1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Indiana University-East Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Indiana University-East IN · Medium public institution · Overall rank #423 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/indiana-university-east/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/indiana-university-east/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/indiana-university-east/admissions/)[Majors](/school/indiana-university-east/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/indiana-university-east/similar/) ## Overall, Azimuth places the university in the 71st percentile nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Indiana University-East is a public university in Richmond, Indiana, where Business and Psychology account for the largest shares of degrees. The strongest pillar is affordability, which is among the highest we track. 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. It attributes a subtraction to the remainder it cannot explain. Pell recipients finish at a rate slightly above the entering cohort as a whole, and access is above average. The lowest income band averages a net price well below the published cost, while the highest band pays close to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to Business or Psychology should know that the largest programs are not the highest-earning ones, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. ## Indiana University-East at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 67.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 39.6% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $58,030 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $7,100 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $18,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $13,042 ## Indiana University-East rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Indiana University-East enrolls 2,589 undergraduates at a public university campus in Richmond, Indiana. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university sits in the middle of the field (71st percentile), with a considerable gap separating its strongest and weakest pillars. The university admits 67.2% of applicants, against a peer median of 85.9% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 61.8% return after the first year, against a peer median of 73.7% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. 39.6% of the first-time, full-time cohort finish within six years; the peer median is 49.1%. An estimated 48.0% of undergraduates arrive as transfers, so the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) describes only the first-time, full-time cohort and leaves out a large share of the student body. The four pillars sit far apart at Indiana University-East. Affordability is the strongest of the four, while return is the weakest. Access sits well above mobility, though both fall between the two extremes. Affordability is the clear strength at Indiana University-East, though return is the part of its profile that warrants the closest earnings review. Azimuth places affordability in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, making it the university's strongest pillar. Access stands in the 69th percentile, mobility in the 47th percentile, and return in the 44th percentile, its weakest pillar. The low-cost picture and the weaker return reading pull in different directions for families weighing price against graduate earnings. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores landed between 960 and 1,170. The middle 50% of ACT scores stretched from 19 to 24. Pell recipients account for 35.4% of undergraduates. On access, Azimuth ranks the university #453 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those students complete at 42.2%, 2.6 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (39.6%). Azimuth ranks the university #778 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,609 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/) Indiana University-East rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #423 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 47 **Access & reach** National percentile: 69 **[Affordability](/school/indiana-university-east/cost/)** National percentile: 95 **[Return on investment](/school/indiana-university-east/outcomes/)** National percentile: 44 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Mathematics**#57** 2. Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#94** 3. Communication and Media Studies**#123** 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/indiana-university-east/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Indiana University-East briefing ## [Indiana University-East cost & financial aid](/school/indiana-university-east/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Indiana University-East stands out on affordability because aid recipients face an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) well below the published cost. The standard cost of attendance is $16,954, with in-state tuition and fees of $8,424. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $22,811. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $8,134. Financial aid offsets $8,820 from the published price on average. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, and Indiana University-East is $5,934 below that figure. Azimuth ranks the university #73 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lower net price and high affordability standing point in the same direction. Affordability is a relative strength at Indiana University-East, where the published cost of attendance is $16,954 and the price after aid changes sharply by family income. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $5,154 for the lowest family-income band; $5,454 for the lower-middle band; $7,100 for the middle band; $13,260 for the upper-middle band; and $16,067 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,913. Azimuth ranks Indiana University-East #73 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 52% of the published cost, offsetting the sticker price by an average of $8,820. Across aid recipients, the average net price is $8,134, which is $5,934 below the peer median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition is $8,424, and out-of-state tuition is $22,811. The lower average price and substantial aid offset point in the same direction. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $18,000, and 76.4% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That median is $3,229 below the $21,229 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $205 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $13,042. 