1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Manhattan University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Manhattan University NY · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #430 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/manhattan-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/manhattan-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/manhattan-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/manhattan-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/manhattan-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Manhattan University #430 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Manhattan University is a private nonprofit university in Riverdale, New York, where the degree mix is led by Engineering and Business. Return is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gap to what it cannot explain than to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the cohort as a whole, and mobility is around the average. Affordability is below the levels seen at many peers, so the net price picture is worth a close look. 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 smaller. ## Manhattan University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 78.9% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 63.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $88,328 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $28,454 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $26,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $56,630 ## Manhattan University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) 2,744 undergraduates attend Manhattan University, a private nonprofit university in Riverdale, New York. That size and sector place it in the upper third of the nonprofit four-year field ranked by Azimuth (71st percentile). Manhattan University accepts 78.9% of applicants, against a peer median of 71.2% for institutions of the same type and size. Among the first-time full-time cohort, 76.0% come back for a second year, against a peer median of 83.4% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. 63.7% of that group finish within six years, against a peer median of 68.8% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. An estimated 15.2% of all entrants arrive as transfers, which means the six-year rate captures only the first-time full-time portion of the student body and not everyone who enrolls. Return stands well above the other three pillars, while affordability sits at the opposite extreme. Access and mobility fall in the middle, both close to the median. The distance between the highest and lowest is substantial, so the four dimensions are spread far apart rather than bunched together. Manhattan University's strongest pillar is return, where it sits in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access is at the 58th percentile and mobility at the 53rd percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar, at the 13th percentile. The university's high return percentile and low affordability percentile sit at opposite ends of its profile. 36.0% of undergraduates at Manhattan University receive Pell Grants. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 1,180 and 1,358. The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 25 and 29. Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort complete at 67.3%, a rate 3.6 percentage points above the rate for the cohort as a whole (63.7%). Azimuth ranks the university #616 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #697 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $16,151 more 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/) Manhattan University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #430 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 53 **Access & reach** National percentile: 58 **[Affordability](/school/manhattan-university/cost/)** National percentile: 13 **[Return on investment](/school/manhattan-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 93 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Special Education and Teaching**#1** 2. Social Sciences, General**#6** 3. Civil Engineering**#12** 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/manhattan-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Manhattan University briefing ## [Manhattan University cost & financial aid](/school/manhattan-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Manhattan University is $64,348, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees are $53,400, and room and board are $18,800. Financial aid reduces that sticker price by an average of $37,092 for aid recipients. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients actually pay—is $27,256. That is $115 below the peer median of $27,371 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #1,236 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 13th percentile. The published cost of attendance at Manhattan University is $64,348. Tuition and fees are $53,400. Azimuth ranks the university #1,236 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, aid recipients in the lowest family-income band (under $30,000) average $27,281, those in the middle band ($48,001–$75,000) average $28,454, and those in the highest band (over $110,000) average $28,188. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $907. Aid covers about 58% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $37,092. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) across all aid recipients is $27,256, which is $115 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $26,000 in federal student loans, with 90.0% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. That debt is $1,801 above the $24,199 peer median. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $56,630 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 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**$28,454** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Manhattan University Borrowing is widespread at Manhattan University, where 90.0% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among federal-loan borrowers who complete a degree, the median debt is $26,000. That median sits above the $24,199 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,801. Parent borrowers, a separate population, carry a median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan of $56,630. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 65% of a cohort of 477 bachelor's graduates borrowed from any source. The average cumulative debt per borrower was $31,261. Federal loans were held by 63% of graduates, including 13% who also took private loans. The average federal principal per federal borrower was $21,073, while the average private principal per private borrower reached $54,137. Graduates of Manhattan University see strong earnings that outpace both peers and modeled expectations. Four years after completion, the median earnings for working graduates stand at $88,328, a figure in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That is above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $20,078. Graduates earn about $16,151 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the university in the 92nd percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). Earnings scenarios derived from the program mix suggest a downside scenario of $61,673 and an upside scenario of $97,496. Borrowers finish with a median federal debt of $26,000, which is above the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Strong earnings combined with a debt level that is only modestly above the median for comparable institutions point to a favorable return for graduates. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $56,630. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $295. [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** $56,630 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $295/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $720/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=manhattan-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/manhattan-university/cost/) 02 / Manhattan University briefing ## [Manhattan University career outcomes & earnings](/school/manhattan-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Manhattan University posts the strongest earnings outcomes among its rated pillars. Graduates earn about $16,151 more than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 92nd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,931. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $10,220. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $4,536. Four years after completion, the median earnings for completers reach $88,328, a level in the 93rd percentile. That figure is above the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $20,078. A high median and earnings that exceed the model's expectations point the same way for graduates. Graduates of Manhattan University earn a median of $88,328 four years after completion, a figure that places the university in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort behind that number is 1,157 completers. Graduates earn about $16,151 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 92nd percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a typical figure of $88,328, with a downside scenario of $61,673 and an upside scenario of $97,496. An estimated 26.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Manhattan University graduates earn a median of $88,328 four years after completion, placing the university in the 93rd percentile nationally. That figure is above the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $20,078. Graduates earn about $16,151 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 92nd percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,931. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $10,220. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $4,536. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #106 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $61,673 and an upside of $97,496, framing the range of outcomes a graduate might see depending on their field. The program-level picture is anchored by engineering and business, which together account for more than half of all bachelor's degrees awarded. The largest program, Civil Engineering, awarded 99 degrees and shows median earnings of $95,877 four years after completion; Azimuth ranks it #12 nationally in its field. Finance is the highest-earning large program at $100,376, and Azimuth ranks it #50 nationally. Special Education and Teaching earns $83,932 and ranks #1 nationally, at 1.66x the national median for its field. Strong earnings in the largest programs coincide with the university's overall return profile. Earnings four years after completion vary considerably by field at Manhattan University. The downside earnings scenario sits at $61,673 while the upside scenario reaches $97,496, a spread that shows how much the program mix matters for the 20 programs with published data. Engineering and business programs anchor the upper end. Electrical Engineering completers earn a median of $100,884, Finance completers reach $100,376, and Chemical Engineering completers earn $96,134. The typical scenario, at $88,328, lands near the top of that range, reflecting the weight of these higher-earning fields in the degree mix. Graduates at Manhattan University earn about $16,151 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students. Those higher earnings coincide with a heavier federal debt load overall. The peer median is the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree here hold a median of $26,000 in federal student loan debt. That amount is $1,801 above the $24,199 peer median. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $56,630 in Parent PLUS loans. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,931 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$10,220 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$16,151 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/manhattan-university/outcomes/) 03 / Manhattan University briefing ## [Manhattan University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/manhattan-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Manhattan University admits 78.9% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 14,570 applicants, 11,970 admitted students, and 464 enrolled first-year students. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 78.9% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1180 **Reported average** 1270 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1358 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/manhattan-university/admissions/) 04 / Manhattan University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Manhattan University?](/school/manhattan-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The five largest programs at Manhattan University are concentrated in engineering and business, and their earnings four years after completion sit well above the national median for their fields. Civil Engineering is the largest, with 99 degrees awarded and median earnings of $95,877. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #12 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Finance, a smaller program at 45 degrees, posts the highest earnings among the largest five at $100,376 and a national rank of #50. At the more moderate end of the earnings range, Communication and Media Studies awards 44 degrees and reports median earnings of $74,471. Azimuth ranks it #22 nationally. The spread between the highest- and lowest-earning large programs shows how much field of study matters for the return picture here. Manhattan University publishes earnings data for 20 bachelor's programs, 14 of which hold an Azimuth national rank. The university's largest programs are concentrated in engineering and business, and their earnings figures are strong across the board. Civil Engineering is the largest program, with 99 degrees awarded, a national rank of #12, and a median of $95,877 four years after completion. Mechanical Engineering awarded 59 degrees, ranks #132 nationally, and its completers earn a median of $92,802. Finance is the highest-earning large program: it awarded 45 degrees, ranks #50 nationally, and shows a median of $100,376. Social Sciences awarded 20 degrees, holds a national rank of #6, and has a median of $75,745. Communication and Media Studies ranks #22 nationally with 44 degrees awarded and a median of $74,471. The bachelor's degrees at Manhattan University are concentrated in two professional families: Engineering accounts for 29.0% of degrees awarded, and Business for 25.2%. A third family, Social Sciences, is a distant third at 7.7%. The university has 14 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 20 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Civil Engineering, at 99 degrees awarded, followed by Mechanical Engineering with 59 and Marketing with 50. Special Education and Teaching carries a national rank of #1 within its field and #1 in New York, with median earnings of $83,932 four years after completion. Social Sciences awards 20 degrees a year and ranks #2 in New York within its field. Civil Engineering ranks #12 nationally and #3 in New York within its field, with median earnings of $95,877. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $100,884, from 19 degrees awarded a year. The pattern is a university where several of the largest programs are also highly ranked, and where engineering and business degrees dominate both the headcount and the earnings picture. 37.4% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Special Education and Teaching carries a benchmark ratio of 1.66x against the national median for its field, meaning its graduates earn well above the field's typical earnings. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Civil Engineering 99 degrees awarded** $95,877 **Mechanical Engineering 59 degrees awarded** $92,802 **Marketing 50 degrees awarded** $78,423 **Finance and Financial Management Services 45 degrees awarded** $100,376 **Communication and Media Studies 44 degrees awarded** $74,471 **Psychology, General 38 degrees awarded** $64,684 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/manhattan-university/majors/) 05 / Manhattan University briefing ## How does Manhattan University serve students from different backgrounds? Pell recipients at Manhattan University complete at a rate of 67.3%, above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 63.7% by 3.6 percentage points. That completion pattern places the mobility pillar in the 53rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $16,151 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 92nd percentile nationally. The Pell completion figure and the [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure point the same way. Students who receive Pell Grants finish at a rate that exceeds the overall average, and graduates leave with higher-than-expected earnings. Azimuth places the access pillar of Manhattan University in the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university admits 78.9% of applicants, a rate that sits above the peer median of 71.2%. Pell Grant recipients make up 36.0% of the 2,744 undergraduates, and an estimated 15.2% arrive as transfers or part-time students. 06 / Manhattan University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Manhattan University?](/school/manhattan-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/manhattan-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Manhattan University. Admissions peerSUNY Maritime College72.4% admitted+ Comparison with Manhattan University | Measure | Manhattan University | SUNY Maritime College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $88,328 | $104,752+$16,424 vs Manhattan University | | Average annual net price | $27,256 | $22,367\-$4,889 vs Manhattan University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 78.9% | 72.4% | [Explore SUNY Maritime College →](/school/suny-maritime-college/) Higher-admission alternativeGwynedd Mercy University89.6% admitted+ Comparison with Manhattan University | Measure | Manhattan University | Gwynedd Mercy University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $88,328 | $89,170+$842 vs Manhattan University | | Average annual net price | $27,256 | $27,483+$227 vs Manhattan University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 78.9% | 89.6% | Nearby alternativeWebb InstituteNearby option · NY+ Comparison with Manhattan University | Measure | Manhattan University | Webb Institute | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $88,328 | $92,973+$4,645 vs Manhattan University | | Average annual net price | $27,256 | $73,043+$45,787 vs Manhattan University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 78.9% | 14.0% | Lower-cost alternativeUnited States Merchant Marine Academy$6,174 average net price+ Comparison with Manhattan University | Measure | Manhattan University | United States Merchant Marine Academy | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $88,328 | $92,950+$4,622 vs Manhattan University | | Average annual net price | $27,256 | $6,174\-$21,082 vs Manhattan University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 78.9% | 34.2% | [Explore United States Merchant Marine Academy →](/school/united-states-merchant-marine-academy/) Similar profileLafayette CollegeMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Manhattan University | Measure | Manhattan University | Lafayette College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $88,328 | $91,758+$3,430 vs Manhattan University | | Average annual net price | $27,256 | $34,433+$7,177 vs Manhattan University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 78.9% | 31.5% | [Explore Lafayette College →](/school/lafayette-college/) 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/manhattan-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/)