1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Illinois Institute of Technology Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Illinois Institute of Technology IL · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #206 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/admissions/)[Majors](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/similar/) ## Azimuth puts Illinois Institute of Technology in the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Illinois Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit university in Chicago whose degree mix is overwhelmingly technical, led by Engineering and Computer & Information Sciences. 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 what it cannot explain than to the factors it measures. The typical graduate also earns above the median at comparable schools, so the raw and adjusted results point the same way. Affordability is around the average, the weakest of the four pillars. Pell students complete below the overall rate, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, so the four-year earnings figure is measured while most are in the labor force. ## Illinois Institute of Technology at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 54.9% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 75.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $91,312 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $17,217 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $25,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $36,438 ## Illinois Institute of Technology rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Illinois Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit university in Chicago, Illinois, enrolling 2,833 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (86th percentile). The university admits 54.9% of those who apply, a lower share than the 71.2% median at comparable institutions (same type and size). 86.0% of first-year students continue into a second year, above the peer median of 83.4%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 75.2%, ahead of the peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 24.9% of students enter as transfers or part-time students, so that completion figure covers only the first-time full-time cohort. The four pillars sit far apart at Illinois Institute of Technology. Return is the strongest, and affordability is the weakest. Access and mobility fall between them. Return is the strongest part of Illinois Institute of Technology’s profile, placing it in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access sits in the 66th percentile and mobility in the 56th percentile, while affordability is weakest at the 46th percentile, so the profile is strongest on return rather than cost. 30.0% of the undergraduate body receives Pell Grants. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 1,180 and 1,440. The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 26 and 32. The six-year Pell completion rate is 68.8%, a figure that falls 6.4 percentage points short of the overall cohort rate (75.2%). Azimuth places Illinois Institute of Technology at #503 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $25,080 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth ranks the university #640 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. [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/) Illinois Institute of Technology rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #206 | | [Illinois](/rankings/best-colleges-in-illinois/) | #9 | | [Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/) | #30 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 56 **Access & reach** National percentile: 66 **[Affordability](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/cost/)** National percentile: 46 **[Return on investment](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)** National percentile: 95 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#9** 2. Computer Science**#57** 3. Computer Engineering**#59** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Illinois Institute of Technology briefing ## [Illinois Institute of Technology cost & financial aid](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At Illinois Institute of Technology, aid recipients see an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) of $18,425, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships. The published cost of attendance is $68,164, an average across living arrangements. On-campus tuition and fees are $52,386, and room and board is $17,356. Aid offsets $49,739 from the published price on average. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $27,371, placing Illinois Institute of Technology below that figure by $8,946. Azimuth places its affordability pillar in the 46th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published charge is high, but the average aid recipient’s net price sits below the comparable-school median. At Illinois Institute of Technology, the published cost of attendance is $68,164 (an average across living arrangements), but aid recipients face different prices across family-income bands. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $12,964 in the lowest family-income band, $13,415 in the lower-middle band, $17,217 in the middle band, $21,858 in the upper-middle band, and $29,950 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $16,986. Azimuth ranks the university #761 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 73% of the published cost, or $49,739 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $18,425, which is $8,946 below the peer median of $27,371 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Published tuition and fees are $52,386, so the average aid offset is large relative to that charge. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $25,000, $801 above the peer median of $24,199 at comparable institutions (same type and size). 85.2% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $36,438. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. 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**$17,217** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Illinois Institute of Technology Federal loan borrowing is widespread at Illinois Institute of Technology: 85.2% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, and borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $25,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199, with Illinois Institute of Technology's median $801 above it. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $36,438. Illinois Institute of Technology has a strong return picture, with median earnings of $91,312 four years after completion. Azimuth places those earnings in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) also favor the school. That measure compares what graduates earn to what the model expects for similar students. Graduates earn about $25,080 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 98th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios put earnings at $65,801 in a downside case, $91,312 in a typical case, and $118,698 in an upside case. Median federal debt is $801 above the $24,199 peer median, and that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. High earnings and above-expected results point in the same direction, though debt sits modestly above peers. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $36,438. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 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** $25,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $36,438 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $284/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $463/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=illinois-institute-of-technology#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/cost/) 02 / Illinois Institute of Technology briefing ## [Illinois Institute of Technology career outcomes & earnings](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return is a clear strength at Illinois Institute of Technology, with Azimuth placing its return pillar in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $25,080 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, falls in the 98th 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 $8,811. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $16,269. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $91,312 four years after completion, in the 94th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $68,250, leaving Illinois Institute of Technology $23,062 above it. Above-expected earnings and the peer comparison point in the same direction. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, Illinois Institute of Technology has median earnings of $91,312 four years after completion. Azimuth puts that earnings measure in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 657 completers. That school-level median is a middle value, so it does not show the spread across fields. The program mix yields a typical earnings scenario of $91,312, which is a scenario rather than an observed group. An estimated 25.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The cohort supplies the basis for the median, rather than a forecast for each graduate. These measures show a high overall earnings level alongside variation by field and graduate-study plans. Illinois Institute of Technology posts high earnings for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled: the median is $91,312 four years after completion, in the 94th percentile. That figure stands $23,062 above the peer median of $68,250, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $25,080 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, falls in the 98th percentile. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $65,801 in the downside scenario to $118,698 in the upside scenario. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,811. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $16,269. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $10,850. The peer comparison and model result point in the same direction. Computer Science is both the largest and highest-earning listed program, with 107 degrees awarded and median earnings of $120,953 four years after completion. Its median is 1.13x the national median for its field. Computer Engineering awarded 25 degrees and had median earnings of $114,930 four years after completion, or 1.05x the national field median. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering awarded 28 degrees and had median earnings of $110,956 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #9 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures show higher earnings in the computing offerings alongside a nationally ranked engineering field. Earnings vary across the fields represented in the program mix. Earnings scenarios run from $65,801 on the downside to $118,698 on the upside; they are scenarios, not observed groups of graduates. Reported program medians four years after completion are $120,953 in Computer Science, $114,930 in Computer Engineering, and $110,956 in Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. Those field-level results help explain why the modeled range is broad. Graduates of Illinois Institute of Technology earn about $25,080 more than the model expects for similar students. The median federal student debt for borrowers who complete a degree is $25,000, $801 above the peer median of $24,199 for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. The published cost of attendance is $68,164 (an average across living arrangements), but aid covers about 73% of that for the average aid recipient. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $18,425, which is $8,946 below the peer median of $27,371. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $36,438 in Parent PLUS loans. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$8,811 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$16,269 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$25,080 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/illinois-institute-of-technology/outcomes/) 03 / Illinois Institute of Technology briefing ## [Illinois Institute of Technology acceptance rate & admissions](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Illinois Institute of Technology admitted 54.9% of applicants, a lower rate than the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). That places its reported admission outcome below the typical rate for its control and size peers. Applicants should compare their academic record and submitted scores with Illinois Institute of Technology’s published ranges when building an application list. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 54.9% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1180 **Reported average** 1311 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1440 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/illinois-institute-of-technology/admissions/) 04 / Illinois Institute of Technology briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Illinois Institute of Technology?](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Illinois Institute of Technology pairs high-earning computing programs with engineering fields at more moderate earnings four years after completion. Computer Science recorded median earnings of $120,953 and 107 degrees awarded, while Computer Engineering posted $114,930 across 25 degrees awarded. Computer Science had median earnings of $120,953 from 107 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #57 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering recorded $110,956 and 28 degrees awarded, with Azimuth placing it #9 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The contrast shows that earnings differ across the listed technical fields. Illinois Institute of Technology is an engineering school at its core. Engineering accounts for 41.