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**$7,100** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Indiana University-East Debt is relatively restrained beside comparable schools, although federal borrowing reaches many undergraduates. Among completers who borrowed federal loans, median federal student loan debt at completion is $18,000. Federal loans are used by 76.4% of federal aid recipients. For comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median federal debt is $21,229; Indiana University-East is $3,229 below that figure. In the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $13,042. The lower debt figure and peer comparison point in the same direction. Lower borrowing provides the clearest financial positive at Indiana University-East, but the earnings picture is less favorable. Graduates working and not enrolled have median earnings of $58,030 four years after completion, in the 44th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,609 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places [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, in the 34th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The downside scenario is $47,445, the upside scenario is $76,039, and the typical scenario matches the median earnings figure. Median federal student debt is $18,000, $3,229 below the $21,229 peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $205 a month if repaid over ten years. Lower debt and below-expected earnings point in different directions. Separate from student borrowing, parent borrowers have median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $13,042 at Indiana University-East. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $205 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** $18,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $13,042 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $205/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $166/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=indiana-university-east#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/indiana-university-east/cost/) 02 / Indiana University-East briefing ## [Indiana University-East career outcomes & earnings](/school/indiana-university-east/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) At Indiana University-East, affordability is its strongest pillar, whereas return is its weakest. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 44th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,609 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 34th 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 $1,054. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $6,663. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $58,030 four years after completion, in the 44th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; this is $729 above that benchmark. The peer comparison and model result point in different directions. At Indiana University-East, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled had median earnings of $58,030 four years after completion. Azimuth places that figure in the 44th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions; the earnings cohort included 1,000 completers. Graduates earn about $5,609 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 a separate modeled measure. Earnings scenarios based on the program mix put typical earnings at $58,030, with a downside scenario of $47,445 and an upside scenario of $76,039, rather than observed graduate groups. An estimated 31.3% continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The earnings percentile and model comparison both point to a cautious return picture alongside a program-dependent range. The return picture is mixed at Indiana University-East. Median earnings are $58,030 four years after completion, placing the university in the 44th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with the university’s figure $729 above it. Graduates earn about $5,609 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. Azimuth puts the return pillar in the 44th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $47,445 in the downside scenario to $76,039 in the upside scenario. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $1,054. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $6,663. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $726. The peer comparison and model result point in different directions. Program-level earnings vary across the university’s larger fields. Business Administration and Management, the largest program, awarded 158 degrees and had median earnings of $62,886 four years after completion. Program choice can put earnings on different paths at Indiana University-East, and individual field results do not always fit within the modeled scenario bounds. The downside, typical, and upside earnings scenarios are $47,445, $58,030, and $76,039; they describe scenarios based on program mix rather than observed groups. The published field medians extend both within and beyond the modeled range. Affordability is the strongest pillar at Indiana University-East, and the net price figures bear that out. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $8,134. That is $5,934 below the median for comparable institutions (same type and size), which is $14,068. The published cost of attendance is $16,954, and aid covers about 52% of that for the average aid recipient. Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $18,000 in federal student loans. That is $3,229 below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions, and it corresponds to an estimated payment of $205 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $5,609 less than the model expects for similar students. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$1,054 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$6,663 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$5,609 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/indiana-university-east/outcomes/) 03 / Indiana University-East briefing ## [Indiana University-East acceptance rate & admissions](/school/indiana-university-east/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission to Indiana University-East was granted to 67.2% of applicants, placing its reported rate below that of comparable institutions. The figure describes an outcome for the reported applicant pool, rather than a forecast for an individual applicant. Compared with the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size), the university's admission rate is lower. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 67.2% **Approximate lower endpoint** 960 **Reported average** 1061 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1170 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/indiana-university-east/admissions/) 04 / Indiana University-East briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Indiana University-East?](/school/indiana-university-east/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The largest programs at Indiana University-East show a clear split between fields that pay well and those that award the most degrees. Business Administration and Management is the biggest, with 158 degrees awarded and median earnings of $62,886 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #191 nationally in its field. Nursing graduates earn the most among the large programs, at $82,212, with an Azimuth national rank of #257 and 75 degrees awarded. Mathematics is close behind, with earnings of $71,223 and 77 degrees awarded. Azimuth ranks it #57 nationally. Psychology awards 136 degrees, ranks #178 nationally, and its graduates earn $49,596. Teacher Education is similar in scale, with 53 degrees awarded and earnings of $47,103. The earnings range across these programs is wide, and the highest-earning fields are not the ones awarding the most degrees. Indiana University-East has 8 nationally ranked bachelor's programs, with earnings that vary widely by field. The two largest degree families are Business at 22.