1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Miami University-Oxford Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Miami University-Oxford OH · Large public institution · Overall rank #626 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/miami-university-oxford/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/miami-university-oxford/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/miami-university-oxford/admissions/)[Majors](/school/miami-university-oxford/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/miami-university-oxford/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Miami University-Oxford #626 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Miami University-Oxford is a public university in Oxford, Ohio, where the degree mix is led by Business and Health Professions. Return is well above average, but affordability is below the levels seen at many peers. The financial picture depends heavily on which program a student chooses and what they pay. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — and a subtraction to what it cannot explain. The typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools, but the adjusted result is negative. The price case is mixed. Aid covers a modest share of the published cost for the average aid recipient, and the spread between the lowest and highest income bands is wide. Pell students complete well below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is around the average. The admission rate is close to the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to Finance should know that the largest program is also among the best-paid. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and the four-year earnings figure counts only graduates who are not enrolled. ## Miami University-Oxford at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 75.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 79.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $70,785 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $23,806 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $34,512 ## Miami University-Oxford rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Miami University-Oxford enrolls 16,656 undergraduates as a public university in Oxford, Ohio. The university lands near the center among nonprofit four-year institutions (57th percentile), though its individual pillars are spread across a wide range. Miami University-Oxford accepts 75.4% of those who apply, a rate measured against a peer median of 78.1% for comparable institutions. 90.1% of full-time first-year students come back for a second year, against a peer median of 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 79.8%, compared with a peer median of 65.0%. An estimated 8.9% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, meaning the completion figure captures only those who started here as full-time freshmen. Return is the strongest pillar (82nd percentile), while affordability is the weakest (20th percentile). Access and mobility fall between those extremes (47th and 50th percentiles). The gap between the top and bottom pillars is wide, giving the university a profile where return sits far from affordability. Azimuth assesses Miami University-Oxford across four pillars among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. Return is the strongest, at the 82nd percentile, while affordability is the weakest, at the 20th percentile. Access and mobility sit near the middle of the pack, at the 47th and 50th percentiles respectively. Pell Grants reach 12.6% of undergraduates at Miami University-Oxford, a financial-access indicator for this public campus. Azimuth ranks Miami University-Oxford #780 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among those students, the six-year completion rate is 44.8%, 35.0 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (79.8%). For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #732 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,570 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that coincides with the pillar's standing. [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/) Miami University-Oxford rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #626 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 50 **Access & reach** National percentile: 47 **[Affordability](/school/miami-university-oxford/cost/)** National percentile: 20 **[Return on investment](/school/miami-university-oxford/outcomes/)** National percentile: 82 01 / Miami University-Oxford briefing ## [Miami University-Oxford cost & financial aid](/school/miami-university-oxford/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Miami University-Oxford is $38,757. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $17,191 and required fees of $1,328 for the 2025-26 academic year, with on-campus food and housing at $17,154. Out-of-state tuition was $40,713. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $28,384. Financial aid reduces the published cost by $10,373 on average. That net price is $12,750 above the $15,634 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #1,127 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 20th percentile. Miami University-Oxford publishes a cost of attendance of $38,757, but the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships — varies sharply by family income. For families earning under $30,000 the average net price is $16,015, rising to $23,806 for the $48,001–$75,000 band and $31,431 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $15,416, a difference of averages that reflects how aid phases out across the income scale. Azimuth ranks the university #1,127 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 27% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $10,373 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $28,384, which sits above the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $12,750. That gap means the typical aid package leaves Miami-Oxford families with a higher out-of-pocket cost than what peers charge, a pattern consistent with the university's low affordability percentile. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, the median federal student debt is $23,000. About 88.1% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans, and the median debt runs above the peer median of $20,076 by $2,924. For a graduate at the median four-year earnings of $70,785, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $261 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow through [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) carry a separate median of $34,512. 