1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences MA · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #439 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/admissions/)[Majors](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences #439 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private nonprofit university in Boston built around a single program family: Health Professions accounts for nearly all degrees awarded. The fit is narrow and clear — a student who wants to work in health care and is weighing the cost against the earnings that follow. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures and an addition to the remainder it cannot explain, while one measured factor subtracts. Return is among the highest we track, and the typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools. The price case is the harder one. Affordability is below the levels seen at many peers, and what the lowest income band pays is far below the published cost. Pell students complete at a rate above the overall cohort, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. ## Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 85.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 62.0% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $93,192 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $38,376 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $25,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $46,544 ## Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private nonprofit university in Boston, Massachusetts, enrolling 3,451 undergraduates. Its composite standing is above average among nonprofit four-year institutions, but that single number conceals a wide spread among the four pillars that support it. The university admits 85.2% of applicants, a rate above the 71.2% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Of students who start full time, 74.0% return for a second year, against a peer median of 83.4%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 62.0%, below the peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 36.4% of entrants arrive as transfers, so the graduation rate describes a first-time, full-time cohort while a significant share of the student body enters as transfers. The pillars tell a story of extremes. Return (96th percentile) is the strongest pillar, and affordability (4th percentile) is the weakest. Mobility (73rd percentile) and access (45th percentile) fall between them. The page that follows unpacks what each of those positions means for a student weighing cost against outcome. Azimuth evaluates Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences on four pillars among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return is the strongest, at the 96th percentile, and mobility follows at the 73rd percentile. Access sits at the 45th percentile. Affordability is the weakest of the four, at the 4th percentile. The gap between the return and affordability pillars is the widest feature of the profile. At Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 30.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Enrolled students who submitted SATs posted a middle 50% range from 1,160 to 1,416. The ACT range was 26 to 30. Azimuth assigns the university a rank of #803 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year completion rate for Pell recipients is 70.4%, a figure that stands 8.4 percentage points above the rate for the cohort overall (62.0%). Azimuth ranks the university #400 on mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $33,221 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/) Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #439 | | [Massachusetts](/rankings/best-colleges-in-massachusetts/) | #21 | | [Northeast](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-northeast/) | #110 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 73 **Access & reach** National percentile: 45 **[Affordability](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/cost/)** National percentile: 4 **[Return on investment](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/outcomes/)** National percentile: 96 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Dental Support Services and Allied Professions**#2** 2. Health/Medical Preparatory Programs**#2** 3. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration**#7** 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/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences briefing ## [Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences cost & financial aid](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is $65,022 (an average). Tuition and fees are $40,530 and room and board are $24,704. For the average aid recipient, grants and scholarships reduce that figure by $25,477, bringing the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to $39,545. That net price is $12,174 above the $27,371 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #1,352 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 39% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, but the net price still runs above the peer median. The spread between the lowest and highest income bands is $8,264, so the net price a family sees depends heavily on where they fall. The published cost of attendance at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is $65,022 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #1,352 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 $35,206, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $38,376, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $43,470. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $8,264. Aid covers about 39% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, leaving an average net price of $39,545 across all bands. That is $12,174 above the median of $27,371 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $25,000 in federal student loans, $801 above the peer median of $24,199. Nearly all undergraduates, 97.7%, take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $46,544. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. 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**$38,376** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Federal borrowing is nearly universal at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences: 97.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among those who complete, the median federal student loan debt is $25,000. That median sits $801 above the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $46,544. Four years after completing a degree, graduates earn a median of $93,192, placing Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at the 95th percentile nationally. That figure is $24,942 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $33,221 more than the model expects for similar students, a result at the 99th percentile. On the cost side, borrowers who finish carry a median of $25,000 in federal loans, $801 above the $24,199 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. The return pillar sits at the 96th percentile, while affordability is the weakest of the four at the 4th percentile. Strong earnings meet a high [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) and a debt load that runs slightly above peers. So the value case turns on whether the pay premium holds up against what a family actually pays. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $46,544. For student borrowers, the estimated payment is $284 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** $25,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $46,544 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $284/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $591/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=massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/cost/) 02 / Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences briefing ## [Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences career outcomes & earnings](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/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 $93,192. That is $24,942 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar at the 96th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $33,221 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 99th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,237. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $27,984. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $825. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $93,192. That places the university in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 1,217 completers. The typical and upside scenarios sit close together. An estimated 26.