1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Midwestern State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Midwestern State University TX · Medium public institution · Overall rank #304 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/midwestern-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/midwestern-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/midwestern-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/midwestern-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/midwestern-state-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places Midwestern State University in the 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Midwestern State University is a public university in Wichita Falls, Texas, where Health Professions and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies lead the degree mix. Affordability is well above average, the strongest of the four pillars, while access is above average and the weakest. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gap to a remainder it does not explain, which adds, than to the factors it measures—field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. Return is above average, and the typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools, so the raw and adjusted results point the same way. The net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell students complete at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is above the median for comparable public universities of similar size. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and the largest programs are not the highest-earning ones. ## Midwestern State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 93.5% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 42.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $62,250 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $11,445 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $21,030 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $19,367 ## Midwestern State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Midwestern State University is a public university in Wichita Falls, Texas, enrolling 4,087 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the upper-middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (79th percentile). The university admits 93.5% of applicants, a rate that runs above the median for comparable institutions of the same type and size (85.9%). Among full-time first-year students, 63.9% return for a second year, which is below the peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that cohort is 42.7%, also trailing the peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 31.6% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the first-time, full-time graduation rate covers only a portion of those who study at the university. Affordability is the strongest of the four pillars (84th percentile), while access is the weakest (64th percentile). Mobility and return sit between them (75th and 65th percentiles respectively), giving the pillars a fairly tight spread. Affordability is the clearest part of Midwestern State University’s Azimuth profile, with the pillar in the 84th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility follows in the 75th percentile, and return stands in the 65th percentile. Access is the weakest pillar, in the 64th percentile. The affordability and mobility measures point to a stronger cost and mobility profile than the access measure. Pell Grant recipients account for 40.6% of undergraduates at Midwestern State University, the financial-access measure that feeds into the access pillar. Azimuth places Midwestern State University at #524 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year completion rate for those Pell recipients is 52.6%, a figure that sits 9.9 percentage points above the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (42.7%) for the entering cohort. For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #369 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,491 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/) Midwestern State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #304 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #31 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #111 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 75 **Access & reach** National percentile: 64 **[Affordability](/school/midwestern-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 84 **[Return on investment](/school/midwestern-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 65 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions**#13** 2. Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences**#28** 3. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#67** 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/midwestern-state-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Midwestern State University briefing ## [Midwestern State University cost & financial aid](/school/midwestern-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Affordability is the strongest pillar at Midwestern State University, and the figures show why. The published cost of attendance is $22,652. After grants and scholarships, aid recipients pay an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) of $11,656. That is $2,412 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Grants and scholarships lower the published cost by $10,996 for the average aid recipient, covering about 49% of the sticker price. In-state tuition and fees are $10,580, with room and board at $11,124. Out-of-state undergraduates pay tuition and fees of $12,530. Azimuth ranks the university #223 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 84th percentile. Midwestern State University lists a published cost of attendance of $22,652, with post-aid prices that vary by family income. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $8,856 for the lowest family-income band, $9,886 for the lower-middle band, $11,445 for the middle band, $15,365 for the upper-middle band, and $18,988 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,132, and Azimuth ranks the university #223 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 49% of the published cost, an average savings of $10,996. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $11,656, which is $2,412 below the peer median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition is $10,580, and out-of-state tuition is $12,530. The overall post-aid price and the peer comparison both point toward a lower cost than comparable institutions. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $21,030, and 82.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That median is $199 below the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $239 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $19,367. 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**$11,445** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Midwestern State University At Midwestern State University, federal loan borrowing reaches 82.3% of federal aid recipients, making debt a common part of the cost picture for those who use federal loans. Among federal-loan borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $21,030. