1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University FL · Medium public institution · Overall rank #163 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University #163 among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is a public university in Tallahassee, Florida, where the degree mix leans heavily toward Health Professions and Business. Access is among the highest we track, and mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them, and the typical graduate earns below the median at comparable schools. The model attributes more of that gap to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. Pell recipients complete within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and the university's net price sits below the peer median. The spread between what the lowest and highest income bands pay is narrow. The admission rate is well below the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are much smaller: the highest-earning field awards a fraction of the degrees of the largest. ## Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 20.6% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 53.3% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $52,657 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $15,269 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,548 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $16,223 ## Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is a public university in Tallahassee, Florida, enrolling 7,582 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the top fifth of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (89th percentile). The four pillars are spread wide: access is the strongest, at the 99th percentile, while return is the weakest, at the 15th percentile. Mobility and affordability sit between them, at the 91st and 74th percentiles respectively. The university admits 20.6% of applicants, a rate far below the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 89.2% return for a second year and 53.3% finish within six years. Both figures run above the peer medians of 73.7% and 49.1%. An estimated 31.1% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so a significant portion of the student body did not start at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The shape is a selective public university where access and mobility are the standout pillars, while return lags. The admission rate and completion figures both run ahead of the peer medians, but the six-year rate describes only the first-time, full-time cohort, which excludes the large transfer population. The four pillars do not sit close together; the gap between the strongest and weakest is substantial. Access is the clearest strength at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, even though the return picture is much weaker. Azimuth places access in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions and mobility in the 91st percentile. Affordability stands in the 74th percentile, while return, the weakest pillar, is in the 15th percentile. Strong access and mobility sit beside a markedly lower return result. 54.3% of undergraduates at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University receive Pell Grants, the federal aid program that measures financial access for students from lower-income households. Azimuth ranks the university #19 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 49.5%, below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (53.3%) by 3.8 percentage points. The access pillar weighs both the share of undergraduates who receive that aid and how those students progress to completion, with the gap expressed in percentage points. Both figures come from federal data on the first-time full-time cohort. Azimuth ranks the university #133 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,581 less than the model expects for similar students. That earnings result is the third component, sitting alongside the Pell share and the completion gap to form the mobility pillar. [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/) Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #163 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 91 **Access & reach** National percentile: 99 **[Affordability](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/cost/)** National percentile: 74 **[Return on investment](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 15 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Architecture**#17** 2. Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General**#20** 3. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#55** 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/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University briefing ## [Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University cost & financial aid](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, published charges fall substantially after aid. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University reported in-state tuition of $5,645 and required fees of $140 for the 2026-27 academic year. The same Common Data Set lists out-of-state tuition of $17,585 and on-campus food and housing of $13,152 as sticker charges. The published cost of attendance is $23,970. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,739, leaving $10,231 in average aid savings. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median net price of $14,068; the university's average sits $329 below that reference. Azimuth ranks the university #373 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lower peer-relative average and affordability standing point the same way. With a published cost of attendance of $23,970, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University has [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s that range across family-income bands. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,299 for the lowest family-income band; $10,921 for the next band; $15,269 for the middle band; $18,325 for the next-highest band; and $20,332 for the highest family-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $7,033. Azimuth ranks the university #373 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, financial aid offsets $10,231 from the published cost, and aid covers about 43% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $13,739. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, placing the university $329 below that benchmark. Its overall aid-recipient price sits modestly below the comparable-school median. At completion, federal student loan borrowers have median debt of $23,548. The peer median debt for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, so the university is $2,319 above the peer figure. An estimated 85.0% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $268 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $16,223. 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**$15,269** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Federal borrowing is widespread: 85.0% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, and completers who borrowed have median federal student loan debt of $23,548. The median is $2,319 above the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $16,223. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 68% of graduates borrowed from any source, averaging $22,801 in cumulative debt per borrower. The graduate figures include 67% with federal loans averaging $21,305. They also include 7% of graduates with private loans averaging $19,878. Access is the strongest pillar at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, yet its investment picture asks readers to weigh earnings against borrowing. Graduates working and not enrolled have median earnings of $52,657 four years after completion. Azimuth places those earnings in the 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,581 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places [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, in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings scenarios show a typical scenario matching the reported median, with a downside scenario of $41,812 and an upside scenario of $67,547. Median federal debt at completion is $23,548, above the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $21,229 by $2,319. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $268 a month if repaid over ten years. Lower-than-expected earnings and higher borrowing relative to comparable institutions point in the same direction. Family borrowing can include a separate parent loan. At Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median federal borrowing of $16,223, a figure for a separate parent-borrower population. Median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $268 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $23,548 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $16,223 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $268/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $206/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=florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/cost/) 02 / Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University briefing ## [Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University career outcomes & earnings](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) The return picture places earnings below both the model expectation and the peer median. Azimuth puts Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s return pillar in the 15th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,581 less than the model expects for similar students, placing [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) in the 38th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $1,440. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $6,021. Median earnings are $52,657 four years after completion, in the 26th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with the university $4,644 below it. Both comparisons place earnings below their reference points. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University posts median earnings of $52,657 four years after completion, based on an earnings cohort of 1,460 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Azimuth places that figure in the 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,581 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a typical figure of $52,657, with a downside scenario of $41,812 and an upside scenario of $67,547. An estimated 29.