1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Hobart William Smith Colleges Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Hobart William Smith Colleges NY · Small private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #1147 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/admissions/)[Majors](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/similar/) ## Overall, Hobart William Smith Colleges sits in Azimuth’s 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Hobart William Smith Colleges is a private nonprofit university in Geneva, New York, where the degree mix leans toward the social sciences and communication. Mobility is above average. The typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools, yet graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes a subtraction to what it cannot explain, while the factors it measures also subtract. Affordability is below the levels seen at many peers. Pell students complete within a few points of the overall rate, while access is modestly below average. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. Economics is both the largest program and the highest-earning one here, so the program-mix orientation is concentrated. ## Hobart William Smith Colleges at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 64.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 77.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $70,017 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $22,108 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $27,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $61,178 ## Hobart William Smith Colleges rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Hobart William Smith Colleges is a private nonprofit university in Geneva, New York, enrolling 1,786 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the lower quarter of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (22nd percentile). The university admits 64.0% of applicants, a rate below the 75.7% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 86.4% return for a second year, against a peer median of 74.2%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 77.2%, well above the peer median of 54.9%. An estimated 15.2% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes the first-time, full-time cohort and not the full student body. The four pillars sit far apart. Mobility is the strongest (55th percentile) and return is close behind (53rd percentile). Affordability is the weakest (7th percentile), with access at the 27th percentile between them. The shape is a private campus where students finish at rates well above the peer medians, while affordability is much weaker than the completion picture. Mobility gives Hobart William Smith Colleges its strongest showing, though affordability is a clear constraint in the broader profile. Azimuth places mobility in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth puts return in the 53rd percentile and access in the 27th percentile. Affordability, the weakest pillar, sits in the 7th percentile, so the profile pairs middling outcomes measures with a much weaker cost position. 25.1% of undergraduates at Hobart William Smith Colleges receive Pell Grants. The university is a private nonprofit university in Geneva, New York. Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #1,070 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at a rate of 74.3%, which is 2.9 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/). Azimuth ranks the university #656 for mobility. Graduates earn about $17,254 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/) Hobart William Smith Colleges rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #1,147 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 55 **Access & reach** National percentile: 27 **[Affordability](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/cost/)** National percentile: 7 **[Return on investment](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/outcomes/)** National percentile: 53 01 / Hobart William Smith Colleges briefing ## [Hobart William Smith Colleges cost & financial aid](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At Hobart William Smith Colleges, the published cost of attendance is $82,602 (an average across living arrangements), so grants and scholarships make a large difference to what aid recipients pay. Tuition and fees are listed at $65,117, with room and board at $17,768. 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 $31,563. Financial aid reduces the published charge by $51,039 on average, although the sticker total remains the starting point before aid. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $22,347, and this college’s average is above it by $9,216. Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #1,317 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published price and comparison with peers point to a costly position for aid recipients. The published cost of attendance at Hobart William Smith Colleges is $82,602, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees are $65,117, and room and board are $17,768. Azimuth ranks the university #1,317 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $14,650 for families earning under $30,000, $12,639 for those earning $30,001 to $48,000, $22,108 for the $48,001 to $75,000 band, $23,149 for the $75,001 to $110,000 band, and $39,740 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $25,090. Aid covers about 62% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $51,039 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $31,563, which is $9,216 above the peer median of $22,347 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $27,000 in federal student loans, with 95.9% of federal aid recipients borrowing. That median is $2,000 above the $25,000 median for comparable institutions. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $61,178 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month. 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**$22,108** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Hobart William Smith Colleges Federal borrowing is widespread at Hobart William Smith Colleges: 95.9% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $27,000. That median is $2,000 above the peer median of $25,000 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parent borrowers are a separate population, with a median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $61,178. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 72% of graduates borrowed from any source, with an average cumulative debt of $31,392 per borrower. Federal loans were held by 71% of graduates, averaging $21,470. A smaller share of graduates, 17%, held private loans averaging $44,027. At Hobart William Smith Colleges, the investment picture is mixed: median earnings are $70,017 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 76th 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 6th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $17,254 less than the model expects for similar students. The downside, typical, and upside earnings scenarios are $52,166, $70,017, and $96,338. Median federal debt of $27,000 is $2,000 above the peer median of $25,000, 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. Higher observed earnings and below-expected modeled earnings point in different directions. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $61,178. For borrowers with median federal student 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** $61,178 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $307/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $777/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=hobart-william-smith-colleges#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/cost/) 02 / Hobart William Smith Colleges briefing ## [Hobart William Smith Colleges career outcomes & earnings](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) The return picture at Hobart William Smith Colleges is mixed. Graduates earn a median of $70,017 four years after completion, in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That is $14,102 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). However, graduates earn about $17,254 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 6th percentile. Azimuth places the return pillar at the 53rd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures subtracts $2,767. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $14,487. Hobart William Smith Colleges graduates report a solid earnings level after completion, though the model-based comparison is less favorable. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $70,017 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions; the reported cohort includes 477 completers. Graduates earn about $17,254 less than the model expects for similar students. The typical earnings scenario aligns with the reported median, while the downside and upside scenarios span from $52,166 to $96,338. An estimated 38.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The observed earnings level and the modeled shortfall point in different directions. Mobility is the strongest Azimuth pillar for Hobart William Smith Colleges, while its return measures point in different directions. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $70,017 four years after completion, placing them in the 76th percentile. That figure is $14,102 above the peer median of $55,915, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $17,254 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 6th percentile. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #689 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix put typical earnings at $70,017, with a downside scenario of $52,166 and an upside scenario of $96,338. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) subtracts $2,767. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $14,487. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,623. Above-peer median earnings and below-expected earnings make the return picture mixed. Economics is the largest program, with 70 degrees awarded and median earnings of $111,833 four years after completion; that is 1.35x the national median for its field. Computer and Information Sciences had 12 degrees awarded and median earnings of $103,822, or 1.12x the national field median. Political Science recorded 31 degrees awarded and $79,778 in median earnings, while Communication and Media Studies had 63 degrees awarded and median earnings of $73,650. At Hobart William Smith Colleges, modeled earnings differ substantially by scenario and field. The downside earnings scenario is $52,166, while the upside scenario is $96,338; both are estimated from the program mix rather than observed groups of graduates. Among higher-earning fields, median earnings four years after completion are $111,833 in Economics, $103,822 in Computer and Information Sciences, and $79,778 in Political Science. These field figures give the scenario range a concrete program-level context. At Hobart William Smith Colleges, borrower debt sits above its peer benchmark while earnings fall below the model’s expectation. Borrowers who completed had median federal student loan debt of $27,000. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $25,000, placing the university above it by $2,000. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $307 a month if repaid over ten years. The debt measure covers federal-loan borrowers who completed, rather than every undergraduate. [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, offer a second view of return. Graduates earn about $17,254 less than the model expects for similar students. Debt above the peer median and below-expected earnings point in the same direction for the return picture. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** \-$2,767 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$14,487 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$17,254 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/hobart-william-smith-colleges/outcomes/) 03 / Hobart William Smith Colleges briefing ## [Hobart William Smith Colleges acceptance rate & admissions](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Hobart William Smith Colleges admitted 64.0% of applicants in the reported cohort, below the median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 5,865 first-year applicants, 3,912 admitted applicants, and 488 enrolled students. The published rate summarizes an applicant cohort rather than forecasting a decision for an individual application. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 64.0% **25th percentile** 1185 **Median** 1320 **75th percentile** 1380 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/admissions/) 04 / Hobart William Smith Colleges briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Hobart William Smith Colleges?](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Hobart William Smith Colleges has a pronounced upper end in program earnings, led by Economics, whose completers had median earnings of $111,833 four years after completion. The program awarded 70 degrees in one academic year. Computer and Information Sciences also sat at the higher end, with median earnings of $103,822 and 12 degrees awarded. The picture becomes more moderate in Political Science, where median earnings were $79,778 four years after completion across 31 degrees awarded. Communication and Media Studies recorded $73,650 and awarded 63 degrees. The spread between these fields shows that the earnings picture varies substantially by program, with larger