1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Frostburg State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Frostburg State University MD · Medium public institution · Overall rank #656 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/frostburg-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/frostburg-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/frostburg-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/frostburg-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/frostburg-state-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places Frostburg State University in the 55th percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for Frostburg State University is a public university in Frostburg, Maryland, where Health Professions and Social Sciences lead the degree mix. Mobility is above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them, and return is modestly below average. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — and a subtraction to the remainder it cannot explain. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole, and affordability is above average. The lowest income band averages well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the health professions should know that the largest program, Nursing, is also one of the best-paid. ## Frostburg State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 89.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 49.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $58,511 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $15,709 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $21,105 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $21,004 ## Frostburg State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Frostburg State University, a public university in Frostburg, Maryland, serves 2,909 undergraduates. Its overall standing falls near the center among nonprofit four-year institutions (55th percentile). 89.2% of those who apply are offered admission; among comparable institutions (same type and size), the median is 85.9%. For the full-time freshman cohort, 69.3% continue into the second year, and the comparable median is 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that same group is 49.7%, with a comparable median of 49.1%. An estimated 40.4% of the student body arrives as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year figure describes only a portion of undergraduates. Mobility is the strongest of the four pillars (71st percentile), with affordability close behind (70th percentile). Access sits in the middle (47th percentile), and return is the weakest (34th percentile). The spread between the highest and lowest is wide enough that the four do not cluster together, though neither end sits at the extreme of the field. Mobility is the clearest part of the profile, though return is the area that most limits the overall picture. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth places mobility in the 71st percentile, the university's strongest pillar, and affordability in the 70th percentile. Access stands in the 47th percentile, while return, the weakest pillar, is in the 34th percentile. The stronger mobility and affordability measures sit alongside a lower return measure. 32.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks the university #785 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 58.6%, 8.9 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Mobility is the strongest pillar here. Azimuth ranks Frostburg State University #429 for mobility. Graduates earn about $5,556 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/) Frostburg State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #656 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 71 **Access & reach** National percentile: 47 **[Affordability](/school/frostburg-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 70 **[Return on investment](/school/frostburg-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 34 01 / Frostburg State University briefing ## [Frostburg State University cost & financial aid](/school/frostburg-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Sticker charges and aid-recipient costs tell different parts of the price picture at Frostburg State University. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported out-of-state tuition of $23,306, required fees of $3,138, and on-campus food and housing of $15,242 as sticker charges. The federal published cost of attendance is $27,056, which is the standard budget before aid. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,715, with financial aid offsetting $10,341 of the sticker price on average. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, and this university’s average is $2,647 above that mark. Azimuth ranks the university #427 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The higher net price than peers sits alongside a comparatively favorable affordability rank. Family income makes a clear difference in what aid recipients pay at Frostburg State University, where the published cost of attendance is $27,056. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $12,129 in the lowest family-income band, $12,240 in the lower-middle band, $15,709 in the middle band, $19,727 in the upper-middle band, and $23,297 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $11,168. Azimuth ranks the university #427 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 38% of the published cost and offsets $10,341 from the sticker price. After grants and scholarships, aid recipients pay $16,715 on average. The peer median net price, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, putting Frostburg State $2,647 above that benchmark. Published in-state tuition is $10,220, while out-of-state tuition is $25,814; the aid-recipient price is above the comparable-institution median. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $21,105, and 85.8% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The peer median federal debt at comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, leaving Frostburg State $124 below that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $240 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $21,004. 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**$15,709** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Frostburg State University At Frostburg State University, 85.8% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, making borrowing a central part of the cost picture for many families. Among federal-loan borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt at completion is $21,105. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229; the university’s median is $124 below it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $21,004. At Frostburg State University, mobility is the strongest pillar, but the investment picture is mixed. Median earnings are $58,511 four years after completion, placing the university in the 45th 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, falls in the 34th percentile nationally. Graduates earn about $5,556 less than the model expects for similar students. The downside, typical, and upside earnings scenarios are $48,003, $58,511, and $85,063. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $21,105, which is $124 below the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $21,229. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $240 a month if repaid over ten years. Lower debt than peers sits alongside earnings below the model's expectation. Parent borrowing is a separate part of the financing picture: median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $21,004 for parent borrowers. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $240 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** $21,105 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $21,004 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $240/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $267/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=frostburg-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/frostburg-state-university/cost/) 02 / Frostburg State University briefing ## [Frostburg State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/frostburg-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return is mixed: the median sits $1,210 above the peer median, yet graduates earn about $5,556 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/)—the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students—falls in the 34th percentile, according to Azimuth 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 $1,761. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,317. Federally aided completers working and not enrolled earn $58,511 four years after completion, in the 45th percentile according to Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median—the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size)—is $57,301. Azimuth places Frostburg State University’s return pillar in the 34th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings picture is mixed: Frostburg State University has median earnings of $58,511 four years after completion among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. The measure draws on an earnings cohort of 1,396 completers, and Azimuth places it in the 45th 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 negative here. Graduates earn about $5,556 less than the model expects for similar students. Scenarios modeled from the program mix put the downside at $48,003, the typical earnings scenario at $58,511, and the upside at $85,063, all four years after completion. These are earnings scenarios rather than observed groups of graduates. An estimated 29.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The modeled range and graduate-study estimate point to varied postcollege paths. Frostburg State University has a mixed return picture: median earnings reach $58,511 four years after completion, placing the figure in the 45th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, and the university stands $1,210 above that mark. Graduates earn about $5,556 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 the 34th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $1,761. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,317. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $438. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #969 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $48,003 on the downside to $85,063 on the upside, so the peer comparison and model comparison point in different directions. Program results vary by field. Engineering is the highest-earning listed field, with 19 degrees awarded and median earnings of $99,671 four years after completion; that is 1.11x of the national median for its field. Nursing, the largest program, awarded 139 degrees and has median earnings of $86,331. The spread across these fields gives the school-level median a different context than any single program. At Frostburg State University, published program medians extend above the upside scenario, and earnings vary across fields. The earnings scenarios range from $48,003 on the downside to $85,063 on the upside four years after completion; they are scenarios, not observed graduate groups. Among the higher-earning fields, median earnings four years after completion are $99,671 in Engineering, $86,331 in Nursing, and $85,521 in Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. Those program medians are at or above the upside scenario, while the scenarios summarize the school’s mix of fields. Costs sit above the peer price, so the debt comparison is only part of the return picture at Frostburg State University. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,715. That is above the peer median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,647. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $21,105. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229, and the university's figure is below it by $124. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $240 a month if repaid over ten years. [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, adds another part of the return picture. Graduates earn about $5,556 less than the model expects for similar students. Debt is below peers, while the price and expected-earnings measures leave a mixed return picture. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$1,761 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$7,317 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$5,556 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/frostburg-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Frostburg State University briefing ## [Frostburg State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/frostburg-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission was relatively common at Frostburg State University: 89.2% of applicants to the reported entering class were admitted. That rate is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). It summarizes a past applicant pool, so it does not determine an individual applicant’s outcome. Admissions **Admission rate** 89.2% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/frostburg-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Frostburg State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Frostburg State University?](/school/frostburg-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At Frostburg State University, Engineering sets the higher-earning end among the fields shown, with median earnings of $99,671 four years after completion and 19 degrees awarded. Nursing also falls at that end, posting $86,331 across 139 degrees awarded. Those fields pair higher reported earnings with markedly different numbers of degrees awarded. More moderate earnings appear in Psychology, where the median is $50,210 four years after completion and 93 degrees were awarded. Teacher Education records $51,478 with 65 degrees awarded. The contrast between these fields and the higher-earning programs shows why the school-level earnings figure does not describe every field equally. Health Professions accounts for 19.