1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Indiana University-Kokomo Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Indiana University-Kokomo IN · Medium public institution · Overall rank #486 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/admissions/)[Majors](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Indiana University-Kokomo #486 among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Indiana University-Kokomo is a public university in Kokomo, Indiana, where Health Professions and Business lead the degree mix. Affordability is among the highest we track. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to expected earnings, while the part it attributes to what it cannot explain subtracts from them. The typical graduate also earns below the median at comparable schools. Affordability is the strongest pillar and return is the weakest. Aid can exceed the published cost for families at the bottom of the income scale, and the net price for the highest income band sits below the peer median. Pell students complete below the overall rate. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. The admission rate is above the median at comparable schools, and a student drawn to Nursing should know it is both the largest program and the best-paid one. ## Indiana University-Kokomo at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 86.5% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 45.6% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $54,618 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $2,375 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $16,961 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $11,210 ## Indiana University-Kokomo rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Indiana University-Kokomo is a public university in Kokomo, Indiana, enrolling 2,352 undergraduates. Its composite standing in the Azimuth ranking sits in the middle of the field among nonprofit four-year institutions. The shape is one of sharp contrasts: affordability is the strongest pillar, near the very top of the ranking, while return is the weakest, well below the midpoint. The university admits 86.5% of applicants, a rate that runs close to the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 69.3% return for a second year and 45.6% finish within six years. Both figures land below the peer medians of 73.7% and 49.1%. An estimated 29.0% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, and the six-year rate counts only those who did. The four pillars sit far apart. Affordability is the clear strength (97th percentile), while return is the weakest (38th percentile). Access and mobility sit between them (49th and 45th percentiles, respectively). The page that follows works through what that means for a student weighing cost against earnings. Indiana University-Kokomo stands out most on affordability, though its four-pillar profile is uneven for a reader weighing costs and returns. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, affordability sits in the 97th percentile, the strongest pillar. Access is in the 49th percentile and mobility in the 45th percentile. Return, the weakest pillar, is in the 38th percentile. The affordability result is much stronger than the other measures. 33.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 960 and 1,150. For students who submitted ACT scores, the middle 50% ranged from 21 to 27. Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Kokomo #748 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 40.6%, below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (45.6%) by 5.0 percentage points. Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Kokomo #809 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,622 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-Kokomo rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #486 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 45 **Access & reach** National percentile: 49 **[Affordability](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/cost/)** National percentile: 97 **[Return on investment](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/outcomes/)** National percentile: 38 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Biological and Physical Sciences**#7** 2. Business/Commerce, General**#44** 3. Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#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-kokomo/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Indiana University-Kokomo briefing ## [Indiana University-Kokomo cost & financial aid](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, Indiana University-Kokomo has a low average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) of $3,968, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships. The published cost of attendance is $11,837, with in-state tuition and fees of $8,424 and out-of-state tuition and fees of $22,811. Financial aid offsets $7,869 from the published cost on average. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068; Indiana University-Kokomo's average is below that figure by $10,100. Azimuth places its affordability pillar in the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low average costs after aid and a strong affordability standing point in the same direction. For qualifying families in the lowest family-income band, aid exceeds the full published cost at Indiana University-Kokomo, where the cost of attendance is $11,837. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is -$583 in the lowest family-income band, -$541 in the lower-middle family-income band, $2,375 in the middle family-income band, $9,025 in the upper-middle family-income band, and $10,593 in the highest family-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $11,176. Azimuth ranks the university #42 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 66% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $7,869 against the sticker price. Among first-time full-time Title IV aid recipients, the average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $3,968. That is $10,100 below the peer median net price of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition is $8,424, and out-of-state tuition is $22,811. The aid offset and lower average price than comparable institutions point in the same direction. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $16,961, and 72.9% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The median is $4,268 below the peer median debt of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $193 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $11,210. 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**$2,375** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses. ### Borrowing and repayment at Indiana University-Kokomo For completers at Indiana University-Kokomo, federal student loan debt is comparatively modest, though borrowing is common. The median debt is $16,961, and 72.9% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median federal debt of $21,229. Indiana University-Kokomo's median is $4,268 below that benchmark, so its borrower debt sits below the peer midpoint despite the broad use of federal loans. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $11,210. Indiana University-Kokomo pairs lower median federal debt than comparable institutions with a less favorable earnings picture. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $54,618 four years after completion; Azimuth places that figure in the 31st 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, sits in the 49th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,622 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios range from $42,663 in a downside case to $83,756 in an upside case, with the typical scenario matching the observed median. Median federal student loan debt is $16,961, $4,268 below the $21,229 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $193 a month if repaid over ten years. The debt figure is lower than peers, while the earnings measures are less favorable. Parent borrowing is a separate part of the cost picture: median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $11,210. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $193 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** $16,961 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $11,210 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $193/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $142/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-kokomo#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/cost/) 02 / Indiana University-Kokomo briefing ## [Indiana University-Kokomo career outcomes & earnings](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Affordability is the strongest pillar at Indiana University-Kokomo, but its return measure sits in the 38th percentile, according to Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,622 less than the model expects for similar students. That [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure—the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students—sits in the 49th 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 $4,290. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $5,912. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $618. Four years after completion, median earnings are $54,618, in the 31st percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with earnings $2,683 below it. The below-peer median and modeled shortfall point the same way. Indiana University-Kokomo graduates who received federal aid and are working four years after completion earn a median of $54,618. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, that median sits at the 31st percentile, measured from an earnings cohort of 711 completers. That figure is $2,683 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $1,622 less than the model expects for similar students. That outcome sits at the 49th percentile in the same set. Program-mix earnings scenarios run from a downside of $42,663 to an upside of $83,756, with $54,618 as the typical outcome. The program mix suggests an estimated 25.2% of graduates go on to graduate study. The median falls short of both the peer figure and the model expectation, while the upside scenario runs much higher. Affordability is the school’s strongest Azimuth pillar, but return figures show a separate set of outcomes. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $54,618, in the 31st percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, leaving Indiana University-Kokomo $2,683 below it. Graduates earn about $1,622 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, are in the 49th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,290. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $5,912. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $618. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix put the downside scenario at $42,663, alongside an upside scenario. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the return pillar #914 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing is both the largest listed program and the highest-earning one, with 154 degrees awarded and median earnings of $83,756 four years after completion. Among the higher-earning programs, Computer and Information Sciences awarded 10 degrees and posted median earnings of $75,513 four years after completion. The named programs show different earnings levels across fields and award volumes. The earnings picture varies sharply across Indiana University-Kokomo’s program mix. Its downside earnings scenario is $42,663, and its upside scenario is $83,756; these scenarios describe possible outcomes from the program mix rather than observed groups. Among higher-earning fields, median earnings four years after completion are $75,513 in Computer and Information Sciences, $73,678 in Allied Health Professions, and $63,018 in Biological and Physical Sciences. The scenario range reflects this spread across programs. At Indiana University-Kokomo, low prices and lower borrowing are the main financial strengths, though the earnings comparison is less favorable. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $3,968. It is below the $14,068 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size), by $10,100. Aid covers about 66% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Across income bands, average net price is -$583 for the lowest-income families, -$541 for the next band, $2,375 for middle-income families, $9,025 for upper-middle-income families, and $10,593 for the highest-income families. Borrowers who completed have median federal student loan debt of $16,961, which is below the $21,229 peer median by $4,268. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $193 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $1,622 less than the model expects for similar students. Low prices and lower borrowing point one way, but the modeled earnings comparison tempers the return picture. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,290 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$5,912 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$1,622 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-kokomo/outcomes/) 03 / Indiana University-Kokomo briefing ## [Indiana University-Kokomo acceptance rate & admissions](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Indiana University-Kokomo admitted 86.5% of applicants in the reported entering-class pool. That rate is close to the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 86.5% **Approximate lower endpoint** 960 **Reported average** 1065 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1150 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-kokomo/admissions/) 04 / Indiana University-Kokomo briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Indiana University-Kokomo?](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Health fields are the largest area of study at Indiana University-Kokomo, with Health Professions accounting for 30.3% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Business is the second-largest family at 22.9%. Nursing is the largest single program, with 154 degrees awarded and median earnings of $83,756 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #172 