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Access is the strongest pillar at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, while return is measured separately. Median earnings four years after completion are $52,657, placing the university in Azimuth’s 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, and the university sits $4,644 below it. Graduates earn about $4,581 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, sits in Azimuth’s 38th percentile. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $41,812 in the downside scenario to $67,547 in the upside scenario. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $1,440. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $6,021. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $628. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the return pillar #1,242 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The largest program, Health Sciences, awarded 281 degrees and has median earnings of $46,081 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks it #55 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for its field. Azimuth ranks it #160 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks it #299 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program choice makes a wide difference in modeled earnings at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The downside earnings scenario is $41,812, while the upside scenario is $67,547, both modeled from the program mix for four years after completion. Graduates of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University earn about $4,581 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students. That shortfall is the earnings side of the return picture. Borrowers who finish hold a median of $23,548 in federal student loans. That is $2,319 above the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $268 a month. Those payments fall on debt that sits above the peer median while earnings land below what the model predicts. That tension is the core of the value question at the university. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$1,440 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$6,021 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,581 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/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/outcomes/) 03 / Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University briefing ## [Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University admitted 20.6% of its reported applicant pool, below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 26,494 first-year applicants, 9,884 admitted applicants, and 1,232 enrolled first-year students. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 20.6% **25th percentile** 1050 **Median** 1110 **75th percentile** 1180 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/admissions/) 04 / Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University?](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The earnings spread across programs at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is wide, and the highest-paid fields are not the largest. Construction Engineering Technology/Technician graduates earn a median of $98,272 four years after completion, from just 12 degrees awarded a year. Accounting follows at $85,522 with 33 degrees awarded, and Computer and Information Sciences at $83,041 with 24 degrees awarded, where [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #160 nationally within its field. By contrast, the largest program, Health Sciences, awards 281 degrees and posts a median of $46,081. Business Administration and Management awards 154 degrees and earns $53,902. Across all fields, 13.8% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University has 14 nationally ranked bachelor's programs. Architecture ranks #17 nationally in its field, with 38 degrees awarded and median earnings of $69,874 four years after completion. Health Sciences follows at #55 nationally in its field, awarding 281 degrees and showing median earnings of $46,081. The largest program, Health Sciences, awards 281 degrees and ranks #55 nationally in its field, with earnings of $46,081. The earnings picture is split between a handful of high-return programs and a larger group that sits closer to the national median. Construction Engineering Technology/Technician leads at $98,272, though it awarded only 12 degrees. Accounting and Computer and Information Sciences follow at $85,522 and $83,041, respectively. Among the largest programs, Psychology reaches $39,472 with 120 degrees awarded, while Business Administration and Management earns $53,902 and Biology earns $45,173. In all, 18 programs have published earnings data. The bachelor's degrees at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University are anchored in Health Professions, which accounts for 25.1% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 12.1% and Security & Protective Services at 8.0%. Across 18 programs with published four-year earnings data, 14 carry an Azimuth national rank. The largest single program is Health Sciences, at 281 degrees awarded, with Business Administration and Management next at 154 and Criminal Justice at 124. Strong national ranks appear in programs of varying sizes, including the university’s largest program. Architecture, with 38 degrees awarded, ranks #2 in Florida within its field. Health Sciences ranks #55 nationally and #10 in Florida within its field, with 281 degrees awarded. The highest-earning program is a much smaller one: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician graduates earn a median of $98,272 four years after completion, from 12 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $85,522, with 33 degrees awarded. The largest programs sit in health and business, while the highest earnings are concentrated in a handful of smaller fields. Architecture and Health Sciences both carry strong state ranks, and the top-earning program sits well above the national median for its field. Across all fields, 13.8% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 281 degrees awarded** $46,081 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 154 degrees awarded** $53,902 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 124 degrees awarded** $44,891 **Psychology, General 120 degrees awarded** $39,472 **Biology, General 95 degrees awarded** $45,173 **Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 92 degrees awarded** $47,139 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/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/majors/) 05 / Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University briefing ## How does Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University serve students from different backgrounds? Completion is a strong part of the mobility picture: the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 53.3%, and Pell recipients complete at 49.5%, below the overall rate by 3.8 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 91st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,581 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Completion is strong, though the model reports lower-than-expected earnings. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University offers broad access: its admission rate is 20.6%, and it enrolls 7,582 undergraduates. Azimuth places its access pillar in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell Grant recipients account for 54.3% of undergraduates, while an estimated 31.1% arrive as transfers or part-time students. The admissions, Pell, and transfer figures point to access through more than one entry route. 06 / Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University?](/school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-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/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Admissions peerMississippi Christian University29.1% admitted+ Comparison with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Measure | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Mississippi Christian University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,657 | $55,434+$2,777 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | | Average annual net price | $13,739 | $27,712+$13,973 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 20.6% | 29.1% | Higher-admission alternativeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural College75.7% admitted+ Comparison with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Measure | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,657 | $53,386+$729 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | | Average annual net price | $13,739 | $6,842\-$6,897 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 20.6% | 75.7% | Nearby alternativeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeNearby option · GA+ Comparison with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Measure | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,657 | $53,386+$729 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | | Average annual net price | $13,739 | $6,842\-$6,897 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 20.6% | 75.7% | Higher-earnings alternativeGeorgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus$119,180 earnings+ Comparison with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Measure | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,657 | $119,180+$66,523 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | | Average annual net price | $13,739 | $12,116\-$1,623 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 20.6% | 14.1% | [Explore Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus →](/school/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus/) Lower-cost alternativeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural College$6,842 average net price+ Comparison with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Measure | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,657 | $53,386+$729 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | | Average annual net price | $13,739 | $6,842\-$6,897 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 20.6% | 75.7% | Similar profileAustin Peay State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Measure | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Austin Peay State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,657 | $52,456\-$201 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | | Average annual net price | $13,739 | $9,735\-$4,004 vs Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 20.6% | 96.4% | [Explore Austin Peay State University →](/school/austin-peay-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/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-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/)