1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. New York Institute of Technology Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # New York Institute of Technology NY · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #313 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/admissions/)[Majors](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/similar/) ## Azimuth’s overall placement: 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for New York Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit university in Old Westbury, New York, where the degree mix is led by Computer & Information Sciences and Biological Sciences. Return is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gain to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. Access is well above average, but Pell recipients complete at a rate below the overall cohort. Affordability is modestly below average, and the spread between the lowest and highest income bands is wide, so what a family pays depends heavily on income. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to enter the workforce directly rather than continue to graduate study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the highest-earning ones are not the largest. ## New York Institute of Technology at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 81.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 58.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $81,370 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $22,592 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,334 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $39,731 ## New York Institute of Technology rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) New York Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit university in Old Westbury, New York, enrolling 3,440 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the upper middle of the field among nonprofit four-year institutions (79th percentile). The university admits 81.0% of applicants, against a median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Among full-time bachelor's-seeking first-year students, 78.0% continue into the second year, compared with a median of 83.4% at comparable institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 58.8%, compared with a median of 68.8% among comparable institutions (same type and size). An estimated 19.4% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes only those who started here as first-time full-time students. Return is the strongest pillar, while affordability is the weakest. Access and mobility fall between them. The four pillars are spread across a wide range, so the performance is uneven across the four dimensions. New York Institute of Technology is strongest on return, though affordability is the part of its profile that most warrants cost scrutiny. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth places return at the 90th percentile and access at the 77th percentile. Mobility reaches the 50th percentile in that Azimuth cohort. Affordability, the weakest pillar, stands at the 34th percentile. Strong return and access measures sit beside a much lower affordability measure, making price a central part of the comparison. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 1,190 and 1,420. The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 24 and 32. 45.1% of the undergraduate body are Pell Grant recipients. Azimuth places New York Institute of Technology at #336 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. For that group, the six-year completion rate is 44.0%, 14.8 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (58.8%). Azimuth ranks the university #728 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,878 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/) New York Institute of Technology rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #313 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 50 **Access & reach** National percentile: 77 **[Affordability](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/cost/)** National percentile: 34 **[Return on investment](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)** National percentile: 90 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Architectural Sciences and Technology**#6** 2. Biology, General**#11** 3. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#45** 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/new-york-institute-of-technology/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / New York Institute of Technology briefing ## [New York Institute of Technology cost & financial aid](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, New York Institute of Technology costs less on average than comparable institutions, though its published charges remain high before aid. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $22,443. The published cost of attendance is $56,976, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees are listed at $46,560, and room and board at $27,000. Average financial aid savings against that sticker price are $34,533. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $27,371; this university is $4,928 below that figure. Azimuth ranks the university #938 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lower average net price relative to peers sits alongside published charges that make aid central to the cost picture. The published cost of attendance at New York Institute of Technology is $56,976 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #938 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 $17,084, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $22,592, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $30,396. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,312. Tuition and fees are $46,560. Aid covers about 61% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price for all aid recipients to $22,443. That figure is $4,928 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $23,334 in federal student loans, $865 below the peer median of $24,199. About 84.0% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $39,731. If repaid over ten years, the median student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $265 a month. 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**$22,592** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at New York Institute of Technology Federal student loan borrowing is common at New York Institute of Technology, where 84.0% of federal aid recipients borrow. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $23,334. The distribution shows that borrowing amounts vary among completers. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199, placing the university's median $865 below it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $39,731. Graduates of New York Institute of Technology earn a median of $81,370 four years after completing a degree, a figure that sits in the 90th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. They earn about $18,878 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome at the 95th percentile nationally. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from $59,264 in a downside case to $99,579 in an upside case, with $81,370 as the typical outcome. On the borrowing side, the median federal student debt at completion is $23,334, which is $865 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $265 a month if repaid over ten years. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $39,731. For borrowers with the median federal student debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $265 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** $23,334 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $39,731 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $265/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $505/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=new-york-institute-of-technology#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/cost/) 02 / New York Institute of Technology briefing ## [New York Institute of Technology career outcomes & earnings](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) New York Institute of Technology posts a high return reading among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places the university’s return pillar in the 90th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $81,370 four years after completion, placing their earnings in the 90th percentile nationally. Graduates earn about $18,878 more than the model expects for similar students. This earnings-beyond-expectations result, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, sits in the 95th 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 $6,817. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $12,061. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $68,250; the university’s median is $13,120 above it. Above-peer earnings and the model gap point the same way. New York Institute of Technology has a strong early earnings picture: federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled report median earnings of $81,370 four years after completion. Azimuth places this earnings measure in the 90th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 974 completers. The program-mix model places the typical scenario at the reported median, with a downside scenario of $59,264 and an upside scenario of $99,579; these are earnings scenarios, not observed groups. Graduates earn about $18,878 more than the model expects for similar students. An estimated 31.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The high earnings standing and higher-than-expected result point in the same direction. Federally aided graduates of New York Institute of Technology earn a median of $81,370 four years after completion, a figure in the 90th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Against the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), the university sits $13,120 above. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #141 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,878 more than the model expects for similar students. That result falls at the 95th 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 $6,817. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $12,061. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $9,203. The program mix is concentrated in technical and health fields, and 65.6% of bachelor's degrees awarded are in STEM. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $59,264 on the downside to $99,579 on the upside. An estimated 31.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Nursing has median earnings of $117,461 four years after completion, showing how widely outcomes can differ by field. Electrical Engineering reaches $99,480, and Mechanical Engineering reaches $89,966 at the same point after completion. Earnings scenarios based on the program mix range from $59,264 on the downside to $99,579 on the upside. They are scenarios rather than observed groups, and the program figures show the range behind them. At New York Institute of Technology, graduate earnings and borrowing both compare favorably with peer figures, though average net price depends on aid and family circumstances. Graduates earn about $18,878 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) is the modeled gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $23,334, below the $24,199 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $265 a month if repaid over ten years. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $22,443, below the $27,371 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Aid covers about 61% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Above-peer earnings, lower peer debt, and a lower average net price point in the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,817 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$12,061 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$18,878 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/new-york-institute-of-technology/outcomes/) 03 / New York Institute of Technology briefing ## [New York Institute of Technology acceptance rate & admissions](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) New York Institute of Technology admits a larger share of its reported applicant pool than its comparable institutions. Its admission rate is 81.0%, above the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 81.0% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1190 **Reported average** 1311 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1420 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/admissions/) 04 / New York Institute of Technology briefing ## [What are the largest majors at New York Institute of Technology?](/school/new-york-institute-of-technology/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The largest programs at New York Institute of Technology span a wide earnings range four years after completion. Nursing leads at $117,461, while Architectural Sciences and Technology sits at the lower end with $69,776. Nursing awards 56 degrees a year and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #45 nationally within its field. Computer and Information Sciences, the largest program at 134 degrees, reports median earnings of $83,710 and a national rank of #88. Architectural Sciences and Technology awards 97 degrees and posts a national rank of #6, despite more moderate earnings. Biology rounds out the picture with 126 degrees awarded, earnings of $80,208, and a national rank of #11. The university's strongest programs by national rank sit in fields that do not always overlap with its largest by enrollment. Architectural Sciences and Technology ranks #6 in its field, with 97 degrees awarded and median earnings of $69,776 four years after completion. Biology follows at #11 in its field, awarding 126 degrees and posting median earnings of $80,208. The largest program is Computer and Information Sciences, at 134 degrees a year, ranked #88 in its field, and median earnings of $83,710. The highest-earning program is Nursing, with 56 degrees awarded, ranked #45 in its field, and median earnings of $117,461. Across all fields, Computer & Information Sciences accounts for 22.