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences graduates earn a median of $93,192 four years after completion, at the 95th percentile nationally. That is $24,942 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #66 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $33,221 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 99th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,237. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $27,984. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $825. The university's program mix is concentrated in health professions. An estimated 26.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the program level, Nursing graduates earn a median of $92,960 four years after completion. Allied Health Professions graduates earn $92,104, and Health/Medical Preparatory Programs graduates earn $90,224. The range across programs is narrow. Graduates of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences earn about $33,221 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 99th percentile, and the return pillar sits at the 96th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The price side is where the picture shifts. The published cost of attendance is $65,022 (an average across living arrangements), and the average price students pay after grants and scholarships is $39,545. The spread between the lowest and highest income bands is $8,264. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $25,000 in federal student loans, $801 above the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $46,544 in Parent PLUS loans. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,237 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$27,984 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$33,221 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/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/outcomes/) 03 / Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences briefing ## [Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences acceptance rate & admissions](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences admits 85.2% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The admission rate sits above the peer median. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 85.2% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1160 **Reported average** 1269 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1416 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/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/admissions/) 04 / Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences?](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The program-level picture at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is concentrated in health fields, with Health Professions accounting for 96.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Earnings four years after completion are strong across the board, though they vary by field. Nursing is the largest program, with 351 degrees awarded and median earnings of $92,960. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #90 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Health/Medical Preparatory Programs is the highest-ranked program, at #2 nationally, with 123 degrees awarded and median earnings of $90,224. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, the second-largest program, reports median earnings of $72,947 from 217 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #7 nationally. That figure is 0.63x the national median for its field. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a health-sciences specialist: Health Professions accounts for 96.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded. The university has 6 nationally ranked programs, and every one of them sits inside that family. Nursing is the largest single program, at 351 degrees awarded a year. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #90 nationally within its field and #2 in Massachusetts. Health/Medical Preparatory Programs is the highest-ranked program, at #2 nationally and #1 in Massachusetts, with 123 degrees awarded. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is built around the health professions. Health Professions accounts for 96.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Biological Sciences and Psychology making up the remaining 2.3% and 1.5%. The largest programs are Nursing at 351 degrees awarded, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration at 217, and Health/Medical Preparatory Programs at 123. Nursing is also the highest-earning program, with a median of $92,960 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #90 nationally and #2 in Massachusetts within its field. Health/Medical Preparatory Programs carries a benchmark ratio of 1.46x against the national median for its field. Allied Health Professions ranks #12 nationally and #1 in Massachusetts within its field, with median earnings of $92,104 from 84 degrees awarded. Dental Support Services and Allied Professions ranks #2 nationally and #1 in Massachusetts within its field, with 70 degrees awarded and median earnings of $83,253. The university has 6 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 6 with published four-year earnings data. The pattern is concentrated: nearly every degree is in a health field, and the strongest programs by rank and earnings sit within that same family. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 351 degrees awarded** $92,960 **Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration 217 degrees awarded** $72,947 **Health/Medical Preparatory Programs 123 degrees awarded** $90,224 **Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions 84 degrees awarded** $92,104 **Dental Support Services and Allied Professions 70 degrees awarded** $83,253 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 30 degrees awarded** $67,637 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/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/majors/) 05 / Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences?](/school/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/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/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Admissions peerUniversity of Massachusetts-Boston83.8% admitted+ Comparison with Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Measure | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | University of Massachusetts-Boston | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,192 | $69,532\-$23,660 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | | Average annual net price | $39,545 | $17,707\-$21,838 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences · lower cost | | Admission rate | 85.2% | 83.8% | [Explore University of Massachusetts-Boston →](/school/university-of-massachusetts-boston/) Nearby alternativeRegis CollegeNearby option · MA+ Comparison with Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Measure | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Regis College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,192 | $84,660\-$8,532 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | | Average annual net price | $39,545 | $27,477\-$12,068 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences · lower cost | | Admission rate | 85.2% | 69.8% | Lower-cost alternativeRegis College$27,477 average net price+ Comparison with Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Measure | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Regis College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,192 | $84,660\-$8,532 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | | Average annual net price | $39,545 | $27,477\-$12,068 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences · lower cost | | Admission rate | 85.2% | 69.8% | Similar profileWentworth Institute of TechnologyMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Measure | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Wentworth Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,192 | $95,027+$1,835 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | | Average annual net price | $39,545 | $34,170\-$5,375 vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences · lower cost | | Admission rate | 85.2% | 91.2% | [Explore Wentworth Institute of Technology →](/school/wentworth-institute-of-technology/) 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/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 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/)