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and Computer & Information Sciences accounts for another 28.1%. Together, those two families make up the bulk of the undergraduate experience. The largest single program is Computer Science, at 107 degrees a year. Its graduates earn a median of $120,953 four years after completion, the highest figure among the university's programs. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) two programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering ranks #9 in its field, with 28 degrees awarded and median earnings of $110,956. Computer Science ranks #57 nationally and #5 in Illinois, with 107 degrees awarded and median earnings of $120,953. Illinois Institute of Technology is a STEM-intensive university: 75.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Engineering accounts for 41.9% of bachelor's degrees, followed by Computer & Information Sciences at 28.1% and Architecture at 12.6%. The university has 9 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 11 with published four-year earnings data. The largest program with published earnings is Computer Science, at 107 degrees awarded, followed by Mechanical Engineering at 73 and Computer and Information Sciences at 63. The highest-ranked program is Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #1 in Illinois within its field, with median earnings of $110,956 four years after completion. Computer Science ranks #57 nationally and #5 in Illinois within its field, with median earnings of $120,953. The highest-earning program is Computer Science, where graduates earn $120,953, which is 1.13x the national median for its field. Computer Engineering follows at $114,930, with 25 degrees awarded. The pattern is concentrated: the largest programs are also among the best-paid, and the top-ranked programs sit in the same engineering and computing families that dominate the degree mix. Computer Science, the largest program with published earnings, is also the highest-earning, and Computer and Information Sciences appears among both the largest and the highest-ranked. The university's strength is narrow and deep rather than broad, with earnings and ranks clustering in fields where the institution has scale. Both of the university's ranked programs fall within the two largest degree families. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Computer Science 107 degrees awarded** $120,953 **Architectural Sciences and Technology 76 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Mechanical Engineering 73 degrees awarded** $87,789 **Computer and Information Sciences, General 63 degrees awarded** $97,153 **Biomedical/Medical Engineering 34 degrees awarded** $88,378 **Civil Engineering 31 degrees awarded** $87,884 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/illinois-institute-of-technology/majors/) 05 / Illinois Institute of Technology briefing ## How does Illinois Institute of Technology serve students from different backgrounds? Illinois Institute of Technology combines high modeled [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) with a lower completion rate for Pell recipients than for the overall cohort. Earnings beyond expectations, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 98th percentile nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $25,080 more than the model expects for similar students. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 75.2%, and Pell recipients complete within six years at 68.8%, below the overall rate by 6.4 percentage points. Azimuth places mobility in the 56th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings reading is high, while the completion figures differ by cohort. Access at Illinois Institute of Technology combines admission of 54.9% of applicants with an estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group of 24.9%. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,833, and 30.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 66th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those measures show entry routes for both applicants and transfers. 06 / Illinois Institute of Technology briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Illinois Institute of Technology?](/school/illinois-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/illinois-institute-of-technology/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Illinois Institute of Technology. Admissions peerLake Forest College56.8% admitted+ Comparison with Illinois Institute of Technology | Measure | Illinois Institute of Technology | Lake Forest College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $91,312 | $62,893\-$28,419 vs Illinois Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $18,425 | $28,673+$10,248 vs Illinois Institute of Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 54.9% | 56.8% | Higher-admission alternativeMarquette University81.3% admitted+ Comparison with Illinois Institute of Technology | Measure | Illinois Institute of Technology | Marquette University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $91,312 | $80,228\-$11,084 vs Illinois Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $18,425 | $31,487+$13,062 vs Illinois Institute of Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 54.9% | 81.3% | [Explore Marquette University →](/school/marquette-university/) Nearby alternativeMilwaukee School of EngineeringNearby option · WI+ Comparison with Illinois Institute of Technology | Measure | Illinois Institute of Technology | Milwaukee School of Engineering | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $91,312 | $90,607\-$705 vs Illinois Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $18,425 | $22,453+$4,028 vs Illinois Institute of Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 54.9% | 58.9% | [Explore Milwaukee School of Engineering →](/school/milwaukee-school-of-engineering/) Lower-cost alternativeUnited States Merchant Marine Academy$6,174 average net price+ Comparison with Illinois Institute of Technology | Measure | Illinois Institute of Technology | United States Merchant Marine Academy | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $91,312 | $92,950+$1,638 vs Illinois Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $18,425 | $6,174\-$12,251 vs Illinois Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 54.9% | 34.2% | [Explore United States Merchant Marine Academy →](/school/united-states-merchant-marine-academy/) Similar profileMilwaukee School of EngineeringMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Illinois Institute of Technology | Measure | Illinois Institute of Technology | Milwaukee School of Engineering | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $91,312 | $90,607\-$705 vs Illinois Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $18,425 | $22,453+$4,028 vs Illinois Institute of Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 54.9% | 58.9% | [Explore Milwaukee School of Engineering →](/school/milwaukee-school-of-engineering/) 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/illinois-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 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/)