1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Florida Institute of Technology Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Florida Institute of Technology FL · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #778 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/admissions/)[Majors](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/similar/) ## Azimuth places Florida Institute of Technology in the 47th percentile overall among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Florida Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit university in Melbourne, Florida, built around engineering. Nearly half of degrees are in Engineering, and the largest programs are Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering and Air Transportation. Return is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them, and the model attributes more of that to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. The typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools, so the raw and adjusted pictures point the same way. The price case turns on income. The lowest band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. Pell students complete well below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is below the levels seen at many peers. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions, and the degree mix is heavily STEM. The largest programs are also among the best-paid, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. ## Florida Institute of Technology at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 57.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 63.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $90,403 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $31,311 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $27,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $29,276 ## Florida Institute of Technology rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Florida Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit university in Melbourne, Florida, enrolling 3,404 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (47th percentile). The university admits 57.7% of applicants, a rate below the 71.2% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among full-time first-year students, 80.0% return for a second year, against a peer median of 83.4%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 63.5%, compared to a peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 14.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate covers only the first-time, full-time cohort. The four pillars sit far apart at Florida Institute of Technology. Return is the strongest, while mobility is the weakest. Access and affordability sit between them. Florida Institute of Technology has a return profile that stands apart, but affordability and mobility make the wider picture uneven. Azimuth places return in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, its strongest pillar. In that cohort, Azimuth puts access in the 47th percentile, affordability in the 7th percentile, and mobility in the 2nd percentile, the weakest pillar. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 1,120 and 1,320, and the middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 23 and 28. Pell Grants go to 21.1% of undergraduates. Pell recipients finish within six years at 18.7%, trailing the rate for the full entering cohort (63.5%) by 44.8 percentage points. Azimuth ranks the university #771 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #1,445 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $27,474 more 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/) Florida Institute of Technology rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #778 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 2 **Access & reach** National percentile: 47 **[Affordability](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/cost/)** National percentile: 7 **[Return on investment](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)** National percentile: 94 01 / Florida Institute of Technology briefing ## [Florida Institute of Technology cost & financial aid](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At Florida Institute of Technology, the published annual budget is $62,440, so even discounted pricing remains a substantial consideration for aid recipients. Tuition and fees account for $45,900, with room and board listed at $15,240. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $35,639. Aid reduces the published cost by $26,801 on average. Comparable institutions of the same type and size have a peer median net price of $27,371, leaving this university $8,268 above that benchmark. Azimuth places the affordability pillar in the 7th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The above-peer net price and low affordability standing point in the same direction. The published cost of attendance at Florida Institute of Technology sets the starting price before aid at $62,440. For aid recipients, average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $29,108 in the lowest family-income band; $29,213 in the next band; $31,311 in the middle band; $36,466 in the next-highest band; and $40,649 in the highest family-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $11,541. Azimuth ranks the university #1,312 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 43% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $26,801 against the sticker price. Across first-time full-time Title IV aid recipients, the average net price is $35,639. The peer median net price, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $27,371, making the university's average $8,268 above that benchmark. Published tuition and fees are $45,900, with room and board listed at $15,240. Aid offsets part of the published cost, though the average price remains above the peer median. For borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $27,000, and 84.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That figure is $2,801 above the $24,199 peer median debt at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $29,276. 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**$31,311** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Florida Institute of Technology Federal borrowing is widespread at Florida Institute of Technology, and the typical debt figure sits above that of comparable schools. 84.3% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among federal-loan borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $27,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199. Florida Institute of Technology's median is $2,801 above that benchmark. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $29,276. The borrower share and above-peer median point to a debt picture that merits attention alongside the school's earnings figures. Florida Institute of Technology pairs earnings well above the model’s expectation with borrowing above its comparable-school benchmark. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $90,403 four years after completion. That figure places the university in the 94th 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 also high. Graduates earn about $27,474 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings scenarios set earnings at $59,365 in a downside case and $99,044 in an upside case, with the typical scenario at the median-earnings level. Median federal student debt is $27,000, which is $2,801 above the peer median of $24,199, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. High earnings and above-expected results point one way, while debt above the peer median pulls the other. Parent borrowers have median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $29,276, separate from federal student borrowing. For borrowers at the median federal debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $27,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $29,276 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $307/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $372/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-institute-of-technology#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/cost/) 02 / Florida Institute of Technology briefing ## [Florida Institute of Technology career outcomes & earnings](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) For federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, Florida Institute of Technology posts median earnings of $90,403 four years after completion, in the 94th percentile. Graduates earn about $27,474 more than the model expects for similar students. That earnings-beyond-expectations measure—the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students—sits in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,536. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $18,938. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $7,397. The median is $22,153 above the peer median of $68,250 at comparable institutions (same type and size), the middle value for that group. The model result and peer comparison point in the same direction. Graduates from Florida Institute of Technology post a high reported earnings level four years after completion. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $90,403 four years after completion. Azimuth places that measure in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 1,477 completers. Graduates earn about $27,474 more than the model expects for similar students. The typical scenario, modeled from the program mix, matches the reported median; the downside and upside cases are scenarios, not observed groups. An estimated 26.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. High reported earnings and higher-than-expected earnings point in the same direction. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled from Florida Institute of Technology have median earnings of $90,403, in the 94th percentile. That figure is $22,153 above the peer median of $68,250, the middle value for comparable institutions in the same type and size. Graduates earn about $27,474 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 99th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,536. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $18,938. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $7,397. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $59,365 in the downside scenario to $99,044 in the upside scenario. The peer comparison and the model measure point in the same direction. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering is the largest listed program, with 90 degrees awarded and median earnings of $97,015 four years after completion. Air Transportation had 89 degrees awarded and earnings of $83,243, while Mechanical Engineering had 80 degrees awarded and earnings of $92,753. Computer Engineering adds 41 degrees awarded and $106,431 in median earnings at the same horizon. These large programs span earnings levels around and above the school-level median. Field choice leaves a wide modeled earnings range at Florida Institute of Technology. The downside earnings scenario is $59,365, and the upside scenario is $99,044; both are scenarios derived from the program mix rather than observed groups of graduates. At the upper end, program median earnings four years after completion are $106,431 for Computer Engineering, $99,312 for Chemical Engineering, and $98,505 for Electrical Engineering. Those program results illustrate the higher-earning side of the modeled range. At Florida Institute of Technology, the return picture pairs a favorable earnings model with borrowing that exceeds the comparable-peer level. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $27,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199, and the university’s debt is above it by $2,801. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. For parent borrowers, median Parent PLUS borrowing is $29,276. Graduates earn about $27,474 more than the model expects for similar students. Higher-than-expected earnings and above-peer borrowing therefore pull in different directions when weighing the cost. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$8,536 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$18,938 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$27,474 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-institute-of-technology/outcomes/) 03 / Florida Institute of Technology briefing ## [Florida Institute of Technology acceptance rate & admissions](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At Florida Institute of Technology, 57.7% of applicants were admitted for the reported entering class. That rate is below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 57.7% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1120 **Reported average** 1225 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1320 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/florida-institute-of-technology/admissions/) 04 / Florida Institute of Technology briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Florida Institute of Technology?](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program earnings at Florida Institute of Technology vary by field four years after completion, with engineering at the higher end and air transportation at a more moderate level. Computer Engineering recorded median earnings