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# Marywood University

PA · Small private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #960 nationally

Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026

Overview[Cost & aid](/school/marywood-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/marywood-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/marywood-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/marywood-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/marywood-university/similar/)

## Overall, Azimuth places the university in the 35th percentile nationally.

### Who it’s a good fit for

Marywood University is a private nonprofit university in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Health Professions and Architecture dominate the degree mix. Mobility is the strongest pillar, though it sits modestly below average alongside the other three.

Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes that gap to both the factors it measures and the remainder it cannot explain, with the unexplained part subtracting more.

Pell recipients complete at a rate below the entering cohort as a whole, and affordability is the weakest pillar. The spread between what the lowest and highest income bands pay is modest, but the average price students pay after aid sits above the median at comparable schools.

The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the health professions should know that the largest program, Nursing, is not the best-paid one.

## Marywood University at a glance

### Admissions and outcomes

**Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)**
60.6%

**Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)**
71.7%

**Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)**
$60,125

### Cost and family borrowing

**Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)**
$21,303

**Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)**
$26,186

**Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)**
$30,588

## Marywood University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings)

Marywood University enrolls 1,784 undergraduates as a private nonprofit university in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university lands near the middle of the field (35th percentile).

Marywood University admits 60.6% of applicants, against a median of 75.7% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among full-time first-year students, 79.8% return for a second year, against a peer median of 74.2%.

The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time, full-time cohort is 71.7%, against a peer median of 54.9%. An estimated 16.0% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes only the first-time, full-time cohort and not the full student body.

Mobility is the strongest of the four pillars (45th percentile) and affordability the weakest (30th percentile). Return and access sit between them (43rd and 45th percentiles), leaving the four pillars clustered together with affordability as the clear exception.

Marywood University is strongest on mobility, while affordability is the part of its profile that warrants the closest cost review. Azimuth places mobility in the 45th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Return is in the 43rd percentile and access is in the 45th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability, the weakest pillar, is in the 30th percentile, leaving that measure below the other three.

Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants account for 32.0% of those enrolled. Among students who submitted standardized tests for admission, the middle half of SAT scores ran from 1,060 to 1,250.

The ACT middle half for the same group stretched from 18 to 30. For access, Azimuth ranks Marywood University #811 among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The six-year completion rate for Pell recipients is 62.4%, which sits 9.3 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort overall (71.7%). The access pillar combines the share of students receiving Pell Grants with their completion outcomes.

For mobility it ranks the university #808 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,805 less than the model expects for similar students.

The Pell completion gap and the earnings result both run in the same direction, and [access and mobility](/analysis/intro-to-college-azimuth-the-data-of-higher-education-in-illinois/) sit at similar ranks near the middle of the distribution.

[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/)

Marywood University rankings in context

| Geography | Rank |
| --- | --- |
| National | #960 |

Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group.

### National pillar percentiles

**Economic mobility**
National percentile: 45

**Access & reach**
National percentile: 45

**[Affordability](/school/marywood-university/cost/)**
National percentile: 30

**[Return on investment](/school/marywood-university/outcomes/)**
National percentile: 43

01 / Marywood University briefing

## [Marywood University cost & financial aid](/school/marywood-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)

Marywood University has a published annual cost of attendance of $55,582, an average across living arrangements. Its tuition and fees are $41,420 and room and board is $15,800.

For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $23,388. Financial aid offsets $32,194 of the published price on average.

That average is $1,041 above the $22,347 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places Marywood University in the 30th percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The higher peer comparison and lower affordability standing point to a cost picture that merits close attention to the aid offer.

The published cost of attendance at Marywood University is $55,582 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #991 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $18,941, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $21,303, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $28,365. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,424.

Aid covers about 58% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $32,194 against the sticker price. The average net price for first-time full-time Title IV aid recipients is $23,388, which is $1,041 above the median of $22,347 for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $26,186 in federal student loans. That is $1,186 above the peer median of $25,000 for comparable institutions.

94.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $30,588.

If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $298 a month. It can show what the numbers might look like for your family.

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**$21,303**

After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.

Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.

### Borrowing and repayment at Marywood University

Federal borrowing is widespread at Marywood University, with 94.7% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $26,186.

Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median federal debt of $25,000, leaving Marywood’s median $1,186 above that benchmark. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $30,588.

The high borrowing share and debt above the peer median point to a cost picture that warrants close attention.

Marywood University presents an uneven investment picture: its reported earnings are near the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions, yet the model expects more and debt is above the peer median. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $60,125.

Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 52nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is less favorable.