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and program earnings vary widely across the fields with published outcomes. The published figures show that field choice matters substantially here. The bachelor's degrees at Frostburg State University are spread across several fields, with Health Professions leading at 19.5% of degrees awarded, followed by Social Sciences at 13.5% and Psychology at 9.8%. The university has 24 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Nursing, which awards 139 degrees a year. Psychology and Business Administration and Management follow, with 93 and 66 degrees awarded, respectively. The highest-earning program is a much smaller one: Engineering graduates earn a median of $99,671 four years after completion, from just 19 degrees awarded. Nursing, the largest program, is also the second-highest-earning, with a median of $86,331. Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management and Computer Science round out the top earners, at $85,521 and $83,990, from 30 and 21 degrees awarded, respectively. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in a few applied fields. The highest earnings are in Engineering, Nursing, and computing-related programs, while the largest programs in the social sciences and education show medians below those of the top earners. Across all fields, 12.7% of degrees are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 139 degrees awarded** $86,331 **Psychology, General 93 degrees awarded** $50,210 **Economics 81 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Business Administration, Management and Operations 66 degrees awarded** $61,002 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 65 degrees awarded** $51,478 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 59 degrees awarded** $53,934 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/frostburg-state-university/majors/) 05 / Frostburg State University briefing ## How does Frostburg State University serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is Frostburg State University's strongest measured pillar, with Pell recipients completing at a higher rate than the overall first-time full-time cohort. Pell recipients have a six-year completion rate of 58.6%, above the 49.7% [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) by 8.9 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 71st 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, sit in the 34th percentile. Graduates earn about $5,556 less than the model expects for similar students. Completion and the mobility ranking point higher, while modeled earnings sit below expectations. Transfer entry is a prominent part of access at Frostburg State University, where an estimated 40.4% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students. The public university enrolls 2,909 undergraduates and admits 89.2% of applicants. Pell Grant recipients make up 32.2% of undergraduates. Azimuth puts the access pillar in the 47th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The school’s access picture combines broad admission with a substantial transfer route and Pell Grant participation. 06 / Frostburg State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Frostburg State University?](/school/frostburg-state-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/frostburg-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Frostburg State University. Admissions peerWest Virginia Wesleyan College93.3% admitted+ Comparison with Frostburg State University | Measure | Frostburg State University | West Virginia Wesleyan College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,511 | $55,915\-$2,596 vs Frostburg State University | | Average annual net price | $16,715 | $18,083+$1,368 vs Frostburg State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 89.2% | 93.3% | Higher-admission alternativeEastern Mennonite University100.0% admitted+ Comparison with Frostburg State University | Measure | Frostburg State University | Eastern Mennonite University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,511 | $60,150+$1,639 vs Frostburg State University | | Average annual net price | $16,715 | $24,588+$7,873 vs Frostburg State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 89.2% | 100.0% | Nearby alternativeShepherd UniversityNearby option · WV+ Comparison with Frostburg State University | Measure | Frostburg State University | Shepherd University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,511 | $55,251\-$3,260 vs Frostburg State University | | Average annual net price | $16,715 | $11,363\-$5,352 vs Frostburg State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 89.2% | 96.8% | Higher-earnings alternativeWest Virginia University$64,952 earnings+ Comparison with Frostburg State University | Measure | Frostburg State University | West Virginia University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,511 | $64,952+$6,441 vs Frostburg State University | | Average annual net price | $16,715 | $15,634\-$1,081 vs Frostburg State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 89.2% | 89.0% | [Explore West Virginia University →](/school/west-virginia-university/) Lower-cost alternativeFairmont State University$9,032 average net price+ Comparison with Frostburg State University | Measure | Frostburg State University | Fairmont State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,511 | $52,884\-$5,627 vs Frostburg State University | | Average annual net price | $16,715 | $9,032\-$7,683 vs Frostburg State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 89.2% | 98.6% | Similar profileUniversity of South Carolina AikenMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Frostburg State University | Measure | Frostburg State University | University of South Carolina Aiken | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,511 | $53,299\-$5,212 vs Frostburg State University | | Average annual net price | $16,715 | $11,641\-$5,074 vs Frostburg State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 89.2% | 78.5% | 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/frostburg-state-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 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/)