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and Biological Sciences for 19.2%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 7 programs at the university, and 12 have published four-year earnings data. New York Institute of Technology awards degrees across 7 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 12 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is concentrated in technology and the sciences: Computer & Information Sciences accounts for 22.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Biological Sciences at 19.2% and Architecture at 14.1%. The largest single program is Computer and Information Sciences, at 134 degrees awarded, followed by Biology at 126 and Architectural Sciences and Technology at 97. The strongest programs are concentrated in the sciences and health fields. Architectural Sciences and Technology is the highest-ranked program, with median earnings of $69,776 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #3 in New York within its field. Biology, the second-largest program, earns a median of $80,208 and ranks #1 in New York within its field, with a benchmark ratio of 1.40x against the national median for its field. Nursing is the highest-earning program at $117,461, with 56 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #45 nationally within its field. The pattern is one of strength spread across several fields rather than concentrated in a single department. Computer and Information Sciences and Biology are both large and carry strong state ranks, while Nursing posts the highest earnings. 65.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, and many of the strongest programs by rank sit within that group. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Computer and Information Sciences, General 134 degrees awarded** $83,710 **Biology, General 126 degrees awarded** $80,208 **Architectural Sciences and Technology 97 degrees awarded** $69,776 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 56 degrees awarded** $117,461 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 53 degrees awarded** $73,851 **Mechanical Engineering 51 degrees awarded** $89,966 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/new-york-institute-of-technology/majors/) 05 / New York Institute of Technology briefing ## How does New York Institute of Technology serve students from different backgrounds? New York Institute of Technology presents a mixed mobility picture: completion rates are modest, though modeled graduate earnings are favorable. Within the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 58.8%; Pell recipients complete within six years at 44.0%, below the overall rate by 14.8 percentage points. Azimuth puts the mobility pillar in the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, reach the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,878 more than the model expects for similar students. Favorable modeled earnings sit alongside lower completion. New York Institute of Technology offers a relatively open entry point, admitting 81.0% of applicants while enrolling 3,440 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients account for 45.1% of undergraduates, and an estimated 19.4% of the undergraduate population enters as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth puts the access pillar in the 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. These measures describe several routes into the university. 06 / New York Institute of Technology briefing ## [What colleges are similar to New York Institute of Technology?](/school/new-york-institute-of-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/new-york-institute-of-technology/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with New York Institute of Technology. Admissions peerSUNY at Purchase College74.1% admitted+ Comparison with New York Institute of Technology | Measure | New York Institute of Technology | SUNY at Purchase College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $81,370 | $45,570\-$35,800 vs New York Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $22,443 | $18,913\-$3,530 vs New York Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.0% | 74.1% | [Explore SUNY at Purchase College →](/school/suny-at-purchase-college/) Higher-admission alternativeLa Salle University96.6% admitted+ Comparison with New York Institute of Technology | Measure | New York Institute of Technology | La Salle University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $81,370 | $70,254\-$11,116 vs New York Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $22,443 | $19,409\-$3,034 vs New York Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.0% | 96.6% | Nearby alternativeAdelphi UniversityNearby option · NY+ Comparison with New York Institute of Technology | Measure | New York Institute of Technology | Adelphi University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $81,370 | $83,002+$1,632 vs New York Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $22,443 | $30,783+$8,340 vs New York Institute of Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 81.0% | 65.9% | [Explore Adelphi University →](/school/adelphi-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeSUNY Maritime College$104,752 earnings+ Comparison with New York Institute of Technology | Measure | New York Institute of Technology | SUNY Maritime College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $81,370 | $104,752+$23,382 vs New York Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $22,443 | $22,367\-$76 vs New York Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.0% | 72.4% | [Explore SUNY Maritime College →](/school/suny-maritime-college/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Bernard M Baruch College$3,033 average net price+ Comparison with New York Institute of Technology | Measure | New York Institute of Technology | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $81,370 | $82,748+$1,378 vs New York Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $22,443 | $3,033\-$19,410 vs New York Institute of Technology · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.0% | 47.5% | [Explore CUNY Bernard M Baruch College →](/school/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college/) Similar profileUniversity of ScrantonMatched across several measures+ Comparison with New York Institute of Technology | Measure | New York Institute of Technology | University of Scranton | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $81,370 | $79,409\-$1,961 vs New York Institute of Technology | | Average annual net price | $22,443 | $32,568+$10,125 vs New York Institute of Technology · higher cost | | Admission rate | 81.0% | 81.2% | [Explore University of Scranton →](/school/university-of-scranton/) 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/new-york-institute-of-technology/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/)