programs appearing at both the higher and more moderate ends. Program outcomes vary substantially across the largest fields, with Economics standing apart on earnings. The spread makes field choice especially relevant here. The bachelor's degree mix at Hobart William Smith Colleges is anchored in the social sciences, with Social Sciences accounting for 24.2% of degrees awarded. Communication & Journalism follows at 10.6%, and Natural Resources & Conservation at 9.1%. Across 15 programs with published four-year earnings data, the largest single program is Economics, at 70 degrees awarded, followed by Communication and Media Studies with 63 and Natural Resources Conservation and Research with 54. Economics is also the highest-earning program, with a median of $111,833 four years after completion, a benchmark ratio of 1.35x against the national median for its field. Computer and Information Sciences graduates earn $103,822, though the program is small at 12 degrees awarded. Political Science follows with a median of $79,778 from 31 degrees awarded, and International Relations and National Security Studies graduates earn $77,977 from 16 degrees awarded. The pattern is one of concentration: the largest program is also the best-paid, and the earnings spread between the top and the rest of the list is wide. Economics sits well above the next-highest field, and the programs that follow it in earnings are a mix of larger social-science departments and a much smaller computer-science program. 19.8% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, so most degrees are awarded in non-STEM fields and the highest-earning programs are in the social sciences. For fields where graduate study is common, the four-year figure understates later-career earnings. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Economics 70 degrees awarded** $111,833 **Communication and Media Studies 63 degrees awarded** $73,650 **Natural Resources Conservation and Research 54 degrees awarded** $61,905 **Psychology, General 42 degrees awarded** $59,317 **Biology, General 34 degrees awarded** $62,737 **Political Science and Government 31 degrees awarded** $79,778 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/hobart-william-smith-colleges/majors/) 05 / Hobart William Smith Colleges briefing ## How does Hobart William Smith Colleges serve students from different backgrounds? Hobart William Smith Colleges’s mobility pillar is its strongest, alongside a 77.2% [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort. Pell recipients complete within six years at 74.3%, below the overall rate by 2.9 percentage points. Azimuth places mobility in the 55th 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, fall in the 6th percentile nationally. Graduates earn about $17,254 less than the model expects for similar students. The entry picture is more open than the access standing suggests. Hobart William Smith Colleges admits 64.0% of applicants and enrolls 1,786 undergraduates. Pell Grants go to 25.1% of undergraduates, while the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 15.2%. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 27th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Enrollment pathways and the national access comparison point in different directions. 06 / Hobart William Smith Colleges briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Hobart William Smith Colleges?](/school/hobart-william-smith-colleges/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/hobart-william-smith-colleges/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Hobart William Smith Colleges. Admissions peerIthaca College69.0% admitted+ Comparison with Hobart William Smith Colleges | Measure | Hobart William Smith Colleges | Ithaca College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,017 | $60,436\-$9,581 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges | | Average annual net price | $31,563 | $33,926+$2,363 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges · higher cost | | Admission rate | 64.0% | 69.0% | [Explore Ithaca College →](/school/ithaca-college/) Higher-admission alternativeUniversity at Buffalo74.2% admitted+ Comparison with Hobart William Smith Colleges | Measure | Hobart William Smith Colleges | University at Buffalo | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,017 | $71,430+$1,413 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges | | Average annual net price | $31,563 | $20,995\-$10,568 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges · lower cost | | Admission rate | 64.0% | 74.2% | [Explore University at Buffalo →](/school/university-at-buffalo/) Nearby alternativeColgate UniversityNearby option · NY+ Comparison with Hobart William Smith Colleges | Measure | Hobart William Smith Colleges | Colgate University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,017 | $77,917+$7,900 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges | | Average annual net price | $31,563 | $28,786\-$2,777 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges · lower cost | | Admission rate | 64.0% | 13.9% | [Explore Colgate University →](/school/colgate-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeColorado School of Mines$100,252 earnings+ Comparison with Hobart William Smith Colleges | Measure | Hobart William Smith Colleges | Colorado School of Mines | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,017 | $100,252+$30,235 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges | | Average annual net price | $31,563 | $28,690\-$2,873 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges · lower cost | | Admission rate | 64.0% | 60.7% | [Explore Colorado School of Mines →](/school/colorado-school-of-mines/) Lower-cost alternativeSUNY Polytechnic Institute$14,164 average net price+ Comparison with Hobart William Smith Colleges | Measure | Hobart William Smith Colleges | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,017 | $73,730+$3,713 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges | | Average annual net price | $31,563 | $14,164\-$17,399 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges · lower cost | | Admission rate | 64.0% | 81.4% | [Explore SUNY Polytechnic Institute →](/school/suny-polytechnic-institute/) Similar profileMisericordia UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Hobart William Smith Colleges | Measure | Hobart William Smith Colleges | Misericordia University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,017 | $69,973\-$44 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges | | Average annual net price | $31,563 | $37,485+$5,922 vs Hobart William Smith Colleges · higher cost | | Admission rate | 64.0% | 70.9% | 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/hobart-william-smith-colleges/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/)