1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Mount Saint Mary's University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Mount Saint Mary's University CA · Small private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #187 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/similar/) ## Overall, [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Mount Saint Mary's University #187 among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Mount Saint Mary's University is a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles where nearly half of all degrees are in Health Professions. Return is among the highest we track, and the strongest pillar on the page. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap to a remainder it does not explain, which adds, while among the factors it measures, the field-of-study component adds and the STEM component subtracts. The typical graduate also earns above the median at comparable schools, so the raw and adjusted results point the same way. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the overall cohort, and mobility is above average. Affordability is modestly below average, the weakest pillar, and the net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and the degree mix is concentrated in health professions. ## Mount Saint Mary's University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 73.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 53.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $79,546 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $17,876 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $25,949 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $23,250 ## Mount Saint Mary's University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Mount Saint Mary's University is a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, California, enrolling 1,719 undergraduates. Its composite standing is near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. The four pillars are spread wide here, with return the strongest and affordability the weakest, and access and mobility between the two ends. The university admits 73.1% of applicants, a rate slightly below the 75.7% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 71.1% return for a second year, against a peer median of 74.2%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 53.2%, compared to a peer median of 54.9%. An estimated 16.4% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes the first-time, full-time cohort and not the full student body. Return is the strongest pillar, while affordability is the weakest. Access and mobility sit between them. The shape is a private university where graduates' earnings stand out, but the net price picture is more mixed. Return is the clearest part of Mount Saint Mary's University's profile, even as affordability is the area that warrants the closest cost check. Azimuth places return in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions; access is in the 78th percentile. Mobility stands in the 58th percentile. Affordability, the weakest pillar, is in the 40th percentile, so the strong return reading sits alongside a more restrained affordability result. Undergraduates at Mount Saint Mary's University, a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, receive Pell Grants at a rate of 57.1%, a measure of financial access. For access, Azimuth places Mount Saint Mary's University at #321 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year completion rate for Pell recipients is 64.7%, standing 11.5 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (53.2%). For mobility, Azimuth places the university at #619 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $30,325 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/) Mount Saint Mary's University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #187 | | [California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) | #35 | | [West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) | #48 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 58 **Access & reach** National percentile: 78 **[Affordability](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/cost/)** National percentile: 40 **[Return on investment](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 94 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#17** 2. Business Administration, Management and Operations**#302** This school’s two highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Mount Saint Mary's University briefing ## [Mount Saint Mary's University cost & financial aid](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, Mount Saint Mary's University's average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $21,413, well below its published cost of attendance. The standard budget is $66,726, with $49,564 in tuition and fees and $15,518 for room and board. Financial aid savings average $45,313 against that published price. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions, is $22,347. Mount Saint Mary's University's average is $934 below that benchmark. Azimuth ranks the university #846 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The below-peer net price and average aid savings point in the same direction on cost. Mount Saint Mary's University has a published cost of attendance of $66,726, with aid-recipient costs varying sharply by family-income band. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $23,849 for the lowest-income band, $13,718 for the lower-middle band, $17,876 for the middle band, $30,247 for the upper-middle band, and $18,762 for the highest-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $5,087, a difference between band averages. Azimuth ranks the university #846 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 68% of the published cost, offsetting $45,313 from the sticker price on average. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $21,413 across all aid recipients. That figure is $934 below the peer median of $22,347 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Published tuition and fees are $49,564, and room and board are listed at $15,518. The aid offset and lower peer comparison point in the same direction, though family-band averages do not follow a simple income pattern. Federal-loan borrowers who completed leave with median federal student loan debt of $25,949, and 94.0% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That median is $949 above the $25,000 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing among parent borrowers is $23,250. 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**$17,876** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Mount Saint Mary's University Federal borrowing is widespread at Mount Saint Mary's University: 94.0% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student debt is $25,949. That median is $949 above the $25,000 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $23,250. At Mount Saint Mary's University, earnings sit well above both the peer median and the model's expectation. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $79,546, in the 88th percentile nationally. That is $23,631 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $30,325 more than the model expects for similar students, a gap that sits in the 99th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, show a downside case of $50,354 and an upside case reaching $119,050. Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $25,949 in federal student loans, $949 above the $25,000 median for comparable institutions. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated monthly payment of $295. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing stands at $23,250. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $25,949 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $23,250 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $295/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $295/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=mount-saint-marys-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/cost/) 02 / Mount Saint Mary's University briefing ## [Mount Saint Mary's University career outcomes & earnings](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return stands out at Mount Saint Mary's University: Azimuth places its return pillar in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $30,325 more than the model expects for similar students. That [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 99th 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 $87. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $30,238. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $79,546, in the 88th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $55,915, with Mount Saint Mary's $23,631 above it. The model result and peer comparison point in the same direction. Mount Saint Mary's University presents an earnings picture that sits high in its comparison set. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $79,546 four years after completion. Azimuth places this earnings measure in the 88th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, from an earnings cohort of 913 completers. Graduates earn about $30,325 more than the model expects for similar students. The earnings scenarios span $50,354 on the downside and $119,050 on the upside, while the typical scenario aligns with the reported median. An estimated 30.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The high median and higher-than-expected earnings point the same way. Return is a strong part of the picture at Mount Saint Mary's University. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings reach $79,546 four years after completion, in the 88th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $55,915, leaving the university $23,631 above it. Graduates earn about $30,325 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 99th percentile. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $50,354 on the downside to $119,050 on the upside. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $87. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $30,238. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $1,201. Above-peer earnings and the model comparison point in the same direction. Nursing is the largest program, with 195 degrees awarded. Its median earnings four years after completion match the upside scenario amount, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the program #17 nationally in its field. As the high-return program, its earnings are 1.34x the national median for that field. Accounting recorded 9 degrees awarded and median earnings of $74,449 four years after completion; Business Administration and Management recorded 20 degrees awarded and $63,194. The program pattern ranges from Nursing’s nationally ranked earnings to lower figures in the other named fields. At Mount Saint Mary's University, the upside earnings scenario is $119,050, compared with $50,354 in the downside scenario and $79,546 in the typical scenario. These scenarios model the program mix rather than observed groups of graduates. Among individual fields, median earnings four years after completion are $74,449 in Accounting, $63,194 in Business Administration and Management, and $59,575 in Sociology. Those field results show that the schoolwide scenario range contains markedly different earnings paths. Mount Saint Mary's University pairs higher-than-expected earnings with borrowing that sits modestly above the peer median. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $25,949. That is above the $25,000 peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), by $949. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $21,413. It is below the $22,347 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size), by $934. Aid covers about 68% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Graduates earn about $30,325 more than the model expects for similar students. Above-peer debt sits alongside a below-peer average net price and a favorable earnings comparison. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$87 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$30,238 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$30,325 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/mount-saint-marys-university/outcomes/) 03 / Mount Saint Mary's University briefing ## [Mount Saint Mary's University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Mount Saint Mary's University admitted 73.1% of its reported applicant pool, a rate that summarizes the admissions outcome for that cycle rather than an individual prediction. The rate sits below the median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Admissions **Admission rate** 73.1% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/admissions/) 04 / Mount Saint Mary's University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Mount Saint Mary's University?](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Nursing sets the higher-earning end at Mount Saint Mary's University, with median earnings of $119,050 four years after completion across 195 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the program #17 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Its earnings stand apart from the more moderate fields among the university’s larger programs. At the moderate end, Business Administration and Management recorded $63,194 across 20 degrees awarded; Sociology posted $59,575 with 18 degrees awarded; and Liberal Arts and General Studies had $56,616 across 15 degrees awarded, all four years after completion. The program-level medians show a clear divide between Nursing and these other