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded and Psychology at 18.1%. The best nationally ranked program is Mathematics, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #57 within its field. It awards 77 degrees a year and its completers earn a median of $71,223 four years out. Liberal Arts and General Studies ranks #94 nationally, with 39 degrees awarded and median earnings of $53,389. The highest-paid program is Nursing, at $82,212 four years after completion, with 75 degrees awarded and a national rank of #257. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, awards 158 degrees a year, ranks #191 nationally, and reports median earnings of $62,886. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid and best-ranked ones sit elsewhere. Indiana University-East awards most of its bachelor's degrees in Business and Psychology, which together account for 22.2% and 18.1% of the total. Mathematics & Statistics is the third-largest family at 10.2% of degrees awarded. The university has 8 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 11 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Business Administration and Management, at 158 degrees awarded a year. Its completers earn a median of $62,886 four years after completion. Psychology follows with 136 degrees awarded. The highest-ranked program is Mathematics, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #3 in Indiana within its field. It awards 77 degrees a year and graduates earn a median of $71,223. The highest-earning program is Nursing, at $82,212, from 75 degrees awarded. Strength is concentrated in a few programs: the largest, highest-ranked, and highest-earning are all distinct, and no single program dominates all three lists. 14.4% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, a share that sits alongside the strong showing in business and psychology. Four-year earnings for fields that commonly precede graduate study may understate later-career outcomes. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 158 degrees awarded** $62,886 **Psychology, General 136 degrees awarded** $49,596 **Mathematics 77 degrees awarded** $71,223 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 75 degrees awarded** $82,212 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 53 degrees awarded** $47,103 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 52 degrees awarded** $51,990 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/indiana-university-east/majors/) 05 / Indiana University-East briefing ## How does Indiana University-East serve students from different backgrounds? The mobility picture is mixed: the first-time full-time cohort has a [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 39.6%. Pell recipients in that cohort complete within six years at 42.2%, above the overall rate by 2.6 percentage points. Its mobility pillar stands in the 47th 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, is in the 34th percentile. Graduates earn about $5,609 less than the model expects for similar students. Higher Pell completion than overall completion sits alongside modeled earnings below expectations. Transfer entry is a prominent route into Indiana University-East: an estimated 48.0% of undergraduates enter that way. The public university in Richmond, Indiana enrolls 2,589 undergraduates, and 35.4% of them receive Pell Grants. Its admission rate is 67.2%, describing the share of applicants admitted rather than any individual applicant’s chance. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 69th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. These measures show access through both admissions and transfer pathways. 06 / Indiana University-East briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Indiana University-East?](/school/indiana-university-east/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/indiana-university-east/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Indiana University-East. Admissions peerHuntington University75.6% admitted+ Comparison with Indiana University-East | Measure | Indiana University-East | Huntington University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,030 | $52,242\-$5,788 vs Indiana University-East | | Average annual net price | $8,134 | $19,310+$11,176 vs Indiana University-East · higher cost | | Admission rate | 67.2% | 75.6% | [Explore Huntington University →](/school/huntington-university/) Higher-admission alternativeBall State University85.5% admitted+ Comparison with Indiana University-East | Measure | Indiana University-East | Ball State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,030 | $57,619\-$411 vs Indiana University-East | | Average annual net price | $8,134 | $14,940+$6,806 vs Indiana University-East · higher cost | | Admission rate | 67.2% | 85.5% | [Explore Ball State University →](/school/ball-state-university/) Nearby alternativePurdue University Fort WayneNearby option · IN+ Comparison with Indiana University-East | Measure | Indiana University-East | Purdue University Fort Wayne | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,030 | $56,455\-$1,575 vs Indiana University-East | | Average annual net price | $8,134 | $13,171+$5,037 vs Indiana University-East · higher cost | | Admission rate | 67.2% | 83.9% | [Explore Purdue University Fort Wayne →](/school/purdue-university-fort-wayne/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Michigan-Flint$65,600 earnings+ Comparison with Indiana University-East | Measure | Indiana University-East | University of Michigan-Flint | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,030 | $65,600+$7,570 vs Indiana University-East | | Average annual net price | $8,134 | $7,007\-$1,127 vs Indiana University-East · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.2% | 70.5% | [Explore University of Michigan-Flint →](/school/university-of-michigan-flint/) Lower-cost alternativeIndiana University-Kokomo$3,968 average net price+ Comparison with Indiana University-East | Measure | Indiana University-East | Indiana University-Kokomo | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,030 | $54,618\-$3,412 vs Indiana University-East | | Average annual net price | $8,134 | $3,968\-$4,166 vs Indiana University-East · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.2% | 86.5% | [Explore Indiana University-Kokomo →](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/) Similar profileIndiana University-NorthwestMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Indiana University-East | Measure | Indiana University-East | Indiana University-Northwest | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,030 | $59,535+$1,505 vs Indiana University-East | | Average annual net price | $8,134 | $5,130\-$3,004 vs Indiana University-East · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.2% | 73.4% | [Explore Indiana University-Northwest →](/school/indiana-university-northwest/) 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/indiana-university-east/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 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/)