1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Kent State University at Kent Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Kent State University at Kent OH · Large public institution · Overall rank #415 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/admissions/)[Majors](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Kent State University at Kent #415 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Kent State University at Kent is a public university in Kent, Ohio, with a degree mix led by Business and Health Professions. Mobility is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes part of that gap to the factors it measures, which adds, and part to a remainder it does not explain, which subtracts. Return is modestly below average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell students complete at a rate well below the overall cohort, and access is well above average. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are much smaller. ## Kent State University at Kent at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 86.3% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 63.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $56,839 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $17,296 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $21,394 ## Kent State University at Kent rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) The Azimuth composite ranking places Kent State University at Kent in the upper third among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions (72nd percentile), and the university is a public university in Kent, Ohio, enrolling 19,320 undergraduates. The university accepts 86.3% of applicants, compared with a peer median of 78.1% — the middle value for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among students who start full time, 80.9% return for a second year, while the peer median is 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/), which tracks only the first-time full-time cohort, stands at 63.7%, against a peer median of 65.0%. Transfers make up an estimated 17.4% of entrants, arriving after starting elsewhere. The four pillars sit far apart. Mobility is the highest at the 87th percentile, in the upper quarter of the field, while return is the lowest at the 43rd percentile, in the lower half. Access also ranks high at the 77th percentile, and affordability sits near the middle at the 47th percentile. That spread leaves the university with a profile weighted toward access and mobility rather than toward return or affordability. Kent State University at Kent scores highest on mobility and access among Azimuth's four pillars. The mobility pillar sits in the 87th percentile, and access follows at the 77th percentile. Affordability lands at the 47th percentile, while return, the weakest pillar, is in the 43rd percentile. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Kent State University at Kent #415 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility and access pillars both land well above the median, while affordability and return sit closer to the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores for enrolled students fell between 1,010 and 1,240. The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 18 and 25. 28.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Kent State University at Kent #343 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 41.1%, which is 22.6 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/). Azimuth ranks the university #198 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,582 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/) Kent State University at Kent rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #415 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 87 **Access & reach** National percentile: 77 **[Affordability](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/cost/)** National percentile: 47 **[Return on investment](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/outcomes/)** National percentile: 43 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations**#1** 2. Computer Systems Analysis**#3** 3. Legal Support Services**#6** 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/kent-state-university-at-kent/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Kent State University at Kent briefing ## [Kent State University at Kent cost & financial aid](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Kent State University at Kent publishes a cost of attendance of $30,567, with in-state tuition and fees at $13,232 and out-of-state at $23,082. Room and board adds $13,794. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients actually pay—drops to $20,787, a savings of $9,780 against the sticker total. That average net price sits above the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,153. Azimuth ranks the university #751 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 32% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average offset that leaves the net price above the peer median. The sticker-to-net gap is real, but the resulting net price is still higher than what comparable schools charge on average. Kent State University at Kent publishes a cost of attendance of $30,567, with in-state tuition and fees at $13,232 and room and board at $13,794. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what families pay after grants and scholarships—is $15,280 for families earning under $30,000, $17,296 for those in the $48,001–$75,000 band, and $26,278 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,998. Azimuth ranks the university #751 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 32% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $9,780 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $20,787, which sits above the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,153. Out-of-state students face a higher tuition of $23,082, and their net prices will reflect that starting point. Graduates who borrow federal loans leave with a median federal student debt of $24,500, and 88.6% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. That debt is above the peer median of $20,076 by $4,424. If repaid over ten years, the median debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $278 a month. Parents who borrow through [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) carry a separate median of $21,394. 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**$17,296** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Kent State University at Kent 88.6% of federal aid recipients at Kent State University at Kent borrow through federal student loans. The typical borrower who completes a degree leaves with $24,500 in federal student loan debt at completion. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a median of $20,076, leaving the university above that level by $4,424. Parents who borrow through [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/), a separate population, hold a median debt of $21,394. At Kent State University at Kent, the median for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled is $56,839 four years after completion. That median is $8,771 below the $65,610 figure for comparable institutions (same type and size). That places the median in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,582 less than the model expects for similar students. That outcome sits at the 49th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $41,314 on the downside to $77,223 on the upside. The typical outcome for the mix is $56,839. Borrowers who complete leave with a median of $24,500 in federal loans. That is $4,424 above the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $278 a month. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $21,394. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $278. [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** $24,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $21,394 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $278/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $272/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=kent-state-university-at-kent#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/cost/) 02 / Kent State University at Kent briefing ## [Kent State University at Kent career outcomes & earnings](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return is the weakest of the four pillars for Kent State University at Kent, at the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The headline earnings figure sits below the peer median, and graduates earn about $1,582 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the earnings-beyond-expectations gap at the 49th percentile. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $56,839. That is $8,771 below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), in the 38th percentile. The model splits the gap from its expectation into two parts. The part it attributes to the factors it measures adds $6,906. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,488. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Kent State University at Kent who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $56,839. Azimuth places that figure in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 8,303 completers. Graduates earn about $1,582 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios, which are estimates based on the program mix, range from a downside of $41,314 to an upside of $77,223, with a typical scenario of $56,839. An estimated 27.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The median sits below the peer benchmark, but the upside scenario reaches above it. Kent State University at Kent graduates earn a median of $56,839 four years after completion, placing the public university at the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median is $8,771 below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) overall. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Kent State University at Kent #836 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,582 less than the model expects for similar students. That result sits at 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 $6,906. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,488. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $158, and the overall mix of degrees awarded is weighted toward business, health professions and education rather than science and technical fields. Potential earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix span from $41,314 on the downside to $77,223 on the upside for graduates. An estimated 27.4% of graduates continue on to further graduate study, based only on the institution's program mix. These scenario bounds reflect the full range across program clusters, not the specific outcomes of any single individual graduate. The earnings scenarios at Kent State University at Kent span from a downside of $41,314 to an upside of $77,223 four years after completion. That range reflects the variation across the university's 53 programs with published earnings data. The highest-earning programs illustrate the upper end of the spread: Computer Science completers earn a median of $91,614, Construction Management graduates reach $89,959, and Computer Systems Analysis completers earn $79,317. Graduates of Kent State University at Kent earn about $1,582 less than the model expects for similar students. The median federal student debt for borrowers who complete a degree is $24,500, which runs above the median of $20,076 for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated monthly payment of $278. Parent PLUS borrowers, a separate population, carry a median of $21,394. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $20,787, which is above the peer median of $15,634. The return picture is mixed: earnings fall short of the model's expectation, while both debt and the average net price sit above their peer medians. These figures pull in different directions, so the cost calculator and program-level outcomes are worth a close look. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,906 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$8,488 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$1,582 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/kent-state-university-at-kent/outcomes/) 03 / Kent State University at Kent briefing ## [Kent State University at Kent acceptance rate & admissions](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Kent State University at Kent admits 86.3% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The gap means the university's doors are wider than those of its peer group. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 86.3% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1010 **Reported average** 1099 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1240 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/kent-state-university-at-kent/admissions/) 04 / Kent State University at Kent briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Kent State University at Kent?](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Kent State University at Kent awards bachelor's degrees across 53 fields with published four-year earnings, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 43 of them nationally. The highest-earning program, Computer Science, shows a median of $91,614 four years after completion, alongside 108 degrees awarded. Construction Management follows at $89,959 with 65 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #21, the top-ranked program in its field in Ohio. Nursing, the largest with 533 degrees awarded, reports median earnings of $78,263 and an Azimuth national rank of #239. Psychology reaches $42,328 on 343 degrees awarded, while Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations earns $61,055 and holds the top Azimuth national rank in its field at #1. Kent State University at Kent publishes earnings data for 53 bachelor's programs, 43 of which hold an Azimuth national rank. The largest program, Nursing, awarded 533 degrees and shows a median of $78,263 four years after completion, ranking #239 nationally. Several programs stand out in their fields. Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations holds the top national rank of #1 with 239 degrees awarded and a median of $61,055. Legal Support Services ranks #6 nationally and #1 in Ohio, with 24 degrees awarded. Its completers earn a median of $57,413 four years after completion. Education, another highly ranked program, holds a national rank of #13 with 81 degrees awarded and a median of $46,646. Kent State University at Kent has 43 bachelor's programs with an Azimuth national rank and 53 with published four-year earnings data. By broad field, Business accounts for 21.9% of degrees awarded, with Health Professions at 16.8% and Education at 8.8%. The three largest programs are Nursing at 533 degrees a year, Psychology at 343, and Business Administration and Management at 276. Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations leads the program list by national rank, awarding 239 degrees a year. The program ranks #1 in Ohio within its field. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Computer Systems Analysis #3 nationally and #1 in Ohio within its field, awarding 32 degrees with median earnings of $79,317. Computer Science is the highest-earning program, with graduates earning $91,614 from 108 degrees awarded. Construction Management follows at $89,959, with 65 degrees; Azimuth ranks it #21 within its field. The pattern shows strength spread across several fields rather than concentrated in one. Nursing, the largest program, reports four-year earnings of $78,263. 11.0% of degrees are in STEM fields, and four-year earnings for fields that commonly send graduates on to graduate study may understate later trajectories. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 533 degrees awarded** $78,263 **Psychology, General 343 degrees awarded** $42,328 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 276 degrees awarded** $62,265 **Design and Applied Arts 250 degrees awarded** $56,540 **Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations 239 degrees awarded** $61,055 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 178 degrees awarded** $41,717 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/kent-state-university-at-kent/majors/) 05 / Kent State University at Kent briefing ## How does Kent State University at Kent serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility stands out as the strongest pillar at Kent State University at Kent, with the university placed in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions by Azimuth. Among the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 63.7%; Pell recipients finish at 41.1%, a level that sits below the overall figure by 22.6 percentage points. Four years after completion, graduates earn about $1,582 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 49th percentile. Strong mobility standing coincides with below-expected graduate earnings, a mixed picture for students weighing access against return. Kent State University at Kent enrolls 19,320 undergraduates and admits 86.3% of applicants, a rate above the median for comparable public universities, which is 78.1%. Pell Grant recipients make up 28.5% of the undergraduate body, and an estimated 17.4% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. 06 / Kent State University at Kent briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Kent State University at Kent?](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/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/kent-state-university-at-kent/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Kent State University at Kent. Admissions peerHeidelberg University85.8% admitted+ Comparison with Kent State University at Kent | Measure | Kent State University at Kent | Heidelberg University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,839 | $52,647\-$4,192 vs Kent State University at Kent | | Average annual net price | $20,787 | $20,556\-$231 vs Kent State University at Kent · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.3% | 85.8% | Higher-admission alternativePoint Park University96.9% admitted+ Comparison with Kent State University at Kent | Measure | Kent State University at Kent | Point Park University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,839 | $53,024\-$3,815 vs Kent State University at Kent | | Average annual net price | $20,787 | $25,942+$5,155 vs Kent State University at Kent · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.3% | 96.9% | Nearby alternativeYoungstown State UniversityNearby option · OH+ Comparison with Kent State University at Kent | Measure | Kent State University at Kent | Youngstown State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,839 | $56,047\-$792 vs Kent State University at Kent | | Average annual net price | $20,787 | $12,767\-$8,020 vs Kent State University at Kent · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.3% | 84.5% | [Explore Youngstown State University →](/school/youngstown-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeCarlow University$67,381 earnings+ Comparison with Kent State University at Kent | Measure | Kent State University at Kent | Carlow University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,839 | $67,381+$10,542 vs Kent State University at Kent | | Average annual net price | $20,787 | $20,786\-$1 vs Kent State University at Kent · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.3% | 87.0% | Lower-cost alternativeYoungstown State University$12,767 average net price+ Comparison with Kent State University at Kent | Measure | Kent State University at Kent | Youngstown State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,839 | $56,047\-$792 vs Kent State University at Kent | | Average annual net price | $20,787 | $12,767\-$8,020 vs Kent State University at Kent · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.3% | 84.5% | [Explore Youngstown State University →](/school/youngstown-state-university/) Similar profileGrand Valley State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Kent State University at Kent | Measure | Kent State University at Kent | Grand Valley State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,839 | $60,491+$3,652 vs Kent State University at Kent | | Average annual net price | $20,787 | $16,317\-$4,470 vs Kent State University at Kent · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.3% | 83.0% | [Explore Grand Valley State University →](/school/grand-valley-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/kent-state-university-at-kent/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)