Graduates earn about $11,805 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places this measure in the 15th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The downside earnings scenario is $47,260, the typical scenario matches the reported median, and the upside scenario is $100,294. Median federal student loan debt is $26,186, $1,186 above the $25,000 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $298 a month if repaid over ten years. Above-peer debt and below-expected earnings point in the same direction.

Among the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $30,588. For borrowers with median federal student debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $298 a month if repaid over ten years.

[How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/)

Financial GPS

### What does repayment look like?

**Institution median student debt**
$26,186

**Institution Parent PLUS debt**
$30,588

Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.

**Estimated student payment · monthly**
$298/mo

**Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly**
$389/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=marywood-university#student-tool)

[Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/marywood-university/cost/)

02 / Marywood University briefing

## [Marywood University career outcomes & earnings](/school/marywood-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added)

Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $60,125, at the 52nd percentile nationally. That is $4,210 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Graduates earn about $11,805 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 15th percentile.

Azimuth places the university at the 43rd percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures subtracts $3,647.

The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,158. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $6.

Marywood University presents a mixed earnings picture, with a middle-range observed median but earnings below the model’s expectation. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $60,125 four years after completion.

Azimuth places this earnings measure in the 52nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, using an earnings cohort of 597 completers. The typical scenario matches that observed median.

Program-mix scenarios range from a downside of $47,260 to an upside of $100,294, showing that earnings can differ substantially across the fields represented here. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, offers a separate comparison.

Graduates earn about $11,805 less than the model expects for similar students. An estimated 32.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix.

The broad scenario range sits alongside below-expected earnings, so the school-level median does not tell the whole return story.

Among federally aided graduates of Marywood University who are working and not enrolled four years after completion, the median earnings figure is $60,125, placing them at the 52nd percentile. For comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $55,915, which means the university lands $4,210 above that mark.

[Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #833 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. At this university, completers here earn about $11,805 less than the model expects for similar students.

That result falls at the 15th percentile for this measure. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) subtracts $3,647.

The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,158. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $6.

Bachelor's degrees cluster in Health Professions, Architecture and Business, with only limited STEM representation. Estimated earnings scenarios drawn from the program mix range from $47,260 on the downside to $100,294 on the upside.

An estimated 32.5% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the overall program mix.

Earnings at Marywood University vary widely across earnings scenarios and fields. The downside earnings scenario is $47,260 and the upside scenario is $100,294; both are estimated from the program mix, not observed graduate groups.

Among published field results, Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences has median earnings of $130,682 four years after completion, Nursing has $92,915, and Business Administration and Management has $70,456. These field figures show why the modeled range is broad.

At Marywood University, aid-recipient prices and borrowing both warrant attention alongside graduate earnings. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $18,941 for the lowest income band, $21,192 for the next band, $21,303 for the middle band, $24,083 for the upper-middle band, and $28,365 for the highest band.

Among completers who borrowed federal loans, median federal student loan debt was $26,186. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median of $25,000, putting the university above that figure by $1,186.

That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $298 a month if repaid over ten years. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) compares graduate earnings with what the model expects for similar students.

Graduates earn about $11,805 less than the model expects for similar students. Above-peer borrowing and below-expected earnings point in the same direction.

What explains value-added earnings?

**Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.**
\-$3,647

**Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.**
\-$8,158

**Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.**
\-$11,805

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/marywood-university/outcomes/)

03 / Marywood University briefing

## [Marywood University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/marywood-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention)

Marywood University admitted 60.6% of applicants in the reported entering class, meaning more than half of that pool received offers. The rate sits below the median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size).

SAT: approximate enrolled-student range

**Admission rate**
60.6%

**Approximate lower endpoint**
1060

**Reported average**
1162

**Approximate upper endpoint**
1250

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/marywood-university/admissions/)

04 / Marywood University briefing

## [What are the largest majors at Marywood University?](/school/marywood-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs)

Reported earnings at Marywood University vary widely across the fields shown four years after completion. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences records median earnings of $130,682 and 23 degrees awarded.

Nursing has median earnings of $92,915 with 39 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management records $70,456 in median earnings across 16 degrees awarded.

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services has median earnings of $69,872 and 22 degrees awarded. The higher-earning health and nursing fields contrast with the more moderate figures in business and communication fields.

The largest fields show a wide range of earnings four years after completion, from health-focused programs to rehabilitation. The program-level figures make field choice especially consequential here.

The bachelor's degrees at Marywood University are concentrated in the health professions, with Health Professions accounting for 33.5% of degrees awarded. Architecture is the second-largest family at 13.2%, followed by Business at 11.5%.