large fields. Health Professions accounts for 49.0% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, making it the central program family at Mount Saint Mary's University. Azimuth lists 2 ranked program. In that field, [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Nursing #17 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions; it awarded 195 degrees, and its completers had median earnings of $119,050 four years after completion. The program picture ranges from a large, high-earning health field to smaller fields with lower earnings figures. The program mix at Mount Saint Mary's University is concentrated in a single field. Health Professions accounts for 49.0% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Psychology a distant second at 14.8% and Business third at 9.0%. The university has 2 program with an Azimuth national rank and 8 with published four-year earnings data. The largest program is Nursing, at 195 degrees awarded a year. It is also the highest-earning program, with a median of $119,050 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #12 in California within its field, with a benchmark ratio of 1.34x against the national median for its field. The next largest programs are much smaller. Business Administration and Management awards 20 degrees a year and its graduates earn $63,194, a benchmark ratio of 0.93x. Sociology awards 18 degrees and its graduates earn $59,575, which is 1.13x the national median. The pattern is one of strength concentrated in a single program. Nursing dominates both in size and in earnings, and no other program approaches its scale or its return. Across all fields, 2.8% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 195 degrees awarded** $119,050 **Psychology, General 44 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Business Administration, Management and Operations 20 degrees awarded** $63,194 **Sociology 18 degrees awarded** $59,575 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 15 degrees awarded** $56,616 **Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology 15 degrees awarded** $52,940 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/mount-saint-marys-university/majors/) 05 / Mount Saint Mary's University briefing ## How does Mount Saint Mary's University serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility measures pair strong modeled earnings with completion rates that differ between the overall cohort and Pell recipients. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 53.2%, and Pell recipients complete within six years at 64.7%, above the overall rate by 11.5 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $30,325 more than the model expects for similar students, placing [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, in the 99th percentile. Modeled earnings and Pell completion both sit above their respective reference points. Entry to Mount Saint Mary's University begins with an admission rate of 73.1%, across an undergraduate enrollment of 1,719 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients represent 57.1% of undergraduates, alongside an estimated 16.4% share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 78th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The enrollment profile includes both Pell-supported undergraduates and a visible transfer pathway. 06 / Mount Saint Mary's University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Mount Saint Mary's University?](/school/mount-saint-marys-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/mount-saint-marys-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Mount Saint Mary's University. Admissions peerArt Center College of Design74.5% admitted+ Comparison with Mount Saint Mary's University | Measure | Mount Saint Mary's University | Art Center College of Design | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $79,546 | $74,009\-$5,537 vs Mount Saint Mary's University | | Average annual net price | $21,413 | $48,661+$27,248 vs Mount Saint Mary's University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 73.1% | 74.5% | Higher-admission alternativeAzusa Pacific University88.4% admitted+ Comparison with Mount Saint Mary's University | Measure | Mount Saint Mary's University | Azusa Pacific University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $79,546 | $71,925\-$7,621 vs Mount Saint Mary's University | | Average annual net price | $21,413 | $22,212+$799 vs Mount Saint Mary's University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 73.1% | 88.4% | [Explore Azusa Pacific University →](/school/azusa-pacific-university/) Nearby alternativeConcordia University-IrvineNearby option · CA+ Comparison with Mount Saint Mary's University | Measure | Mount Saint Mary's University | Concordia University-Irvine | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $79,546 | $83,064+$3,518 vs Mount Saint Mary's University | | Average annual net price | $21,413 | $28,115+$6,702 vs Mount Saint Mary's University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 73.1% | 66.0% | Higher-earnings alternativeCapitol Technology University$104,028 earnings+ Comparison with Mount Saint Mary's University | Measure | Mount Saint Mary's University | Capitol Technology University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $79,546 | $104,028+$24,482 vs Mount Saint Mary's University | | Average annual net price | $21,413 | $22,102+$689 vs Mount Saint Mary's University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 73.1% | 74.4% | [Explore Capitol Technology University →](/school/capitol-technology-university/) Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of California-Los Angeles$12,548 average net price+ Comparison with Mount Saint Mary's University | Measure | Mount Saint Mary's University | University of California-Los Angeles | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $79,546 | $77,677\-$1,869 vs Mount Saint Mary's University | | Average annual net price | $21,413 | $12,548\-$8,865 vs Mount Saint Mary's University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 73.1% | 9.0% | [Explore University of California-Los Angeles →](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/) Similar profilePomona CollegeMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Mount Saint Mary's University | Measure | Mount Saint Mary's University | Pomona College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $79,546 | $77,544\-$2,002 vs Mount Saint Mary's University | | Average annual net price | $21,413 | $19,285\-$2,128 vs Mount Saint Mary's University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 73.1% | 7.1% | [Explore Pomona College →](/school/pomona-college/) 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/mount-saint-marys-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 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/)