1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Loyola Marymount University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Loyola Marymount University CA · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #931 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/loyola-marymount-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/loyola-marymount-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/loyola-marymount-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/loyola-marymount-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/loyola-marymount-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Loyola Marymount University #931 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Loyola Marymount University is a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, California, whose degree mix is led by Business and Visual & Performing Arts. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. Return is well above average, while affordability is below the levels seen at many peers. Graduates earn about what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap almost evenly between the factors it measures and a remainder it does not explain. The measured factors add to expected earnings, while the unexplained remainder subtracts, so the raw and adjusted results pull in opposite directions. The price case turns on income: the lowest band pays well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell completion is below the overall rate, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. The degree mix leans toward business and the arts, with the best-paid programs in technical fields that award far fewer degrees than the largest departments. ## Loyola Marymount University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 45.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 78.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $78,039 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $34,351 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $19,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $58,361 ## Loyola Marymount University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Loyola Marymount University is a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, California, enrolling 7,094 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (37th percentile). The four pillars are spread widely: return is the strongest, at the 81st percentile, while affordability is the weakest, at the 2nd percentile, with access and mobility between them. The university admits 45.1% of applicants, a rate well below the 71.2% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 88.6% return for a second year and 78.9% finish within six years. Both figures run above the peer medians of 83.4% and 68.8%. An estimated 22.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students. The shape is a selective private university where return is the strongest pillar, while affordability sits near the bottom of nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and mobility fall in the middle of the field, at the 49th and 60th percentiles, respectively. The pillars sit far apart, with the strongest and weakest separated by nearly the full range of the ranking. Loyola Marymount University's strongest pillar is return, in the 81st percentile, while affordability lags far behind, in the 2nd percentile. The return pillar shows median earnings four years after completion that sit above the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The mobility pillar follows at the 60th percentile, and access at the 49th percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar, a gap that shows up in an average net price—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—well above the peer median. 13.2% of undergraduates at Loyola Marymount University receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Loyola Marymount University #749 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at a rate of 73.3%, which is 5.6 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (78.9%). Azimuth ranks the university #587 for mobility. Graduates earn about $8 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. [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/) Loyola Marymount University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #931 | | [California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) | #66 | | [West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) | #134 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 60 **Access & reach** National percentile: 49 **[Affordability](/school/loyola-marymount-university/cost/)** National percentile: 2 **[Return on investment](/school/loyola-marymount-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 81 01 / Loyola Marymount University briefing ## [Loyola Marymount University cost & financial aid](/school/loyola-marymount-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The sticker price at Loyola Marymount University is $83,943, an average across living arrangements. It includes $62,357 in tuition and fees and $22,026 for room and board. For students who receive aid, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what they pay after grants and scholarships, drops to $48,381, a reduction of $35,562 from the published total. The comparable peer median, the middle value for similar institutions in the same type and size, is $27,371. The university's average net price runs above that figure by $21,010. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth ranks Loyola Marymount University #1,384 for affordability. That places the affordability pillar in the 2nd percentile. Even after aid, the net price remains far above the peer median, and affordability ranks as the university's weakest pillar. Loyola Marymount University publishes a cost of attendance of $83,943, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees are $62,357 and room and board are $22,026. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—varies sharply by family income. For families earning under $30,000, the average net price is $32,268; for the $48,001–$75,000 band it is $34,351; and for families earning over $110,000 it reaches $58,371. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $26,103, a difference that reflects how aid scales with need. Azimuth ranks the university #1,384 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 42% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $35,562 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $48,381, which sits above the peer median of $27,371 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $21,010. That gap means the typical aid package leaves a larger remaining cost than at most peer schools, even after accounting for the university's substantial aid spending. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, the median federal student debt is $19,500. That median is below the peer median of $24,199 by $4,699, and 91.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. For a graduate at the median four-year earnings, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing stands at $58,361. 