1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Liberty University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Liberty University VA · Large private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #79 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/liberty-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/liberty-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/liberty-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/liberty-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/liberty-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Liberty University #79 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Liberty University is a private nonprofit university in Lynchburg, Virginia, whose degree mix is led by Business, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, and Psychology. Mobility is among the highest we track. 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 cannot explain, which subtracts. Return is modestly below average. The net price for the lowest income band sits close to the published cost. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is narrow, so the aid picture looks similar across the income scale. Pell students complete at a rate well below the cohort as a whole, 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 on to further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are much smaller. ## Liberty University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 99.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 65.3% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $57,700 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $27,347 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $16,398 ## Liberty University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Liberty University, a private nonprofit university in Lynchburg, Virginia, enrolls 50,012 undergraduates. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, its ranking sits near the top of the field (95th percentile). The admission rate is 99.0%, against a peer median of 47.1% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 80.1% return for a second year, compared with a peer median of 90.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 65.3%, against a peer median of 80.0%. An estimated 60.4% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the first-time full-time cohort describes a minority of the student body. The four pillars at Liberty University sit far apart here. Mobility is the strongest, at the 99th percentile, and affordability is the weakest, at the 22nd percentile. Access sits between them at the 87th percentile, while return is the second-weakest at the 38th percentile. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Liberty University #79 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The composite is anchored by a mobility pillar in the 99th percentile, the strongest of the four, and an access pillar in the 87th percentile. The return pillar sits in the 38th percentile, and affordability is the weakest pillar, in the 22nd percentile. 38.3% of undergraduates at Liberty University receive Pell Grants, a measure of financial access across the student body. Those students complete at a rate of 30.1%, which is 35.2 percentage points below the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the entering cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks the university #189 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #21 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,806 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/) Liberty University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #79 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 99 **Access & reach** National percentile: 87 **[Affordability](/school/liberty-university/cost/)** National percentile: 22 **[Return on investment](/school/liberty-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 38 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language**#2** 2. Air Transportation**#2** 3. Religion/Religious Studies**#5** 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/liberty-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Liberty University briefing ## [Liberty University cost & financial aid](/school/liberty-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Liberty University lists a published cost of attendance of $42,025, which includes $22,465 in tuition and fees and $13,835 for room and board. Aid recipients see a substantially lower figure: the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $29,357, which means financial aid cuts the sticker by $12,668 on average. That average net price runs below the peer median of $36,211 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $6,854. Azimuth ranks the university #1,102 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Liberty University publishes a cost of attendance of $42,025, with tuition and fees of $22,465 and room and board at $13,835. For families earning under $30,000, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $30,667. For the middle band, families earning $48,001–$75,000, it is $27,347, and for families earning over $110,000 it is $30,545. The spread between the lowest and highest income bands is $122. Azimuth ranks the university #1,102 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 30% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $12,668, leaving an average net price of $29,357 for first-time full-time aid recipients. That figure sits below the peer median of $36,211 for comparable institutions (same type and size), by $6,854. Among federal-loan borrowers who complete a degree, the median federal student debt is $24,500. About 86.4% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That median debt is above the peer median of $23,168 by $1,332. For parent borrowers, the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $16,398. If repaid over ten years, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $278 a month. 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**$27,347** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Liberty University At Liberty University, borrowers who complete a degree hold a median of $24,500 in federal student debt. That median sits above the $23,168 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,332. Across the undergraduate population, 86.4% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parent borrowers, a separate population, carry a median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan of $16,398. The strongest pillar at Liberty University is mobility, where Azimuth ranks the university #21 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings picture is more measured. Four years after completion, graduates earn a median of $57,700, which places the university in the 42nd percentile nationally. That figure is below the $83,615 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $3,806 less than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 40th percentile. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a typical earnings level of $57,700, with a downside scenario of $44,306 and an upside scenario of $78,080. Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median federal student debt of $24,500, a level above the $23,168 median for comparable institutions. If repaid over ten years, the median federal debt yields a monthly payment of $278. For parents who take out [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans, the median borrowing figure is $16,398. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $16,398. 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** $16,398 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $278/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $208/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=liberty-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/liberty-university/cost/) 02 / Liberty University briefing ## [Liberty University career outcomes & earnings](/school/liberty-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) The median earnings for Liberty University completers four years after completion are $57,700, in the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the peer median of $83,615 by $25,915 among comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $3,806 less than the model expects for similar students, a level in the 40th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,645. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,451. The STEM component subtracts $665 within the measured factors. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the return pillar in the 38th percentile. Four years after completion, Liberty University graduates earn a median of $57,700, which places the university in the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions in the Azimuth coverage set. The earnings cohort is large, at 13,398 completers, and the earnings scenarios show a range from $44,306 on the downside to $78,080 on the upside, with a typical scenario of $57,700. An estimated 31.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure derived from the institution's program mix. Four years after completion, the median earnings of Liberty University graduates stand at $57,700, which places the university in the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $83,615, leaving Liberty below by $25,915. Graduates earn about $3,806 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 40th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,645. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,451. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $665. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #905 for return on investment. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $44,306 and an upside of $78,080. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, awarded 1,603 degrees and shows median earnings of $67,269 four years after completion; Azimuth ranks it #120 nationally in its field. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies follows with 1,368 degrees awarded and a national rank of #30. The highest-earning program is Air Transportation, where graduates earn $102,096, 1.19x the national median for the field, and the program ranks #2 nationally. Religion/Religious Studies, with 662 degrees awarded, earns $47,991 and ranks #5 nationally. The earnings scenarios at Liberty University range from a downside of $44,306 to an upside of $78,080, a spread that reflects the mix of programs available. Individual programs can exceed the upside: Air Transportation completers earn a median of $102,096 four years after completion, and Electrical Engineering graduates earn $89,244. Among the largest programs, Business Administration and Management awards 1,603 degrees and shows a median of $67,269, while Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies awards 1,368 degrees with a median of $53,357. The earnings differences across these fields are substantial. Graduates of Liberty University earn about $3,806 less than the model expects for similar students. The median federal student debt for borrowers who complete a degree is $24,500. That figure is above the peer median of $23,168 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,332. If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment on that debt is $278. Parent PLUS borrowers, a separate population, carry a median of $16,398. The university's average net price of $29,357 sits below the peer median of $36,211 for comparable institutions. Across income bands, the spread between the lowest and highest average net prices is $122, and aid covers about 30% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The six-year graduation rate for the first-time full-time cohort is 65.3%, while Pell recipients complete at 30.1%, a gap of 35.2 percentage points below the overall rate. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$3,645 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$7,451 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$3,806 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/liberty-university/outcomes/) 03 / Liberty University briefing ## [Liberty University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/liberty-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Liberty University admits 99.0% of applicants, well above the median of 47.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The university is open to most who apply. Admissions **Admission rate** 99.0% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/liberty-university/admissions/) 04 / Liberty University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Liberty University?](/school/liberty-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Liberty University fields 35 nationally ranked bachelor's programs, led by Air Transportation at #2 in its field and #1 in Virginia. Completers earn a median of $102,096 four years after completion, and the university awarded 440 degrees in the program. Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language holds an Azimuth national rank of #2 with 50 degrees awarded and median earnings of $46,899. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, accounts for 1,603 degrees awarded and shows median earnings of $67,269, ranking #120 nationally. Criminal Justice reaches $61,715 and an Azimuth national rank of #19 on 604 degrees awarded. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, with 1,368 degrees awarded, reports median earnings of $53,357 and a national rank of #30. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 35 bachelor's programs at Liberty University, and earnings data are published for 44 fields. The university's strongest national showing comes from Air Transportation, which holds a national rank of #2 and the top spot in Virginia at #1. The program awarded 440 degrees, and its completers earn a median of $102,096 four years after completion. Among the largest programs, Business Administration and Management awarded 1,603 degrees and ranks #120 nationally, with a median of $67,269. Religion/Religious Studies ranks #5 in its field and #2 in Virginia, with 662 degrees awarded and a median of $47,991. Criminal Justice holds a national rank of #19 and ranks #2 in Virginia, awarding 604 degrees and showing a median of $61,715. Liberty University awards bachelor's degrees across a wide range of fields, with 44 programs reporting four-year earnings data and 35 holding an Azimuth national rank within their field. The program mix is led by Business, which accounts for 18.8% of degrees awarded, followed by Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 14.2% and Psychology at 12.1%. The three largest single programs are Business Administration and Management with 1,603 degrees awarded, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies with 1,368, and Psychology with 1,211. The strongest programs by national rank are concentrated in a few fields. Air Transportation is the highest-ranked program, with 440 degrees awarded and median earnings of $102,096 four years after completion, and it ranks #1 in Virginia within its field. Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language ranks #2 nationally and #1 in Virginia within its field, with 50 degrees awarded. Religion/Religious Studies ranks #5 nationally within its field with 662 degrees awarded and median earnings of $47,991. The highest-earning program is also Air Transportation, with a benchmark ratio of 1.19x against the national median for its field. The pattern is one of strength in a handful of programs that sit outside the largest degree families. Air Transportation ranks in the top five nationally within its field, and Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language also ranks in the top five nationally within its field. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, ranks #120 nationally within its field and earns $67,269 four years after completion. STEM fields account for 6.0% of degrees awarded. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 1,603 degrees awarded** $67,269 **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1,368 degrees awarded** $53,357 **Psychology, General 1,211 degrees awarded** $45,340 **Religion/Religious Studies 662 degrees awarded** $47,991 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 604 degrees awarded** $61,715 **Air Transportation 440 degrees awarded** $102,096 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/liberty-university/majors/) 05 / Liberty University briefing ## How does Liberty University serve students from different backgrounds? Azimuth places Liberty University in the 99th percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 65.3%, while Pell recipients complete at 30.1% — below the overall rate by 35.2 percentage points. Graduates earn about $3,806 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 40th percentile nationally. Azimuth places the access pillar of Liberty University in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university admits 99.0% of applicants, well above the peer median of 47.1%, and enrolls 50,012 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 38.3% of the undergraduate body, and an estimated 60.4% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students. 06 / Liberty University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Liberty University?](/school/liberty-university/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/liberty-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Liberty University. Admissions peerBenedict College95.7% admitted+ Comparison with Liberty University | Measure | Liberty University | Benedict College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,700 | $41,293\-$16,407 vs Liberty University | | Average annual net price | $29,357 | $18,250\-$11,107 vs Liberty University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.0% | 95.7% | Nearby alternativeRoanoke CollegeNearby option · VA+ Comparison with Liberty University | Measure | Liberty University | Roanoke College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,700 | $56,840\-$860 vs Liberty University | | Average annual net price | $29,357 | $24,503\-$4,854 vs Liberty University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.0% | 83.1% | Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis$131,813 earnings+ Comparison with Liberty University | Measure | Liberty University | University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,700 | $131,813+$74,113 vs Liberty University | | Average annual net price | $29,357 | $31,817+$2,460 vs Liberty University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 99.0% | 89.8% | [Explore University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis →](/school/university-of-health-sciences-and-pharmacy-in-st-louis/) Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of North Carolina at Greensboro$10,965 average net price+ Comparison with Liberty University | Measure | Liberty University | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,700 | $51,594\-$6,106 vs Liberty University | | Average annual net price | $29,357 | $10,965\-$18,392 vs Liberty University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.0% | 88.5% | [Explore University of North Carolina at Greensboro →](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/) Similar profileBrigham Young UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Liberty University | Measure | Liberty University | Brigham Young University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,700 | $77,018+$19,318 vs Liberty University | | Average annual net price | $29,357 | $15,564\-$13,793 vs Liberty University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.0% | 67.8% | [Explore Brigham Young University →](/school/brigham-young-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/liberty-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)