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median federal debt of $21,229; the university’s median is $199 below it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $19,367. Midwestern State University pairs higher-than-expected earnings with median federal debt slightly below that at comparable institutions. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $62,250. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 58th 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, falls in the 78th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,491 more than the model expects for similar students. The downside earnings scenario is $47,464, the typical scenario aligns with the observed median, and the upside scenario is $86,887. Median federal student debt of $21,030 is $199 below the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions of the same type and size. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $239 a month if repaid over ten years. Higher-than-expected earnings and lower peer debt point in the same direction. Parent borrowing is separate from student federal loans: median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $19,367. Median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $239 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** $21,030 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $19,367 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $239/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $246/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=midwestern-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/midwestern-state-university/cost/) 02 / Midwestern State University briefing ## [Midwestern State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/midwestern-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Midwestern State University combines earnings above those of comparable institutions with a return pillar that Azimuth places in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,491 more than the model expects for similar students, an earnings-beyond-expectations measure: the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students. That result sits in the 78th 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 $981. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $6,510. Median earnings are $62,250 four years after completion, in the 58th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university is $4,949 above it. At Midwestern State University, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $62,250 four years after completion. That figure is above the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $57,301, a difference of $4,949. Azimuth places the university’s four-year earnings in the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 1,306 completers. Graduates earn about $7,491 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios based on the program mix show possible earnings outcomes rather than observed graduate groups. An estimated 29.2% continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The return evidence points above the comparable-peer reference and above the model’s expectation. For federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings at Midwestern State University were $62,250 four years after completion, in the 58th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), was $57,301, putting the university $4,949 above it. Graduates earn about $7,491 more than the model expects for similar students. [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, sits in the 78th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $981. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $6,510. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $279. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from a downside of $47,464 to an upside of $86,887. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison and model measure point in the same direction. Allied Health Professions is the largest program and has the strongest field benchmark in this set. It awarded 207 degrees, and its completers had median earnings of $83,622 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #13 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Its 1.18x benchmark ratio is against the national median for that field. Earnings vary across the modeled program mix at Midwestern State University. The downside earnings scenario is $47,464 and the upside scenario is $86,887, with $62,250 as the typical scenario. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups. Four years after completion, median program earnings are $87,160 in Mechanical Engineering, $87,009 in Nursing, and $84,547 in Finance. The program medians do not all sit within the modeled range, showing variation across fields. For borrowers who complete, Midwestern State University has a debt figure close to its peer median. Median federal student loan debt is $21,030, below the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $21,229 by $199. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $239 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $7,491 more than the model expects for similar students. [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 a modeled comparison rather than an observed earnings group. For aid recipients, average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $11,656; it is below the peer median of $14,068 by $2,412. Aid covers about 49% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The debt and net-price comparisons align with earnings beyond expectations. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$981 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$6,510 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$7,491 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/midwestern-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Midwestern State University briefing ## [Midwestern State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/midwestern-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At Midwestern State University, the reported admission rate is 93.5%, so admission was offered to most applicants in the reported entering-class pool. That rate is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Admissions **Admission rate** 93.5% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/midwestern-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Midwestern State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Midwestern State University?](/school/midwestern-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At Midwestern State University, earnings four years after completion vary across programs, with some health fields reaching higher medians than others. Nursing recorded median earnings of $87,009 across 197 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #161 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Allied Health Professions had median earnings of $83,622 and 207 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth national field rank of #13. At the more moderate end, Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences posted $50,067 in median earnings across 25 degrees awarded. Azimuth ranks it #28 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Four-year earnings differ between the health fields and Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences. Health Professions accounts for 36.3% of bachelor’s degrees awarded and contains the leading ranked field at Midwestern State University. The university has 14 nationally ranked bachelor’s fields. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Allied Health Professions #13 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions within its field; it awarded 207 degrees, and completers had median earnings of $83,622 four years after completion. Azimuth places Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences at #28 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions within its field, with 25 degrees awarded and median earnings of $50,067 four years after completion. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies stands at #67 nationally within its field, where Azimuth compares nonprofit four-year institutions; it awarded 193 degrees and had median earnings of $48,989 four years after completion. The ranked fields span distinctly different earnings levels, making program choice especially consequential. The bachelor's degrees at Midwestern State University are anchored in health and professional fields. Health Professions accounts for 36.3% of degrees awarded, followed by Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 17.0% and Business at 14.2%. Across 20 programs with published four-year earnings data, 14 hold an Azimuth national rank. The largest program is Allied Health Professions, with 207 degrees awarded, while Nursing and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies follow at 197 and 193 degrees awarded. The strongest program is Allied Health Professions, which ranks #1 in Texas within its field, with median earnings of $83,622 four years after completion and a benchmark ratio of 1.18x against the national median for its field. The highest-earning program is Mechanical Engineering, where graduates earn a median of $87,160 four years after completion, though it is a smaller program at 22 degrees awarded. Nursing, the second-largest program, reports median earnings of $87,009 and ranks #161 nationally and #18 in Texas within its field. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in health professions, with the largest and highest-ranked programs overlapping. Allied Health Professions posts earnings well above the national median for its field, while Nursing sits just below it. The highest-earning program, Mechanical Engineering, is a much smaller engineering offering. Across all fields, 11.7% of degrees awarded are in STEM. A student drawn to the largest programs will find them well-ranked and well-paid, but the earnings picture outside of health and a few business fields is more mixed. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions 207 degrees awarded** $83,622 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 197 degrees awarded** $87,009 **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 193 degrees awarded** $48,989 **Psychology, General 42 degrees awarded** $46,729 **Finance and Financial Management Services 41 degrees awarded** $84,547 **Biology, General 34 degrees awarded** $52,286 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/midwestern-state-university/majors/) 05 / Midwestern State University briefing ## How does Midwestern State University serve students from different backgrounds? Among first-time full-time entrants, Pell recipients complete within six years at 52.6%, above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 42.7% by 9.9 percentage points. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the mobility pillar sits in the 75th 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, sits in the 78th percentile. Graduates earn about $7,491 more than the model expects for similar students. Above-overall Pell completion and higher-than-expected earnings point in the same direction. Entry routes are broad at Midwestern State University: its admission rate is 93.5%, and undergraduate enrollment is 4,087. Pell Grant recipients make up 40.6% of undergraduates, while an estimated 31.6% of the undergraduate body enters as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth assigns the university's access pillar to the 64th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Broad admission, Pell participation, and transfer entry describe multiple ways into this public university. 06 / Midwestern State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Midwestern State University?](/school/midwestern-state-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/midwestern-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Midwestern State University. Admissions peerTexas Lutheran University95.7% admitted+ Comparison with Midwestern State University | Measure | Midwestern State University | Texas Lutheran University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,250 | $56,629\-$5,621 vs Midwestern State University | | Average annual net price | $11,656 | $24,654+$12,998 vs Midwestern State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 93.5% | 95.7% | Nearby alternativeTexas Woman's UniversityNearby option · TX+ Comparison with Midwestern State University | Measure | Midwestern State University | Texas Woman's University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,250 | $64,179+$1,929 vs Midwestern State University | | Average annual net price | $11,656 | $11,963+$307 vs Midwestern State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 93.5% | 96.1% | [Explore Texas Woman's University →](/school/texas-womans-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeThe University of Texas at Tyler$68,633 earnings+ Comparison with Midwestern State University | Measure | Midwestern State University | The University of Texas at Tyler | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,250 | $68,633+$6,383 vs Midwestern State University | | Average annual net price | $11,656 | $13,323+$1,667 vs Midwestern State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 93.5% | 94.0% | [Explore The University of Texas at Tyler →](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-tyler/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Lehman College$3,148 average net price+ Comparison with Midwestern State University | Measure | Midwestern State University | CUNY Lehman College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,250 | $63,353+$1,103 vs Midwestern State University | | Average annual net price | $11,656 | $3,148\-$8,508 vs Midwestern State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 93.5% | 56.6% | [Explore CUNY Lehman College →](/school/cuny-lehman-college/) Similar profileThe University of Texas Permian BasinMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Midwestern State University | Measure | Midwestern State University | The University of Texas Permian Basin | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,250 | $63,864+$1,614 vs Midwestern State University | | Average annual net price | $11,656 | $12,723+$1,067 vs Midwestern State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 93.5% | 94.9% | [Explore The University of Texas Permian Basin →](/school/the-university-of-texas-permian-basin/) 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/midwestern-state-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/)