1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Florida Atlantic University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Florida Atlantic University FL · Large public institution · Overall rank #100 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/florida-atlantic-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/florida-atlantic-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/florida-atlantic-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/florida-atlantic-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/florida-atlantic-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Florida Atlantic University #100 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Florida Atlantic University is a public university in Boca Raton, Florida, where Business and Health Professions lead the degree mix. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates earn less than what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to expected earnings, while the part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts from them. Students who arrive with Pell Grants finish within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Affordability is among the highest we track, with net prices that stay low across the income scale. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to the largest programs should go in knowing that the best-paid ones are much smaller. ## FAU at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 66.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 62.6% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $59,690 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $8,106 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $17,236 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $15,000 ## FAU rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Florida Atlantic University enrolls 23,757 undergraduates as a public university in Boca Raton, Florida. The university sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (93rd percentile). Florida Atlantic University admits 66.1% of applicants, against a median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). For the full-time first-year cohort, 84.5% continue into the second year, against a peer median of 83.1% at comparable institutions (same type and size). The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 62.6%, against a median of 65.0% at comparable institutions (same type and size). An estimated 50.2% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year graduation rate describes only a minority of the people who study here. Mobility is the strongest pillar, at the 95th percentile, with affordability close behind at the 95th percentile and access also high at the 90th percentile. Return is the weakest of the four, at the 38th percentile. The four sit far apart from one another. Azimuth evaluates Florida Atlantic University across four pillars among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's strongest pillar is mobility, in the 95th percentile. Affordability and access are close behind, in the 95th and 90th percentiles respectively. The return pillar is the weakest, at the 38th percentile. 33.9% of undergraduates at Florida Atlantic University receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Florida Atlantic University #142 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at a rate of 60.5%, which is 2.1 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the entering cohort. Azimuth ranks the university #67 for mobility. Graduates earn about $2,172 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/) FAU rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #100 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 95 **Access & reach** National percentile: 90 **[Affordability](/school/florida-atlantic-university/cost/)** National percentile: 95 **[Return on investment](/school/florida-atlantic-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 38 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Ocean Engineering**#3** 2. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other**#4** 3. Environmental Design**#6** 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-atlantic-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / FAU briefing ## [FAU cost & financial aid](/school/florida-atlantic-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Florida Atlantic University lists a cost of attendance of $21,522 for in-state students. That total combines $4,879 in tuition and fees with $15,860 for room and board. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $17,324. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients—what they pay after grants and scholarships—is $8,752. Grants and scholarships lower the sticker price by $12,770, covering about 59% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Against comparable institutions (same type and size), the average net price is below the peer median of $15,634 by $6,882. Azimuth places the affordability pillar in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. A net price well under the peer median and a large aid discount point the same way: cost is a relative strength here. Florida Atlantic University, a public university in Boca Raton, publishes a cost of attendance of $21,522, with in-state tuition and fees of $4,879 and room and board at $15,860. For families earning under $30,000, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships — is $3,022. For the $48,001–$75,000 band, it is $8,106, and for families earning over $110,000, it is $16,854. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,832. Azimuth ranks the university #76 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 59% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $12,770 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $8,752, which sits below the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $6,882. Out-of-state students face a higher tuition of $17,324, though the net-price figures here are on an in-state basis. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, the median federal student debt is $17,236, with about two-thirds of undergraduates borrowing (66.8%). That debt is below the peer median of $20,076 by $2,840, and it corresponds to an estimated payment of $196 a month if repaid over ten years. The median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $15,000. 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**$8,106** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at FAU Borrowing at Florida Atlantic University is concentrated but moderate: 66.8% of aid recipients take federal loans, and among those who complete a degree the median federal student debt is $17,236. That median sits below the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,840. Parent borrowers, a separate population, carry a median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan of $15,000. Graduates of Florida Atlantic University earn about $2,172 less than the model expects for similar students, an outcome in the 47th percentile nationally. The median earnings four years after completion are $59,690, which falls in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,920. Earnings scenarios based on the university's program mix show a typical earnings level equal to the observed median, with a downside scenario of $47,387 and an upside scenario of $82,943. Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median federal debt of $17,236, which is below the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $196 a month if repaid over ten years. The return picture is mixed: earnings run below the model's expectation and the peer median, but the debt load is lighter than what comparable institutions carry. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $15,000. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $196. [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** $17,236 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $15,000 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $196/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $191/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-atlantic-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/florida-atlantic-university/cost/) 02 / FAU briefing ## [FAU career outcomes & earnings](/school/florida-atlantic-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Florida Atlantic University's strongest pillars are mobility and affordability, not return: Azimuth places the return pillar in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completion, graduates earn a median of $59,690, in the 50th percentile nationally. That sits below the peer median of $65,610 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,920. Graduates earn about $2,172 less than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 47th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,145. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $9,317. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $809. The median earnings figure and the below-expectations gap point the same way, while the university's strongest outcomes are in mobility and affordability, where it ranks in the top decile nationally. Four years after completion, the median earnings of Florida Atlantic University graduates stand at $59,690, which sits below the median of $65,610 at comparable institutions (same type and size). The earnings cohort includes 6,488 completers. Graduates earn about $2,172 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the university in the 47th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a typical outcome matching the observed median, with a downside scenario of $47,387 and an upside scenario reaching $82,943. An estimated 30.0% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The earnings picture is mixed. The median sits below the peer benchmark and graduates earn less than the model expects, yet the upside scenario reaches well into the eighty-thousands, reflecting the presence of higher-earning programs like Electrical Engineering and Nursing. Four years after completion, Florida Atlantic University graduates earn a median of $59,690. That figure sits below the peer median of $65,610 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,920. Graduates earn about $2,172 less than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 47th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,145. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $9,317. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $809. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #917 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $47,387 and an upside of $82,943. The program-level picture is mixed: the largest field, Biology, awarded 491 degrees and shows median earnings of $47,707 four years after completion, ranked #282 nationally by Azimuth. Nursing—the second-largest with 374 degrees—reaches $91,953. The highest-earning program, Electrical Engineering, reports $93,561 on 42 degrees awarded. Among the university's best nationally ranked programs, Ocean Engineering stands at #3 in its field with 20 degrees awarded and median earnings of $80,093. The institutional median and below-expected earnings coincide with a program mix where the largest field earns well below the highest-earning programs. Earnings outcomes vary considerably by field. Earnings four years after completion vary considerably by field at Florida Atlantic University. The downside earnings scenario sits at $47,387 and the upside scenario reaches $82,943, a range that reflects the mix of 44 programs with published data. The highest-earning programs show the upper end of that spread: Electrical Engineering completers earn a median of $93,561, Nursing graduates reach $91,953, and Computer Engineering completers earn $90,664. The value case at Florida Atlantic University rests on a combination of low cost and moderate debt, even as earnings sit below the peer median. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $8,752. That is $6,882 below the $15,634 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $17,236 in federal student loans, $2,840 below the peer median of $20,076. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $196 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $15,000 in Parent PLUS loans. The return pillar is the weakest of the four for this university, and graduates earn about $2,172 less than the model expects for similar students. A price well below the peer norm and debt that stays moderate sit alongside earnings that fall short of what the model predicts for similar students. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$7,145 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$9,317 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$2,172 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-atlantic-university/outcomes/) 03 / FAU briefing ## [FAU acceptance rate & admissions](/school/florida-atlantic-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) An admission rate of 66.1% at Florida Atlantic University falls below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 66.1% **25th percentile** 1050 **Median** 1120 **75th percentile** 1220 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/florida-atlantic-university/admissions/) 04 / FAU briefing ## [What are the largest majors at FAU?](/school/florida-atlantic-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Florida Atlantic University's highest-earning bachelor's programs are concentrated in engineering and computing, while the largest programs by degrees awarded span a wider earnings range. Electrical Engineering leads at $93,561 four years after completion, though it awarded only 42 degrees. Nursing, a much larger program with 374 degrees awarded, follows at $91,953. Among the largest programs, Biology awarded 491 degrees and shows median earnings of $47,707, with an Azimuth national rank of #282 in its field. Business Administration and Management reached $62,058 on 323 degrees awarded. The contrast between the engineering programs and the larger, moderate-earning fields like Biology and Psychology ($48,754, 328 degrees) shows how much field choice matters for earnings at the university. Florida Atlantic University publishes earnings data for 44 bachelor's programs, and 39 of those hold an Azimuth national rank. The largest program, Biology, awarded 491 degrees and shows a median of $47,707 four years after completion, ranking #282 nationally and #9 in Florida. Nursing is the highest-earning large program: it awarded 374 degrees, and its completers earn a median of $91,953. Among the best-ranked programs, Ocean Engineering holds a national rank of #3 with 20 degrees awarded. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services ranks #4 nationally, awarded 56 degrees, and reports a median of $56,162. Florida Atlantic University awards bachelor's degrees across a broad set of fields, with 44 programs reporting four-year earnings data and 39 holding an Azimuth national rank within their field. The largest family is Business, which accounts for 22.9% of degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 12.7% and Biological Sciences at 8.1%. The three largest single programs are Biology with 491 degrees awarded, Nursing with 374, and Psychology with 328. Ocean Engineering is the highest-ranked program in its field, with 20 degrees awarded and median earnings of $80,093 four years after completion; Azimuth places it #1 in Florida. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services ranks #4 nationally and #1 in Florida, with 56 degrees awarded. The highest-earning program is Electrical Engineering, where graduates earn a median of $93,561, though it is a smaller program at 42 degrees awarded. Nursing, the second-largest program, is also the second-highest-earning, with a median of $91,953. The pattern is one of breadth rather than concentration: the largest family accounts for less than a quarter of degrees. The highest earnings are found in engineering programs that are not among the very largest by degrees awarded, while Nursing combines scale with strong pay. 14.9% of degrees are in STEM fields, a share that sits alongside a strong set of ranked programs in protective services, criminal justice, and communication. The largest programs, Biology at $47,707 and Psychology at $48,754, earn below the university's highest figures, while Criminal Justice ranks #88 nationally and #4 in Florida within its field. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Biology, General 491 degrees awarded** $47,707 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 374 degrees awarded** $91,953 **Psychology, General 328 degrees awarded** $48,754 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 323 degrees awarded** $62,058 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 320 degrees awarded** $53,545 **Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 311 degrees awarded** $51,082 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-atlantic-university/majors/) 05 / FAU briefing ## How does FAU serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is the strongest pillar at Florida Atlantic University, where Azimuth ranks the university #67 among nonprofit four-year institutions. That outcome sits in the 95th percentile. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 62.6%, while Pell recipients complete at 60.5%, below the overall rate by 2.1 percentage points. Graduates earn about $2,172 less than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 47th percentile. The university's mobility strength coincides with completion rates that are close for Pell recipients and the overall cohort, even as earnings land below the model's expectation. Florida Atlantic University opens its doors wide: the public university admits 66.1% of applicants, a rate that sits below the peer median of 78.1% (the middle value for comparable institutions). Azimuth places the access pillar in the 90th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell Grant recipients account for 33.9% of the 23,757 undergraduates, and an estimated 50.2% enter as transfers or part-time students. A large transfer presence and a substantial Pell share reflect an institution that functions as a wide on-ramp to a bachelor's degree. 06 / FAU briefing ## [What colleges are similar to FAU?](/school/florida-atlantic-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-atlantic-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with FAU. Admissions peerLynn University73.5% admitted+ Comparison with FAU | Measure | FAU | Lynn University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,690 | $53,587\-$6,103 vs FAU | | Average annual net price | $8,752 | $44,089+$35,337 vs FAU · higher cost | | Admission rate | 66.1% | 73.5% | Higher-admission alternativeEverglades University81.5% admitted+ Comparison with FAU | Measure | FAU | Everglades University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,690 | $59,470\-$220 vs FAU | | Average annual net price | $8,752 | $27,371+$18,619 vs FAU · higher cost | | Admission rate | 66.1% | 81.5% | Nearby alternativeFlorida International UniversityNearby option · FL+ Comparison with FAU | Measure | FAU | Florida International University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,690 | $62,192+$2,502 vs FAU | | Average annual net price | $8,752 | $9,288+$536 vs FAU · higher cost | | Admission rate | 66.1% | 54.7% | [Explore Florida International University →](/school/florida-international-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of West Florida$67,723 earnings+ Comparison with FAU | Measure | FAU | University of West Florida | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,690 | $67,723+$8,033 vs FAU | | Average annual net price | $8,752 | $9,364+$612 vs FAU · higher cost | | Admission rate | 66.1% | 58.2% | [Explore University of West Florida →](/school/university-of-west-florida/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with FAU | Measure | FAU | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,690 | $62,833+$3,143 vs FAU | | Average annual net price | $8,752 | $3,103\-$5,649 vs FAU · lower cost | | Admission rate | 66.1% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileGeorgia Southern UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with FAU | Measure | FAU | Georgia Southern University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,690 | $62,342+$2,652 vs FAU | | Average annual net price | $8,752 | $15,267+$6,515 vs FAU · higher cost | | Admission rate | 66.1% | 87.9% | [Explore Georgia Southern University →](/school/georgia-southern-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-atlantic-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/)