of $106,431 four years after completion and 41 degrees awarded. Chemical Engineering posted $99,312 with 19 degrees awarded, while Electrical Engineering reached $98,505 across 23 degrees awarded. At the more moderate end, Air Transportation had median earnings of $83,243 and 89 degrees awarded. The award counts describe degrees awarded in one academic year, separate from the earnings cohorts, and the figures show that the return picture differs across these fields. At Florida Institute of Technology, Engineering accounts for 49.1% of bachelor's degrees awarded, making it the dominant program family. Published four-year earnings cover 14 bachelor's programs. Among the largest fields, Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering had 90 degrees awarded and median earnings of $97,015 four years after completion; Air Transportation had 89 degrees awarded and $83,243 in median earnings; Mechanical Engineering had 80 degrees awarded and $92,753; and Computer Engineering had 41 degrees awarded and $106,431. The largest programs cluster around engineering and aviation-related fields with high reported earnings. Florida Institute of Technology is an institution built around engineering and technical fields. Engineering accounts for 49.1% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Transportation & Materials Moving a distant second at 13.2% and Biological Sciences third at 8.0%. The university has 14 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, at 90 degrees awarded, followed closely by Air Transportation at 89 and Mechanical Engineering at 80. The highest-earning program is Computer Engineering, where graduates earn a median of $106,431 four years after completion, from 41 degrees awarded. Chemical Engineering follows at $99,312, with 19 degrees awarded, and Electrical Engineering at $98,505 from 23 degrees. The largest program, Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, is also among the best-paid, with median earnings of $97,015. The pattern is concentrated: nearly half of all degrees are in engineering, and the highest-earning programs are all engineering fields. 54.7% of degrees awarded are in STEM, and the earnings across the largest programs cluster tightly, with the lowest median among them at $83,243. The largest programs and the best-paid ones are largely the same set. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering 90 degrees awarded** $97,015 **Air Transportation 89 degrees awarded** $83,243 **Mechanical Engineering 80 degrees awarded** $92,753 **Computer Science 44 degrees awarded** $91,606 **Computer Engineering 41 degrees awarded** $106,431 **Ocean Engineering 35 degrees awarded** $80,836 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-institute-of-technology/majors/) 05 / Florida Institute of Technology briefing ## How does Florida Institute of Technology serve students from different backgrounds? Florida Institute of Technology shows a sharp contrast between modeled earnings and completion. Graduates earn about $27,474 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, sits in the 99th percentile. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 63.5%, and Pell recipients complete within six years at 18.7%, below the overall rate by 44.8 percentage points. Azimuth places mobility in the 2nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The high earnings measure and low mobility standing point in different directions. Access at Florida Institute of Technology begins with an admission rate of 57.7% and undergraduate enrollment of 3,404 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients account for 21.1% of undergraduates, alongside an estimated 14.5% share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the access pillar sits in the 47th percentile. 06 / Florida Institute of Technology briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Florida Institute of Technology?](/school/florida-institute-of-technology/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-institute-of-technology/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Florida Institute of Technology. Admissions peerFlorida Polytechnic University57.5% admitted+ Comparison with Florida Institute of Technology | Measure | Florida Institute of Technology | Florida Polytechnic University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $90,403 | $86,952\-$3,451 vs Florida Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $35,639 | $11,853\-$23,786 vs Florida Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 57.7% | 57.5% | [Explore Florida Polytechnic University →](/school/florida-polytechnic-university/) Higher-admission alternativeClarkson University77.4% admitted+ Comparison with Florida Institute of Technology | Measure | Florida Institute of Technology | Clarkson University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $90,403 | $91,312+$909 vs Florida Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $35,639 | $30,305\-$5,334 vs Florida Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 57.7% | 77.4% | [Explore Clarkson University →](/school/clarkson-university/) Nearby alternativeFlorida Polytechnic UniversityNearby option · FL+ Comparison with Florida Institute of Technology | Measure | Florida Institute of Technology | Florida Polytechnic University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $90,403 | $86,952\-$3,451 vs Florida Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $35,639 | $11,853\-$23,786 vs Florida Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 57.7% | 57.5% | [Explore Florida Polytechnic University →](/school/florida-polytechnic-university/) Lower-cost alternativeFlorida Polytechnic University$11,853 average net price+ Comparison with Florida Institute of Technology | Measure | Florida Institute of Technology | Florida Polytechnic University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $90,403 | $86,952\-$3,451 vs Florida Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $35,639 | $11,853\-$23,786 vs Florida Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 57.7% | 57.5% | [Explore Florida Polytechnic University →](/school/florida-polytechnic-university/) Similar profileUniversity of RichmondMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Florida Institute of Technology | Measure | Florida Institute of Technology | University of Richmond | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $90,403 | $84,260\-$6,143 vs Florida Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $35,639 | $31,309\-$4,330 vs Florida Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 57.7% | 22.2% | 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-institute-of-technology/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)