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**$23,806** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Miami University-Oxford 88.1% of federal aid recipients at Miami University-Oxford take federal loans. The median federal debt for completers is $23,000. That is $2,924 above the $20,076 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Parent borrowers owe a median of $34,512 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported that 43% of its bachelor's graduates borrowed, with an average cumulative debt of $30,757 per borrower. Of those graduates, 42% held federal loans averaging $20,178. Another group, 11%, held private loans averaging $44,253; a graduate may carry both, so these shares overlap. Graduates of Miami University-Oxford earn a median of $70,785 four years after completion, a figure that places the university in the 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median is above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,175. Graduates earn about $1,570 less than the model expects for similar students, an outcome in the 49th percentile nationally. Earnings scenarios derived from the university's program mix suggest a downside scenario of $52,543 and an upside scenario of $101,025, with the typical scenario matching the observed median. Borrowers finish with a median federal debt of $23,000, which is above the $20,076 peer median by $2,924. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $261 a month if repaid over ten years. The return picture is mixed: earnings beat the peer median and the upside scenario reaches six figures, yet graduates earn less than the model expects for similar students. A median debt that runs above the peer median adds weight to the borrowing side of the equation. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $34,512. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $261. [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** $23,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $34,512 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $261/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $438/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=miami-university-oxford#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/miami-university-oxford/cost/) 02 / Miami University-Oxford briefing ## [Miami University-Oxford career outcomes & earnings](/school/miami-university-oxford/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Azimuth places Miami University-Oxford in the 82nd percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. At the four-year mark, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $70,785, in the 77th percentile. That sits $5,175 above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Completers earn about $1,570 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 49th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,523. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,093. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,131. Four years after completion, graduates of Miami University-Oxford earn a median of $70,785, which is above the peer median of $65,610 for comparable institutions (same type and size). The earnings cohort includes 4,164 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, placing the university in the 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,570 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios anchored on the program mix show a downside of $52,543 and an upside reaching $101,025. An estimated 30.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The return picture is mixed: earnings sit above the peer median but fall short of what the model expects for similar students. Miami University-Oxford shows a median of $70,785 four years after completion among federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled, at the 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median is $5,175 above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #262 for return. Graduates earn about $1,570 less 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. By Azimuth's measure, that result is at the 49th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,523, alongside concentrations in business and health fields. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,093. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,131, leaving the rest to other fields. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from a downside of $52,543 to an upside of $101,025. These scenario values are estimates, not observed outcomes for any individual graduate. An estimated 30.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix and not observed enrollment. The earnings scenarios at Miami University-Oxford span from a downside of $52,543 to an upside of $101,025, with the typical scenario at $70,785. That range shows the variation in earnings across the university's 50 programs with published data four years after completion. The highest-earning programs illustrate the upper end of the spread. Management Information Systems and Services completers earn a median of $111,158, while Finance graduates reach $110,406 and Management Science completers earn $102,249. Graduates earn about $1,570 less than the model expects for similar students. Borrowers who complete a degree at Miami University-Oxford hold a median of $23,000 in federal student loans, a total that excludes private debt and Parent PLUS. The peer median is the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That amount is $2,924 above the $20,076 median. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $261 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $34,512 in Parent PLUS loans, a population distinct from student borrowers. Federal debt runs above the peer median while earnings sit below the model's expectation. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,523 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$12,093 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$1,570 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/miami-university-oxford/outcomes/) 03 / Miami University-Oxford briefing ## [Miami University-Oxford acceptance rate & admissions](/school/miami-university-oxford/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Miami University-Oxford admits 75.4% of applicants, a rate that sits just below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported 39,580 applicants and 29,843 admitted students for the fall entering class. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 75.4% **25th percentile** 1240 **Median** 1300 **75th percentile** 1378 CDS 2024-25 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/miami-university-oxford/admissions/) 04 / Miami University-Oxford briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Miami University-Oxford?](/school/miami-university-oxford/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The spread between the highest- and lowest-earning programs among Miami University-Oxford's largest fields is wide. Finance, the largest program with 348 degrees awarded, shows a median of $110,406 four years after completion. Psychology—the second-largest at 273 degrees—reports $58,255. The highest-earning program overall is Management Information Systems and Services, where completers earn a median of $111,158 on 83 degrees awarded. Accounting is another high-earning program at $101,808 with 123 degrees. The contrast between a six-figure field like the largest program and a moderate-earning field like Psychology illustrates the wide range of earnings outcomes available from the university's largest programs. Miami University-Oxford publishes earnings data for 50 bachelor's programs. The largest family, Business, accounts for 22.8% of degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 9.3% and Social Sciences at 8.6%. The single largest program, Finance, awarded 348 degrees and shows a median of $110,406 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Management Information Systems and Services, with a median of $111,158 and 83 degrees awarded. Finance is next, followed by Accounting at $101,808 (123 degrees awarded). Several business and management fields cluster above $101,674. Business is the largest program family at Miami University-Oxford, accounting for 22.8% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Health Professions and Social Sciences following at 9.3% and 8.6%. The university has 50 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Finance, at 348 degrees awarded, followed by Psychology at 273 degrees awarded and Kinesiology and Physical Education at 260 degrees awarded. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Management Information Systems and Services graduates earn a median of $111,158 four years after completion, from 83 degrees awarded a year. Finance, the largest program, is also the second highest-earning, with a median of $110,406 and a benchmark ratio of 1.32x against the national median for its field. Accounting graduates earn $101,808, a benchmark ratio of 1.34x, from 123 degrees awarded. The earnings pattern is concentrated in business and technical fields, with the five highest-earning programs all falling in those areas. The largest programs outside of business, such as Psychology and Kinesiology and Physical Education, show solid but more moderate earnings, with medians of $58,255 and $70,919. Across all fields, 22.9% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Finance and Financial Management Services 348 degrees awarded** $110,406 **Psychology, General 273 degrees awarded** $58,255 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 260 degrees awarded** $70,919 **Marketing 238 degrees awarded** $86,919 **Health/Medical Preparatory Programs 196 degrees awarded** $72,484 **Political Science and Government 172 degrees awarded** $75,374 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/miami-university-oxford/majors/) 05 / Miami University-Oxford briefing ## How does Miami University-Oxford serve students from different backgrounds? Miami University-Oxford graduates earn about $1,570 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure in the 49th percentile. Azimuth places the university's mobility pillar in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 79.8%. Pell recipients complete at 44.8%, a figure that sits below the overall rate by 35.0 percentage points. A high overall completion rate coincides with a wide Pell gap and earnings that trail the model's expectation. Miami University-Oxford admits 75.4% of applicants, a rate that sits close to the peer median of 78.1% for comparable public universities. The university enrolls 16,656 undergraduates, with Pell Grant recipients making up 12.6% of the student body. An estimated 8.9% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 47th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a student body that is less Pell-concentrated than many peers. 06 / Miami University-Oxford briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Miami University-Oxford?](/school/miami-university-oxford/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/miami-university-oxford/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Miami University-Oxford. Admissions peerIndiana University-Bloomington78.2% admitted+ Comparison with Miami University-Oxford | Measure | Miami University-Oxford | Indiana University-Bloomington | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,785 | $74,511+$3,726 vs Miami University-Oxford | | Average annual net price | $28,384 | $16,264\-$12,120 vs Miami University-Oxford · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.4% | 78.2% | [Explore Indiana University-Bloomington →](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/) Higher-admission alternativeThomas More University90.4% admitted+ Comparison with Miami University-Oxford | Measure | Miami University-Oxford | Thomas More University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,785 | $70,208\-$577 vs Miami University-Oxford | | Average annual net price | $28,384 | $21,835\-$6,549 vs Miami University-Oxford · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.4% | 90.4% | Nearby alternativeOhio State University-Main CampusNearby option · OH+ Comparison with Miami University-Oxford | Measure | Miami University-Oxford | Ohio State University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,785 | $70,682\-$103 vs Miami University-Oxford | | Average annual net price | $28,384 | $17,339\-$11,045 vs Miami University-Oxford · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.4% | 60.6% | [Explore Ohio State University-Main Campus →](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Dayton$78,870 earnings+ Comparison with Miami University-Oxford | Measure | Miami University-Oxford | University of Dayton | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,785 | $78,870+$8,085 vs Miami University-Oxford | | Average annual net price | $28,384 | $29,533+$1,149 vs Miami University-Oxford · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.4% | 65.5% | [Explore University of Dayton →](/school/university-of-dayton/) Lower-cost alternativeIndiana University-Bloomington$16,264 average net price+ Comparison with Miami University-Oxford | Measure | Miami University-Oxford | Indiana University-Bloomington | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,785 | $74,511+$3,726 vs Miami University-Oxford | | Average annual net price | $28,384 | $16,264\-$12,120 vs Miami University-Oxford · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.4% | 78.2% | [Explore Indiana University-Bloomington →](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/) Similar profileOhio University-Main CampusMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Miami University-Oxford | Measure | Miami University-Oxford | Ohio University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $70,785 | $70,528\-$257 vs Miami University-Oxford | | Average annual net price | $28,384 | $21,637\-$6,747 vs Miami University-Oxford · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.4% | 85.0% | [Explore Ohio University-Main Campus →](/school/ohio-university-main-campus/) 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/miami-university-oxford/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/)