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The highest nationally ranked program is Biological and Physical Sciences, at #7 in its field. It awards 30 degrees a year and graduates earn a median of $63,018. By contrast, Psychology is a moderate-earning field at $37,508, with 37 degrees awarded and a national rank of #344. Indiana University-Kokomo has 7 nationally ranked bachelor's fields, led by a Biological and Physical Sciences program that [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #7 in its field nationally. That program awarded 30 degrees and its completers earned a median of $63,018 four years after completion. The largest program is Nursing, with 154 degrees awarded. It is also the highest-earning, at $83,756, and Azimuth ranks it #172 in its field nationally. The earnings picture varies by field. Computer and Information Sciences graduates earned $75,513 from just 10 degrees, while Psychology awarded 37 degrees and its completers earned $37,508. The largest programs are not always the best-paid ones. Indiana University-Kokomo awards most of its bachelor's degrees in health and business fields. Health Professions accounts for 30.3% of degrees awarded, and Business for 22.9%. Liberal Arts & General Studies is a distant third at 8.6%. The university has 7 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 14 with published four-year earnings data. The largest program is Nursing, at 154 degrees awarded a year, followed by Business/Commerce at 86 and Liberal Arts and General Studies at 51. Biological and Physical Sciences is the highest-ranked program, at #2 in Indiana within its field. It awards 30 degrees a year and graduates earn a median of $63,018 four years after completion. Business/Commerce ranks #44 nationally and #6 in Indiana within its field, with median earnings of $60,496. Nursing, the largest program, is also the highest-earning at $83,756. The pattern is one of concentration: the largest programs are also the strongest performers. Nursing and Business/Commerce are the two largest by degrees awarded and both rank within their fields nationally. Strength here is not spread evenly across the catalog. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 154 degrees awarded** $83,756 **Business/Commerce, General 86 degrees awarded** $60,496 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 51 degrees awarded** $49,893 **Psychology, General 37 degrees awarded** $37,508 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 36 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 34 degrees awarded** $43,726 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-kokomo/majors/) 05 / Indiana University-Kokomo briefing ## How does Indiana University-Kokomo serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility at Indiana University-Kokomo is mixed, with completion figures alongside modeled earnings below expectations. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 45.6%, while Pell recipients complete within six years at 40.6%, below the overall rate by 5.0 percentage points. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the mobility pillar is in the 45th percentile. [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 also a mixed measure: Graduates earn about $1,622 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 49th percentile nationally. An 86.5% admission rate frames entry at Indiana University-Kokomo, a public university enrolling 2,352 undergraduates. Pell Grants reach 33.4% of undergraduates, and the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 29.0%. Azimuth puts the access pillar in the 49th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission rate and transfer estimate point to entry paths beyond a traditional first-time cohort. 06 / Indiana University-Kokomo briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Indiana University-Kokomo?](/school/indiana-university-kokomo/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-kokomo/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Indiana University-Kokomo. Admissions peerIndiana University-South Bend83.8% admitted+ Comparison with Indiana University-Kokomo | Measure | Indiana University-Kokomo | Indiana University-South Bend | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $54,618 | $55,103+$485 vs Indiana University-Kokomo | | Average annual net price | $3,968 | $8,653+$4,685 vs Indiana University-Kokomo · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 83.8% | [Explore Indiana University-South Bend →](/school/indiana-university-south-bend/) Higher-admission alternativeBethel University97.7% admitted+ Comparison with Indiana University-Kokomo | Measure | Indiana University-Kokomo | Bethel University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $54,618 | $53,289\-$1,329 vs Indiana University-Kokomo | | Average annual net price | $3,968 | $18,610+$14,642 vs Indiana University-Kokomo · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 97.7% | [Explore Bethel University →](/school/bethel-university-in/) Nearby alternativeIndiana University-South BendNearby option · IN+ Comparison with Indiana University-Kokomo | Measure | Indiana University-Kokomo | Indiana University-South Bend | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $54,618 | $55,103+$485 vs Indiana University-Kokomo | | Average annual net price | $3,968 | $8,653+$4,685 vs Indiana University-Kokomo · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 83.8% | [Explore Indiana University-South Bend →](/school/indiana-university-south-bend/) Higher-earnings alternativeCUNY New York City College of Technology$64,145 earnings+ Comparison with Indiana University-Kokomo | Measure | Indiana University-Kokomo | CUNY New York City College of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $54,618 | $64,145+$9,527 vs Indiana University-Kokomo | | Average annual net price | $3,968 | $5,127+$1,159 vs Indiana University-Kokomo · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 80.3% | [Explore CUNY New York City College of Technology →](/school/cuny-new-york-city-college-of-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeSan Diego Christian College$992 average net price+ Comparison with Indiana University-Kokomo | Measure | Indiana University-Kokomo | San Diego Christian College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $54,618 | $50,741\-$3,877 vs Indiana University-Kokomo | | Average annual net price | $3,968 | $992\-$2,976 vs Indiana University-Kokomo · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 30.8% | Similar profileSouthwest Minnesota State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Indiana University-Kokomo | Measure | Indiana University-Kokomo | Southwest Minnesota State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $54,618 | $55,009+$391 vs Indiana University-Kokomo | | Average annual net price | $3,968 | $15,291+$11,323 vs Indiana University-Kokomo · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 62.2% | [Explore Southwest Minnesota State University →](/school/southwest-minnesota-state-university/) 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-kokomo/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/)