1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Kutztown University of Pennsylvania PA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #688 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/)[Majors](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/) ## Azimuth places Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in the 53rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a public university whose degree mix is led by Education and Business, and mobility is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model subtracts for a remainder it cannot explain and adds for the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. Return is modestly below average. Pell recipients complete within a few points of the overall rate, and access is above average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions, 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. ## Kutztown University of Pennsylvania at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 90.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 53.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $55,608 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $19,306 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $26,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $26,389 ## Kutztown University of Pennsylvania rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, enrolling 6,180 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university admits 90.8% of applicants, a rate slightly above the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 77.8% return for a second year, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 53.8%, compared to a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 24.9% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students. The four pillars show a clear shape: mobility is the strongest, while return is the weakest. Access and affordability sit between them, and the spread is wide, with mobility and return nearly fifty percentile points apart. Mobility is the strongest part of the profile at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, while return is its weakest pillar. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, mobility sits in the 80th percentile and access in the 58th percentile. Return is in the 31st percentile, while affordability is in the 38th percentile. 32.7% of undergraduates at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania receive Pell Grants. Those students complete at 51.1%, 2.7 percentage points below the rate for the cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks the university #612 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Kutztown University of Pennsylvania #300 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,884 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/) Kutztown University of Pennsylvania rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #688 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 80 **Access & reach** National percentile: 58 **[Affordability](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)** National percentile: 38 **[Return on investment](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)** National percentile: 31 01 / Kutztown University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [Kutztown University of Pennsylvania cost & financial aid](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Sticker charges and aid leave Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with an average recipient cost above the comparable-institution median. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $7,994, required fees of $4,055, and on-campus food and housing of $12,550 for the 2026-27 academic year. Out-of-state tuition was $12,590. The published cost of attendance is $29,866. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $21,331, with aid reducing the published cost by $8,535 on average. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, and this university is $7,263 above that figure. Azimuth places its affordability pillar in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The above-peer net price and lower affordability standing point in the same direction. For families in the lowest income band, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $15,957 against a published cost of attendance of $29,866. Prices step up across the other bands: $16,386 for the lower-middle family-income band, $19,306 for the middle band, $23,840 for the upper-middle band, and $26,759 for the highest-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,802, a difference between band averages rather than a family bill. Azimuth ranks Kutztown University of Pennsylvania #878 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid reduces the published price, but the overall average remains higher than that of comparable schools. Across all aid recipients, average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $21,331. Aid covers about 29% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, or $8,535 against the sticker price. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, and Kutztown's average is $7,263 above it. The aid offset and the higher peer comparison point in different directions. Borrowing is common among Kutztown completers, with median federal student loan debt of $26,000 at completion and 95.8% of federal aid recipients borrowing federal loans. That median is $4,771 above the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers had median borrowing of $26,389. 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**$19,306** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania At Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, borrowers who finish hold a median of $26,000 in federal loans. Among federal aid recipients, 95.8% of federal aid recipients take out these loans. That median is $4,771 above the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, it corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $26,389 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 73% of graduates borrowed from any source, averaging $34,684 per borrower. Of those graduates, 71% held federal loans, averaging $22,526. At Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, mobility is the strongest Azimuth pillar, but the investment record is less favorable on earnings and debt. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $55,608 four years after completion, in the 35th 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 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,884 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios run from $45,546 in a downside case to $55,608 in a typical case and $67,692 in an upside case. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $26,000, $4,771 above the peer median of $21,229, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. The scenarios and debt comparison show a mixed return picture. Parent borrowers have median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $26,389, separate from the federal student loan figures for student borrowers. For borrowers with median federal debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 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** $26,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $26,389 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $295/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $335/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=kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/) 02 / Kutztown University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [Kutztown University of Pennsylvania career outcomes & earnings](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four-year earnings and the model comparison both place return below the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions. At Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, the median is $55,608 four years after completion, placing earnings in the 35th percentile. Azimuth puts the return pillar in the 31st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,884 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that earnings-beyond-expectations result—the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students—in the 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, leaving earnings $1,693 below it. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,805. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,689. For federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania reports median earnings of $55,608 four years after completion, below the national median. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 35th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, using an earnings cohort of 2,095 completers. Graduates earn about $8,884 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios based on the program mix set typical earnings equal to the reported median, with a downside scenario of $45,546 and an upside scenario of $67,692. An estimated 28.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The typical scenario matches the observed median, yet actual earnings fall short of the model’s expectation. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $55,608, at the 35th percentile nationally. That is $1,693 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Kutztown University of Pennsylvania #1,007 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,884 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 22nd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,805. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,689. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $620. The largest degree families are Education, Business, and Communication & Journalism, with smaller shares in other fields. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from $45,546 on the downside to $67,692 on the upside. An estimated 28.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix, not observed enrollment. Program choice coincides with a wide modeled earnings range. The downside earnings scenario is $45,546 and the upside scenario is $67,692; both are scenarios estimated from the program mix rather than observed groups. Among named programs, Physics has median earnings of $74,813 four years after completion, Computer and Information Sciences reaches $74,677, and Biology reaches $65,948. These program figures show the range within the university. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania pairs debt above its comparable-institution benchmark with earnings that fall short of the model’s expectation. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $26,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229, and the university’s figure is above it by $4,771. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $21,331, which is above the $14,068 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $7,263. They add a second concern: Graduates earn about $8,884 less than the model expects for similar students. Debt above peers, net price above peers, and below-expected earnings point in the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$3,805 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$12,689 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$8,884 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/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/) 03 / Kutztown University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [Kutztown University of Pennsylvania acceptance rate & admissions](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Kutztown University of Pennsylvania admitted 90.8% of applicants in the reported pool, above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 7,628 first-year applicants, 6,821 admitted applicants, and 1,391 enrolled students. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 90.7% **25th percentile** 1070 **Median** 1180 **75th percentile** 1280 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/) 04 / Kutztown University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania?](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program earnings vary substantially across fields at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, with technical fields at the higher end and psychology at a more moderate level four years after completion. Physics shows median earnings of $74,813 and 11 degrees awarded. Computer and Information Sciences follows with $74,677 in median earnings and 67 degrees awarded. Among larger programs, Business Administration and Management had median earnings of $65,407 four years after completion across 221 degrees awarded. Psychology recorded $46,253 and 107 degrees awarded. These fields show that the school’s larger programs include both higher- and moderate-earning outcomes. Education accounts for 19.6% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, making field choice especially relevant to the earnings picture. Published earnings cover 21 fields at the university. Four years after completion, Business Administration and Management had 221 degrees awarded and median earnings of $65,407; Teacher Education had 148 degrees awarded and $51,346 in median earnings; Psychology had 107 degrees awarded and $46,253 in median earnings; Criminal Justice had 83 degrees awarded and $55,068 in median earnings; and Special Education and Teaching had 78 degrees awarded and $54,845 in median earnings. The largest fields show a broad range of early-career earnings. The degree mix at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is led by Education, which accounts for 19.6% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Business is next at 16.1%, followed by Communication & Journalism at 9.6%. The university has 21 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Business Administration and Management, at 221 degrees awarded a year. Teacher Education is the second-largest, with 148 degrees awarded, and Psychology is third at 107. The highest-earning programs are much smaller. Physics graduates earn a median of $74,813 four years after completion, from just 11 degrees awarded a year. Computer and Information Sciences is close behind at $74,677, with 67 degrees awarded, though that figure sits at 0.81x the national median for its field. Biology graduates, from 44 degrees awarded, earn a median of $65,948 four years after completion, at 1.15x the national median for its field. The pattern is one of breadth rather than concentration: the largest programs are not the best-paid, and the best-paid are not the largest. 13.8% of degrees are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 221 degrees awarded** $65,407 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 148 degrees awarded** $51,346 **Psychology, General 107 degrees awarded** $46,253 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 83 degrees awarded** $55,068 **Special Education and Teaching 78 degrees awarded** $54,845 **Communication and Media Studies 73 degrees awarded** $54,173 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/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) 05 / Kutztown University of Pennsylvania briefing ## How does Kutztown University of Pennsylvania serve students from different backgrounds? Kutztown University of Pennsylvania reaches its highest Azimuth percentile in mobility, landing in the 80th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients finish at 51.1%, trailing the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 53.8% by 2.7 percentage points. On [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), graduates earn about $8,884 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 22nd percentile. The mobility and earnings results send different signals. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, a public university in Pennsylvania, enrolls 6,180 undergraduates and admits 90.8% of applicants, giving the university an access pillar in the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell Grants reach 32.7% of undergraduates, a financial-access measure, and an estimated 24.9% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students. This profile points to several distinct entry paths. 06 / Kutztown University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Kutztown University of Pennsylvania?](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/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/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Admissions peerDelaware Valley University93.2% admitted+ Comparison with Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Measure | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Delaware Valley University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $55,608 | $54,681\-$927 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $21,331 | $28,278+$6,947 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.7% | 93.2% | Nearby alternativeEast Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaNearby option · PA+ Comparison with Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Measure | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $55,608 | $56,971+$1,363 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $21,331 | $18,134\-$3,197 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 90.7% | 92.1% | [Explore East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania →](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/) Higher-earnings alternativeLa Salle University$70,254 earnings+ Comparison with Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Measure | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | La Salle University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $55,608 | $70,254+$14,646 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $21,331 | $19,409\-$1,922 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 90.7% | 96.6% | Lower-cost alternativeCUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice$3,203 average net price+ Comparison with Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Measure | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $55,608 | $60,020+$4,412 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $21,331 | $3,203\-$18,128 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 90.7% | 57.1% | [Explore CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice →](/school/cuny-john-jay-college-of-criminal-justice/) Similar profileState University of New York at New PaltzMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Measure | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | State University of New York at New Paltz | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $55,608 | $56,933+$1,325 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $21,331 | $18,809\-$2,522 vs Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 90.7% | 61.6% | [Explore State University of New York at New Paltz →](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-new-paltz/) 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/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 30, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 30, 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/)