1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Montclair State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Montclair State University NJ · Large public institution · Overall rank #56 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/montclair-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/montclair-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/montclair-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/montclair-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/montclair-state-university/similar/) ## Mobility in the 98th percentile for mobility. ### Who it’s a good fit for Montclair State University is a public university in New Jersey where the degree mix is led by Business, Psychology, and Communication & Journalism. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — than to what it cannot explain. Return is around the average. Pell Grant recipients finish at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole, and access is among the highest we track. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, based on the program mix. ## Montclair State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 87.9% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 64.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $61,351 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $16,388 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $24,693 ## Montclair State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Montclair State University, a public university in Montclair, New Jersey, enrolls 18,376 undergraduates. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, it sits near the top of the field (96th percentile). Montclair State University admits 87.9% of applicants, against a median of 78.1% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. The first-year retention rate is 77.9%, 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 64.7%, against a peer median of 65.0%. An estimated 26.3% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so that cohort is only part of the student body. Mobility is the strongest pillar, at the 98th percentile, while access is also high (92nd percentile). Return is the weakest of the four, at the 55th percentile, with affordability between the two at the 69th percentile. The four pillars are widely separated, with the measures of who the university serves and how far students advance sitting well above the measure of earnings. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Montclair State University #56 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's strongest pillar is mobility, which lands in the 98th percentile. Access sits in the 92nd percentile, and affordability reaches the 69th percentile. The return pillar is the weakest, in the 55th percentile. The undergraduate population includes 47.0% of students receiving Pell Grants, a measure of financial access. Pell recipients finish at a higher rate than the entering cohort as a whole, completing at 68.3%, above the overall rate by 3.6 percentage points (64.7%). Azimuth ranks Montclair State University #119 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #33 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,501 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that coincides with that mobility 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/) Montclair State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #56 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 98 **Access & reach** National percentile: 92 **[Affordability](/school/montclair-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 69 **[Return on investment](/school/montclair-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 55 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Legal Professions and Studies, Other**#1** 2. Radio, Television, and Digital Communication**#7** 3. Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#10** 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/montclair-state-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Montclair State University briefing ## [Montclair State University cost & financial aid](/school/montclair-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Montclair State University is $28,305. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $15,678 and required fees of $1,176 for the 2026-27 academic year, with on-campus food and housing at $16,862. Out-of-state students face a higher published tuition of $26,394. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients actually pay—is $15,566. That is $68 below the median at comparable institutions (same type and size), which is $15,634. Financial aid reduces the published cost by an average of $12,739. Azimuth ranks the university #434 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Montclair State University publishes a cost of attendance of $28,305. For families earning under $30,000, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $10,880; for families earning $48,001–$75,000, it is $16,388; and for families earning over $110,000, it is $25,573. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $14,693. Azimuth ranks the university #434 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 45% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $12,739. The average net price across all aid recipients is $15,566, which is below the median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $68. The median federal student debt at completion is $22,000. About 82.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That median is above the peer median of $20,076 by $1,924. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing stands at $24,693. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $250 a month if repaid over ten years. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$16,388** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Montclair State University Among the 82.3% of federal aid recipients who take federal loans, the median federal student debt at completion is $22,000. That median runs above the $20,076 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,924. Parent borrowers, a separate population, carry a median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan of $24,693. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 58% of a 2,300-graduate bachelor's cohort borrowed from any source, with an average cumulative amount of $39,728 per borrower. Of those graduates, 56% held federal loans averaging $20,586, and the cohort included 15% with private loans averaging $44,836. For Montclair State University, earnings scenarios tied to the university's mix of fields land at $61,351 in a typical case, $46,546 in a downside case, and $74,938 in an upside case. Among graduates who are working and not enrolled, the median earnings four years after completion are $61,351, a level in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,501 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome that ranks in the 67th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. At completion, borrowers hold a median federal student debt of $22,000, a level above the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The estimated monthly payment is $250. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $24,693. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $250. [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** $22,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $24,693 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $250/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $314/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=montclair-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/montclair-state-university/cost/) 02 / Montclair State University briefing ## [Montclair State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/montclair-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Graduates of Montclair State University earn about $3,501 more than the model expects for similar students, a figure in the 67th 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 $2,406. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $1,095. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $115. The return pillar sits in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completion, median earnings reach $61,351, in the 55th percentile. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $65,610, so the university stands below by $4,259. The median earnings of Montclair State University graduates four years after completion is $61,351, based on a cohort of 5,505 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That figure sits below the $65,610 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $4,259, and lands in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,501 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that ranks in the 67th percentile nationally. Scenarios modeled from the university's program mix point to a typical return of $61,351, a downside of $46,546, and an upside of $74,938. An estimated 30.2% of programs' graduates continue to graduate study, a share derived from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Four years after completion, graduates of Montclair State University earn a median of $61,351, which places the public university in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $65,610, leaving Montclair State University below by $4,259. Graduates earn about $3,501 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 67th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,406. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $1,095. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $115. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #666 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $46,546 and an upside of $74,938. The largest bachelor's program, Business Administration and Management, awarded 571 degrees and shows median earnings of $68,235 four years after completion; Azimuth ranks it #119 nationally in its field. Human Development and Family Studies awarded 271 degrees with median earnings of $53,575, and Azimuth ranks it #17 in the field. Radio, Television, and Digital Communication is the university's highest-ranked large program, with Azimuth ranking it #7 nationally, 158 degrees awarded and median earnings of $62,999. Subject-Area Teacher Education earns $65,007, which is 1.26x the national median for the field, and Azimuth ranks it #14 nationally. Earnings at Montclair State University vary widely with the program a student chooses. The earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, run from $46,546 on the downside to $74,938 on the upside, with $61,351 as the typical scenario. At the top of the range, Nursing graduates earn a median of $109,167 four years after completion, from 49 degrees awarded a year. Accounting follows at $84,906, and Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at $81,519. The spread between the downside scenario and the highest-earning program shows how much the specific field matters. Completers at Montclair State University earn about $3,501 more than the model expects for similar students. The median federal debt among borrowers who finish is $22,000, which is $1,924 above the peer median of $20,076 for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, the estimated payment on that debt is $250 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $24,693 in Parent PLUS loans. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$2,406 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$1,095 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$3,501 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/montclair-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Montclair State University briefing ## [Montclair State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/montclair-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Montclair State University admitted 87.9% of applicants, above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 26,224 applicants, 23,443 admitted, and 3,816 enrolled. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 87.9% **25th percentile** 850 **Median** 1000 **75th percentile** 1160 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/montclair-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Montclair State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Montclair State University?](/school/montclair-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Montclair State University's highest-earning bachelor's program is Nursing, where completers earn a median of $109,167 four years after completion, with 49 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $84,906 and 104 degrees awarded, while Computer and Information Sciences reaches $79,692 across 132 degrees awarded. The university also fields several programs with strong national ranks. Legal Professions and Studies ranks #1 in its field and #1 in New Jersey, awarding 30 degrees and showing median earnings of $61,036. Radio, Television, and Digital Communication ranks #7 nationally and #1 in New Jersey in its field, with 158 degrees awarded and earnings of $62,999. Among the largest programs with published earnings, Business Administration and Management awards 571 degrees and reports median earnings of $68,235, while Human Development and Family Studies ranks #17 nationally and #1 in New Jersey with 271 degrees awarded and earnings of $53,575. Montclair State University publishes earnings data for 35 bachelor's programs, 29 of which hold national [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). The highest-ranked is Legal Professions and Studies at #1 nationally and first in New Jersey, with 30 degrees awarded and median earnings of $61,036 four years after completion. Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology ranks #10 nationally and first in New Jersey, with 43 degrees awarded and a median of $81,519. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, awarded 571 degrees and ranks #119 nationally, with completers earning a median of $68,235. Montclair State University awards bachelor's degrees across 35 programs with published four-year earnings, 29 of which carry an Azimuth national rank. The program mix is led by Business, which accounts for 18.6% of degrees awarded, followed by Psychology at 11.5% and Communication & Journalism at 9.5%. The largest programs with published earnings are Business Administration and Management at 571 degrees awarded, Human Development and Family Studies at 271, and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 182. The highest-ranked program is Legal Professions and Studies, which awards 30 degrees a year and reports median earnings of $61,036 four years after completion. It ranks #1 in New Jersey within its field. Radio, Television, and Digital Communication is another strong performer, ranking #1 in New Jersey within its field, with 158 degrees awarded. Nursing is the highest-earning program, with a median of $109,167 from 49 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $84,906 from 104 degrees. Subject-Area Teacher Education stands out for its return, with a benchmark ratio of 1.26x against the national median for its field. The pattern is one of strength spread across several fields rather than concentrated in one. The largest programs are not the highest-earning, and the best-paid programs are not the largest. 10.7% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 571 degrees awarded** $68,235 **Research and Experimental Psychology 423 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services 271 degrees awarded** $53,575 **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 182 degrees awarded** $58,236 **Communication and Media Studies 170 degrees awarded** $59,247 **Radio, Television, and Digital Communication 158 degrees awarded** $62,999 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/montclair-state-university/majors/) 05 / Montclair State University briefing ## How does Montclair State University serve students from different backgrounds? Azimuth places Montclair State University in the 98th percentile for mobility 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 64.7%, while Pell recipients complete at 68.3% — above the overall rate by 3.6 percentage points. Graduates earn about $3,501 more than the model expects for similar students, placing the [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure in the 67th percentile. Azimuth places the access pillar of Montclair State University in the 92nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university admits 87.9% of applicants, a rate above the peer median of 78.1%, and enrolls 18,376 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 47.0% of the undergraduate body, and an estimated 26.3% arrive as transfers or part-time students. 06 / Montclair State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Montclair State University?](/school/montclair-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/montclair-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Montclair State University. Admissions peerEast Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania92.1% admitted+ Comparison with Montclair State University | Measure | Montclair State University | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,351 | $56,971\-$4,380 vs Montclair State University | | Average annual net price | $15,566 | $18,134+$2,568 vs Montclair State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 87.9% | 92.1% | [Explore East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania →](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/) Higher-admission alternativeNew Jersey City University98.4% admitted+ Comparison with Montclair State University | Measure | Montclair State University | New Jersey City University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,351 | $60,965\-$386 vs Montclair State University | | Average annual net price | $15,566 | $16,053+$487 vs Montclair State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 87.9% | 98.4% | [Explore New Jersey City University →](/school/new-jersey-city-university/) Nearby alternativeRowan UniversityNearby option · NJ+ Comparison with Montclair State University | Measure | Montclair State University | Rowan University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,351 | $62,686+$1,335 vs Montclair State University | | Average annual net price | $15,566 | $22,408+$6,842 vs Montclair State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 87.9% | 77.7% | [Explore Rowan University →](/school/rowan-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeFairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus$68,049 earnings+ Comparison with Montclair State University | Measure | Montclair State University | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,351 | $68,049+$6,698 vs Montclair State University | | Average annual net price | $15,566 | $15,404\-$162 vs Montclair State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 87.9% | 90.7% | [Explore Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus →](/school/fairleigh-dickinson-university-metropolitan-campus/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with Montclair State University | Measure | Montclair State University | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,351 | $62,833+$1,482 vs Montclair State University | | Average annual net price | $15,566 | $3,103\-$12,463 vs Montclair State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 87.9% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileRowan UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Montclair State University | Measure | Montclair State University | Rowan University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,351 | $62,686+$1,335 vs Montclair State University | | Average annual net price | $15,566 | $22,408+$6,842 vs Montclair State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 87.9% | 77.7% | [Explore Rowan University →](/school/rowan-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/montclair-state-university/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/)