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**$34,351** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Loyola Marymount University Borrowers who complete leave with a median of $19,500 in federal student loans at completion. Federal borrowing is nearly universal here: 91.3% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. The median debt is $4,699 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $58,361 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. Graduates of Loyola Marymount University earn a median of $78,039 four years after completing a degree, measured among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That figure sits in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, an outcome at the 55th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from $54,320 in a downside case to $101,762 in an upside case, with a typical scenario of $78,039. Borrowers who finish hold a median of $19,500 in federal loans. That is $4,699 below the median for comparable institutions (same type and size), $24,199. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $58,361. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $222. [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** $19,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $58,361 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $222/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $742/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=loyola-marymount-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/loyola-marymount-university/cost/) 02 / Loyola Marymount University briefing ## [Loyola Marymount University career outcomes & earnings](/school/loyola-marymount-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Graduates of Loyola Marymount University earn a median of $78,039 four years after completion, a figure in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median is above the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size), a gap of $9,789. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 81st percentile. Graduates earn about $8 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, a result in the 55th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,896. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $5,888. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $309. The combination of median earnings above the peer median and a near-zero expectation gap means the return picture is mixed. Graduates out-earn peers but do not clear the model's bar by a wide margin. Graduates of Loyola Marymount University earn a median of $78,039 four years after completion, placing the university in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure is above the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size), by $9,789. The earnings cohort includes 1,897 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a typical outcome of $78,039, with a downside scenario of $54,320 and an upside scenario reaching $101,762. Graduates earn about $8 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, a result that sits in the 55th percentile nationally. An estimated 30.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. Four years after completion, Loyola Marymount University graduates earn a median of $78,039, which places the university in the 87th percentile nationally. That figure sits above the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $9,789. Graduates earn about $8 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, a result in the 55th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,896. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $5,888. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $309. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Loyola Marymount University #276 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $54,320 and an upside of $101,762 four years after graduating. The program-level picture shows a wide spread between the largest fields and the highest earners. The largest program, Psychology, awarded 158 degrees and carries a median of $60,958 four years after completion. Finance, the fifth-largest with 115 degrees awarded, reaches $109,303. The highest-earning program is Computer and Information Sciences, with 52 degrees awarded and a median of $127,011, followed by Accounting at $111,733 from 35 degrees awarded. The institutional median reflects a mix where several large programs earn below the median while a smaller set of fields earn well above it. The spread between the downside and upside earnings scenarios at Loyola Marymount University is wide: from $54,320 to $101,762 four years after completion, with the typical scenario at $78,039. That range shows the variation in earnings across the university's 24 programs with published data. The highest-earning fields show the upper end of that spread: Computer and Information Sciences completers earn a median of $127,011, Accounting graduates reach $111,733, and Finance completers earn $109,303. The published cost of attendance at Loyola Marymount University is $83,943 (an average across living arrangements). The average net price for aid recipients is $48,381, which is $21,010 above the peer median of $27,371 for comparable institutions (same type and size). The spread between the lowest and highest income bands is $26,103, with families earning under $30,000 averaging $32,268 and those over $110,000 averaging $58,371. Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $19,500 in federal student loans. That figure is $4,699 below the peer median of $24,199, and it corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $58,361 in Parent PLUS loans. The return picture is mixed: earnings are strong relative to peers, but the net price is high and the affordability pillar sits at the 2nd percentile nationally. A family weighing this school against a public option in California will find the cost difference is the central question. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,896 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$5,888 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$8 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/loyola-marymount-university/outcomes/) 03 / Loyola Marymount University briefing ## [Loyola Marymount University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/loyola-marymount-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Loyola Marymount University admits 45.1% of applicants, a rate well below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported 23,089 applicants and 10,409 admitted students. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 45.1% **25th percentile** 1280 **Median** 1350 **75th percentile** 1400 CDS 2024-25 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/loyola-marymount-university/admissions/) 04 / Loyola Marymount University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Loyola Marymount University?](/school/loyola-marymount-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The five largest programs at Loyola Marymount University span a wide earnings range four years after completion. Finance leads at $109,303 with 115 degrees awarded, while Marketing reaches $82,825 on 154 degrees awarded. Psychology, the most-awarded degree at 158 degrees, shows a median of $60,958. The highest-earning program overall is Computer and Information Sciences, where completers earn a median of $127,011 four years after completion, with 52 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $111,733 (35 degrees awarded). Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, a large program at 134 degrees awarded, sits at $49,135, showing the gap between the university's highest-earning fields and its arts and social-science programs. The earnings picture at Loyola Marymount University depends heavily on field of study. The university publishes earnings data for 24 bachelor's programs, and the highest-earning fields sit well above the largest ones. Computer and Information Sciences leads with a median of $127,011 four years after completion, on 52 degrees awarded. Among the largest programs, Finance shows a median of $109,303 with 115 degrees awarded. Marketing awarded 154 degrees and reports a median of $82,825. The most popular field, Psychology, awarded 158 degrees and its completers earn a median of $60,958. The spread between Computer and Information Sciences and Psychology shows the earnings range across programs. The bachelor's degree mix at Loyola Marymount University leans toward business and the arts. Business accounts for 24.6% of degrees awarded, followed by Visual & Performing Arts at 15.5% and Social Sciences at 14.3%. The university has 24 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Psychology, at 158 degrees awarded a year. Marketing is close behind with 154 degrees, and Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft awards 134. The highest-earning program is a much smaller one. Computer and Information Sciences graduates earn a median of $127,011 four years after completion, from 52 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $111,733, with 35 degrees a year. The pattern is one of earnings spread across fields, not concentrated in a single area. Finance, the fifth-largest program, reports the third-highest earnings at $109,303, while the largest program, Psychology, sits at $60,958. Across all fields, 11.9% of degrees are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Psychology, General 158 degrees awarded** $60,958 **Marketing 154 degrees awarded** $82,825 **Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft 134 degrees awarded** $49,135 **Communication and Media Studies 125 degrees awarded** $69,144 **Finance and Financial Management Services 115 degrees awarded** $109,303 **Political Science and Government 91 degrees awarded** $72,375 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/loyola-marymount-university/majors/) 05 / Loyola Marymount University briefing ## How does Loyola Marymount University serve students from different backgrounds? Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort complete at 73.3%, below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 78.9% by 5.6 percentage points. Azimuth places Loyola Marymount University in the 60th percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, a result in the 55th percentile. The overall graduation rate sits well above the peer median of 68.8%, the middle value for comparable institutions, while the Pell completion rate also clears that benchmark. Loyola Marymount University enrolls 7,094 undergraduates at its Los Angeles campus. The private nonprofit university admits 45.1% of applicants, a rate well below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions. 13.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and an estimated 22.5% of students are not first-time full-time entrants. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 49th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a student body that is more selective than the peer median but draws a modest share of Pell recipients. 06 / Loyola Marymount University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Loyola Marymount University?](/school/loyola-marymount-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/loyola-marymount-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Loyola Marymount University. Admissions peerClemson University38.3% admitted+ Comparison with Loyola Marymount University | Measure | Loyola Marymount University | Clemson University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $78,039 | $75,142\-$2,897 vs Loyola Marymount University | | Average annual net price | $48,381 | $22,253\-$26,128 vs Loyola Marymount University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 45.1% | 38.3% | [Explore Clemson University →](/school/clemson-university/) Higher-admission alternativeUniversity of Redlands82.7% admitted+ Comparison with Loyola Marymount University | Measure | Loyola Marymount University | University of Redlands | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $78,039 | $75,863\-$2,176 vs Loyola Marymount University | | Average annual net price | $48,381 | $30,031\-$18,350 vs Loyola Marymount University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 45.1% | 82.7% | [Explore University of Redlands →](/school/university-of-redlands/) Nearby alternativeUniversity of RedlandsNearby option · CA+ Comparison with Loyola Marymount University | Measure | Loyola Marymount University | University of Redlands | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $78,039 | $75,863\-$2,176 vs Loyola Marymount University | | Average annual net price | $48,381 | $30,031\-$18,350 vs Loyola Marymount University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 45.1% | 82.7% | [Explore University of Redlands →](/school/university-of-redlands/) Higher-earnings alternativeSanta Clara University$108,517 earnings+ Comparison with Loyola Marymount University | Measure | Loyola Marymount University | Santa Clara University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $78,039 | $108,517+$30,478 vs Loyola Marymount University | | Average annual net price | $48,381 | $50,062+$1,681 vs Loyola Marymount University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 45.1% | 48.0% | [Explore Santa Clara University →](/school/santa-clara-university/) Lower-cost alternativeCalifornia State Polytechnic University-Pomona$11,531 average net price+ Comparison with Loyola Marymount University | Measure | Loyola Marymount University | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $78,039 | $71,138\-$6,901 vs Loyola Marymount University | | Average annual net price | $48,381 | $11,531\-$36,850 vs Loyola Marymount University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 45.1% | 75.2% | [Explore California State Polytechnic University-Pomona →](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/) Similar profileChapman UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Loyola Marymount University | Measure | Loyola Marymount University | Chapman University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $78,039 | $73,336\-$4,703 vs Loyola Marymount University | | Average annual net price | $48,381 | $46,555\-$1,826 vs Loyola Marymount University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 45.1% | 65.4% | [Explore Chapman University →](/school/chapman-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/loyola-marymount-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 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/)