1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Missouri University of Science and Technology Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Missouri University of Science and Technology MO · Medium public institution · Overall rank #136 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/admissions/)[Majors](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/similar/) ## Azimuth’s composite places it in the 91st percentile among nonprofit institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public university in Rolla, Missouri, built around engineering. Return is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them, and the typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools. The model attributes more of that to the factors it measures than to what it cannot explain. Pell students complete within a point of the overall rate, and mobility is well above average. Access is around the average, the weakest of the four pillars. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are not always the biggest. ## Missouri University of Science and Technology at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 72.6% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 64.4% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $93,514 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $13,330 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,250 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $30,462 ## Missouri University of Science and Technology rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public university in Rolla, Missouri, enrolling 5,521 undergraduates. Its composite standing is near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with return as the strongest pillar and access the weakest. The four pillars are spread out: mobility and affordability sit between the two ends, with return far ahead of the rest. The university admits 72.5% of applicants, a rate below the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 86.6% return for a second year and 64.4% finish within six years. Both figures run above the peer medians of 73.7% and 49.1%. An estimated 18.7% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students. The shape is a moderately selective public campus where return is the standout pillar, at the 97th percentile, while access is the weakest of the four, at the 47th percentile. Mobility and affordability sit in between, with mobility at the 82nd percentile and affordability at the 62nd percentile. The pillars are far apart, with return near the top of the field and access near the middle. Return is the clearest strength for Missouri University of Science and Technology, with Azimuth placing it in the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility follows in the 82nd percentile, and affordability is in the 62nd percentile. Access is the weakest pillar at the 47th percentile. 22.8% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, the federal aid measure that captures the financial-access reach of the student body. Azimuth ranks Missouri University of Science and Technology #781 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access pillar rests on the Pell share and on how those students fare after entry. Pell recipients complete at 63.5%, which sits 0.9 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (64.4%). The mobility pillar ranks #261 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $25,797 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/) Missouri University of Science and Technology rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #136 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 82 **Access & reach** National percentile: 47 **[Affordability](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/cost/)** National percentile: 62 **[Return on investment](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/outcomes/)** National percentile: 97 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other**#7** 2. Engineering-Related Fields**#8** 3. Architectural Engineering**#9** 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/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Missouri University of Science and Technology briefing ## [Missouri University of Science and Technology cost & financial aid](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, Missouri University of Science and Technology brings the price below its published sticker total after aid. The published cost of attendance is $29,231. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $14,328 and required fees of $1,636 for the 2025-26 academic year. The same publication lists out-of-state tuition of $33,516 and on-campus food and housing of $13,422. It reported that 68.0% of full-time undergraduates pay more than the base charge. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,298, with $12,933 offset from the sticker price. That average is above the $14,068 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,230. Azimuth ranks the university #537 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance is $29,231. Azimuth ranks Missouri University of Science and Technology #537 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 $10,912, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $13,330, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $20,088. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,176. Aid covers about 44% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price across all bands to $16,298. That is $2,230 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $23,250 in federal student loans, $2,021 above the peer median of $21,229. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $264 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $30,462 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. 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**$13,330** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Missouri University of Science and Technology Federal borrowing is widespread at Missouri University of Science and Technology: 89.5% of undergraduates take federal loans, and completing borrowers have median federal student loan debt of $23,250 at completion. That median is above the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size), a difference of $2,021. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $30,462. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 55% of graduates borrowed from any source, with average cumulative borrowing of $27,461 per borrower. Among graduates, this included federal loans for 52%, averaging $20,105 per federal borrower. Private loans can overlap with federal loans and were held by 14% of graduates, averaging $30,067 per private borrower. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Missouri University of Science and Technology who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $93,514. That figure sits at the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $25,797 more than the model expects for similar students, placing the gap at the 98th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, show a downside case of $67,080 and an upside case of $101,881, with $93,514 as the typical outcome. The median federal student debt at completion is $23,250, which is $2,021 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $264 a month. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers, a separate parent-borrower population, had median federal borrowing of $30,462. For student borrowers who completed, the separate median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $264 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** $23,250 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $30,462 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $264/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $387/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=missouri-university-of-science-and-technology#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/cost/) 02 / Missouri University of Science and Technology briefing ## [Missouri University of Science and Technology career outcomes & earnings](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/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 $93,514. That is at the 95th percentile nationally, and $36,213 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the university at the 97th percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $25,797 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 98th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $18,258. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $7,539. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $13,169. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Missouri University of Science and Technology who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $93,514. The measure draws on an earnings cohort of 1,722 federally aided completers. That median sits in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $25,797 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix span from $67,080 on the downside to $101,881 on the upside, with typical earnings at $93,514. These scenarios are estimates from the program mix, not observed outcomes for any single cohort. An estimated 26.0% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Missouri University of Science and Technology shows a high four-year earnings figure for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled: median earnings are $93,514. That figure sits in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university’s figure is $36,213 above it. Graduates earn about $25,797 more than the model expects for similar students. That [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, is in the 98th 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 $18,258. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $7,539. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $13,169. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $67,080 in the downside scenario to $101,881 in the upside scenario. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #49 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Computer and Information Sciences leads the listed programs, with 120 degrees awarded and median earnings of $107,195 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks it #42 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its median is 1.16x the national median for its field. Azimuth ranks those fields #77, #70, and #76 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings vary across fields, so the institution-wide median does not stand in for every program outcome. Earnings scenarios place the downside at $67,080, the typical scenario at $93,514, and the upside at $101,881 four years after completion. The financial picture at Missouri University of Science and Technology pairs higher-than-expected earnings with borrowing above the peer median. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $23,250, compared with $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $264 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent PLUS borrowers, a separate parent-borrower group, have median borrowing of $30,462. Graduates earn about $25,797 more than the model expects for similar students. Modeled earnings point favorably, though the median debt figure sits above that of comparable institutions. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$18,258 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$7,539 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$25,797 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/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/outcomes/) 03 / Missouri University of Science and Technology briefing ## [Missouri University of Science and Technology acceptance rate & admissions](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At 72.5%, Missouri University of Science and Technology admitted a smaller share of applicants than the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 8,330 first-year applicants, 6,550 admitted, and 1,251 enrolled. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 72.6% **25th percentile** 1220 **Median** 1300 **75th percentile** 1380 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/admissions/) 04 / Missouri University of Science and Technology briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Missouri University of Science and Technology?](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Computer-focused fields occupy the high end of program earnings, while several engineering fields post more moderate figures. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Computer and Information Sciences #42 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; it awarded 120 degrees, and completers had median earnings of $107,195 four years after completion. Computer Engineering earned $99,620 on 71 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth national rank of #93 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. At a more moderate earnings level, Electrical Engineering recorded $98,264 and 95 degrees awarded; Azimuth ranks it #76 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Information Science/Studies had median earnings of $81,840 across 45 degrees awarded and ranks #29 nationally in Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Engineering accounts for 65.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, making it the defining program family. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, 13 bachelor's programs hold national ranks, while 21 have published earnings data. Azimuth ranks Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering #24 nationally, with 76 degrees awarded and median earnings of $96,090. Missouri University of Science and Technology is an engineering school by design, and the numbers bear that out. Engineering accounts for 65.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Computer & Information Sciences a distant second at 12.5% and Engineering Technologies third at 5.8%. The university has 13 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 21 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Mechanical Engineering, at 240 degrees awarded, followed by Civil Engineering with 128 and Computer and Information Sciences with 120. The top-ranked programs span a range of disciplines. Engineering-Related Fields ranks #8 nationally and #1 in Missouri within its field, from 77 degrees awarded. Architectural Engineering ranks #9 nationally and #1 in Missouri within its field, with 31 degrees awarded and earnings of $85,754. Computer and Information Sciences, the third-largest program, carries a benchmark ratio of 1.16x against the national median for its field. The largest programs are Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Computer and Information Sciences, while the best-ranked program is Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. 89.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. The highest-earning program is also the third-largest, and a smaller program, Petroleum Engineering, awards 19 degrees a year. The top-ranked programs include Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Engineering-Related Fields, and Architectural Engineering, while the highest-earning programs include Computer and Information Sciences, Petroleum Engineering, and Computer Engineering. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Mechanical Engineering 240 degrees awarded** $91,742 **Civil Engineering 128 degrees awarded** $85,053 **Computer and Information Sciences, General 120 degrees awarded** $107,195 **Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 95 degrees awarded** $98,264 **Chemical Engineering 86 degrees awarded** $94,686 **Engineering-Related Fields 77 degrees awarded** $91,035 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/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/majors/) 05 / Missouri University of Science and Technology briefing ## How does Missouri University of Science and Technology serve students from different backgrounds? Completion and modeled earnings point in the same direction for mobility at the university. Azimuth puts its mobility pillar in the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 64.4%; Pell recipients complete at 63.5%, below the overall rate by 0.9 percentage points. Graduates earn about $25,797 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 in the 98th percentile. The completion results and modeled earnings support the same mobility picture. Admission is relatively broad at Missouri University of Science and Technology, where 72.5% of applicants are admitted. The public university in Rolla, Missouri enrolls 5,521 undergraduates. Pell Grants reach 22.8% of undergraduates, and an estimated 18.7% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth puts the access pillar in the 47th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. These entry measures sit alongside an access standing near the middle of that national group. 06 / Missouri University of Science and Technology briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Missouri University of Science and Technology?](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/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/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Missouri University of Science and Technology. Admissions peerSaint Louis University75.0% admitted+ Comparison with Missouri University of Science and Technology | Measure | Missouri University of Science and Technology | Saint Louis University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,514 | $77,024\-$16,490 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology | | Average annual net price | $16,298 | $24,398+$8,100 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.6% | 75.0% | [Explore Saint Louis University →](/school/saint-louis-university/) Higher-admission alternativeMaryville University of Saint Louis95.1% admitted+ Comparison with Missouri University of Science and Technology | Measure | Missouri University of Science and Technology | Maryville University of Saint Louis | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,514 | $84,871\-$8,643 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology | | Average annual net price | $16,298 | $22,066+$5,768 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.6% | 95.1% | [Explore Maryville University of Saint Louis →](/school/maryville-university-of-saint-louis/) Nearby alternativeWashington University in St LouisNearby option · MO+ Comparison with Missouri University of Science and Technology | Measure | Missouri University of Science and Technology | Washington University in St Louis | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,514 | $95,899+$2,385 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology | | Average annual net price | $16,298 | $21,786+$5,488 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.6% | 12.1% | [Explore Washington University in St Louis →](/school/washington-university-in-st-louis/) Lower-cost alternativeUnited States Merchant Marine Academy$6,174 average net price+ Comparison with Missouri University of Science and Technology | Measure | Missouri University of Science and Technology | United States Merchant Marine Academy | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,514 | $92,950\-$564 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology | | Average annual net price | $16,298 | $6,174\-$10,124 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 72.6% | 34.2% | [Explore United States Merchant Marine Academy →](/school/united-states-merchant-marine-academy/) Similar profileMichigan Technological UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Missouri University of Science and Technology | Measure | Missouri University of Science and Technology | Michigan Technological University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $93,514 | $84,560\-$8,954 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology | | Average annual net price | $16,298 | $14,182\-$2,116 vs Missouri University of Science and Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 72.6% | 92.4% | [Explore Michigan Technological University →](/school/michigan-technological-university/) 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/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/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/)