The largest single program is Nursing, with 39 degrees awarded, while Architecture and Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences follow at 34 and 23 degrees awarded, respectively. Across all fields, 10.1% of degrees are in STEM.

The university has 14 programs with published four-year earnings data. The highest-earning program is Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences.

Nursing, the largest program, is the second-highest-earning, with a median of $92,915 and a benchmark ratio of 1.04x. Business Administration and Management graduates earn a median of $70,456, and Communication Disorders Sciences and Services follows at $69,872.

The pattern is one of a health-focused institution where the largest programs are also the best-paid ones. Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions is the exception, with a median of $49,106 that sits below the national median for its field.

The earnings picture is strongest in clinical fields, and the four-year figures for some fields may understate later trajectories, as those fields commonly coincide with graduate study.

Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 39 degrees awarded**
$92,915

**Architecture 34 degrees awarded**
$67,178

**Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 23 degrees awarded**
$130,682

**Communication Disorders Sciences and Services 22 degrees awarded**
$69,872

**Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions 21 degrees awarded**
$49,106

**Psychology, General 18 degrees awarded**
$45,088

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/marywood-university/majors/)

05 / Marywood University briefing

## How does Marywood University serve students from different backgrounds?

Marywood University shows a split mobility picture: completion is stronger than its modeled earnings result. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 71.7%, and Pell recipients’ six-year completion rate is 62.4%, below the overall rate by 9.3 percentage points.

Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 45th percentile. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 15th percentile.

Graduates earn about $11,805 less than the model expects for similar students. The completion and modeled earnings figures point in different directions.

With 1,784 undergraduates, Marywood University offers entry through both new applications and transfers. Its admission rate is 60.6%, while Pell Grant recipients make up 32.0% of undergraduates and an estimated 16.0% arrive as transfers or part-time students.

For access, Azimuth assigns the university a 45th percentile standing among nonprofit four-year institutions. The enrollment scale, Pell participation, and transfer estimate show several routes into this private nonprofit university.

06 / Marywood University briefing

## [What colleges are similar to Marywood University?](/school/marywood-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/marywood-university/similar/#peer-matching).

### A shortlist for different decisions

Choose a row to compare the figures with Marywood University.

Admissions peerAlvernia University58.1% admitted+

Comparison with Marywood University

| Measure | Marywood University | Alvernia University |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,125 | $67,275+$7,150 vs Marywood University |
| Average annual net price | $23,388 | $28,138+$4,750 vs Marywood University · higher cost |
| Admission rate | 60.6% | 58.1% |

Higher-admission alternativeCommonwealth University of Pennsylvania93.1% admitted+

Comparison with Marywood University

| Measure | Marywood University | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,125 | $58,676\-$1,449 vs Marywood University |
| Average annual net price | $23,388 | $15,699\-$7,689 vs Marywood University · lower cost |
| Admission rate | 60.6% | 93.1% |

[Explore Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania →](/school/commonwealth-university-of-pennsylvania/)

Nearby alternativeMoravian UniversityNearby option · PA+

Comparison with Marywood University

| Measure | Marywood University | Moravian University |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,125 | $67,097+$6,972 vs Marywood University |
| Average annual net price | $23,388 | $30,670+$7,282 vs Marywood University · higher cost |
| Admission rate | 60.6% | 54.2% |

Higher-earnings alternativeRutgers University-New Brunswick$77,933 earnings+

Comparison with Marywood University

| Measure | Marywood University | Rutgers University-New Brunswick |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,125 | $77,933+$17,808 vs Marywood University |
| Average annual net price | $23,388 | $24,406+$1,018 vs Marywood University · higher cost |
| Admission rate | 60.6% | 58.2% |

[Explore Rutgers University-New Brunswick →](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/)

Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Lehman College$3,148 average net price+

Comparison with Marywood University

| Measure | Marywood University | CUNY Lehman College |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,125 | $63,353+$3,228 vs Marywood University |
| Average annual net price | $23,388 | $3,148\-$20,240 vs Marywood University · lower cost |
| Admission rate | 60.6% | 56.6% |

[Explore CUNY Lehman College →](/school/cuny-lehman-college/)

Similar profileSpringfield CollegeMatched across several measures+

Comparison with Marywood University

| Measure | Marywood University | Springfield College |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,125 | $60,428+$303 vs Marywood University |
| Average annual net price | $23,388 | $30,587+$7,199 vs Marywood University · higher cost |
| Admission rate | 60.6% | 71.9% |

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/marywood-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/)
