09x against the national median for its field. Music stands out for its return profile: a benchmark ratio of 1.29x against the national median for its field. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in a few programs rather than broad depth across the curriculum. The largest program, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, is also the second-highest-ranked, and the highest-earning program, Computer and Information Sciences, is among the five largest by degrees awarded. The earnings spread between the top and bottom of the largest programs is wide, with Computer and Information Sciences at the top and Criminal Justice at the bottom. Across all fields, 9.8% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 570 degrees awarded** $54,059 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 144 degrees awarded** $46,596 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 122 degrees awarded** $49,846 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 107 degrees awarded** $63,791 **Computer and Information Sciences, General 97 degrees awarded** $100,394 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 91 degrees awarded** $45,169 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-texas-am-university/majors/) 05 / East Texas A&M University briefing ## How does East Texas A&M University serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is the university’s strongest measured pillar, pairing completion results with higher-than-expected earnings. Among the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 42.8%, and Pell recipients complete within six years at 48.9%, above the overall rate by 6.1 percentage points. Azimuth puts mobility in the 91st 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, are positive here: graduates earn about $2,785 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. East Texas A&M University makes entry available to a large undergraduate body, admitting 92.2% of applicants. Its undergraduate enrollment is 9,912 undergraduates; 40.5% receive Pell Grants, and an estimated 55.2% of undergraduates enter as transfers or part-time students. For access, Azimuth places the university in the 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission pattern, Pell participation, and transfer presence describe several routes into the institution. 06 / East Texas A&M University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to East Texas A&M University?](/school/east-texas-am-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/east-texas-am-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with East Texas A&M University. Admissions peerTexas Woman's University96.1% admitted+ Comparison with East Texas A&M University | Measure | East Texas A&M University | Texas Woman's University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,494 | $64,179+$6,685 vs East Texas A&M University | | Average annual net price | $11,841 | $11,963+$122 vs East Texas A&M University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.2% | 96.1% | [Explore Texas Woman's University →](/school/texas-womans-university/) Nearby alternativeUniversity of North Texas at DallasNearby option · TX+ Comparison with East Texas A&M University | Measure | East Texas A&M University | University of North Texas at Dallas | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,494 | $62,574+$5,080 vs East Texas A&M University | | Average annual net price | $11,841 | $6,420\-$5,421 vs East Texas A&M University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 92.2% | 84.5% | [Explore University of North Texas at Dallas →](/school/university-of-north-texas-at-dallas/) Higher-earnings alternativeThe University of Texas at Tyler$68,633 earnings+ Comparison with East Texas A&M University | Measure | East Texas A&M University | The University of Texas at Tyler | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,494 | $68,633+$11,139 vs East Texas A&M University | | Average annual net price | $11,841 | $13,323+$1,482 vs East Texas A&M University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.2% | 94.0% | [Explore The University of Texas at Tyler →](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-tyler/) Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of North Texas at Dallas$6,420 average net price+ Comparison with East Texas A&M University | Measure | East Texas A&M University | University of North Texas at Dallas | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,494 | $62,574+$5,080 vs East Texas A&M University | | Average annual net price | $11,841 | $6,420\-$5,421 vs East Texas A&M University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 92.2% | 84.5% | [Explore University of North Texas at Dallas →](/school/university-of-north-texas-at-dallas/) Similar profileArkansas State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with East Texas A&M University | Measure | East Texas A&M University | Arkansas State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,494 | $56,631\-$863 vs East Texas A&M University | | Average annual net price | $11,841 | $12,366+$525 vs East Texas A&M University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.2% | 82.3% | [Explore Arkansas State University →](/school/arkansas-state-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/east-texas-am-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 uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)