1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Northwest Missouri State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Northwest Missouri State University MO · Medium public institution · Overall rank #754 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places Northwest Missouri State University in the 49th percentile among nonprofit four year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Northwest Missouri State University is a public campus in Maryville, Missouri, where Education and Business are the largest program families. Affordability is the strongest pillar, at above average, while return is modestly below average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to expected earnings, while the part it attributes to a remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Pell recipients complete below the cohort as a whole, and mobility is above average. The admission rate sits near the median for comparable public universities, and most graduates are estimated to go into the workforce rather than on to further study. A student drawn to teaching or business should know that the largest programs are not the highest-earning ones. The best-paid field, Computer and Information Sciences, awards far fewer degrees. ## Northwest Missouri State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 86.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 54.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $52,213 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $13,959 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $21,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $15,803 ## Northwest Missouri State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) 4,378 undergraduates enroll at Northwest Missouri State University, a public university in Maryville, Missouri. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university lands in the middle of the field (49th percentile). Northwest Missouri State University admits 86.1% of those who apply, a share almost identical to the 85.9% median for comparable institutions. Among first-time, full-time students, 73.9% return for a second year, a figure close to the 73.7% peer median. 54.2% finish within six years, exceeding the 49.1% median for comparable institutions. Because an estimated 24.3% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) captures only the first-time, full-time cohort and not the full student body. The four pillars at Northwest Missouri State University are spread far apart. Affordability is the strongest (73rd percentile), while return is the weakest (29th percentile). Mobility and access fall between them, at the 56th and 45th percentiles, so the gap between the highest- and lowest-ranked dimensions is wide. Affordability is the clearest relative strength at Northwest Missouri State University, though its return results sit at the other end of the profile. Azimuth places affordability in the 73rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university's strongest pillar. Mobility is in the 56th percentile, access in the 45th percentile, and return in the 29th percentile, its weakest pillar. The affordability and mobility measures are stronger than the return measure, so the profile is more favorable on cost than on the return pillar. 27.3% of undergraduates at Northwest Missouri State University receive Pell Grants. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores for enrolled students fell between 976 and 1,193, and the middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 19 and 24. Azimuth ranks the university #812 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 47.1% within six years, a rate that sits 7.1 percentage points below the figure for the entering cohort as a whole (54.2%). For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #648 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Completers earn about $3,670 less than the model expects for similar students, the earnings outcome that coincides with that mobility rank. [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/) Northwest Missouri State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #754 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 56 **Access & reach** National percentile: 45 **[Affordability](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 73 **[Return on investment](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 29 01 / Northwest Missouri State University briefing ## [Northwest Missouri State University cost & financial aid](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Affordability stands out more than the school’s peer price comparison. At Northwest Missouri State University, the published cost of attendance is $24,945. Published in-state tuition and fees are $10,611, out-of-state tuition and fees are $17,324, and room and board are $12,282. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,244. Aid reduces the published cost by $8,701 on average. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, placing this average $2,176 above that benchmark. Azimuth places the affordability pillar in the 73rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability ranking is stronger than the average peer-price comparison. For aid recipients at Northwest Missouri State University, the published cost of attendance is $24,945, and affordability is a relative strength in the Azimuth measures. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,176 in the lowest family-income band; $13,447 in the lower-middle band; $13,959 in the middle band; $17,423 in the upper-middle band; and $20,796 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $7,620. Azimuth ranks the university #389 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid saves the average aid recipient $8,701 against the sticker price, covering about 35% of the published cost. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $16,244, which is $2,176 above the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition is $10,611, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state tuition. The aid offset is substantial, though the all-recipient price sits above the comparable-institution median. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $21,500, and 88.9% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That median is $271 above the $21,229 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $15,803. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$13,959** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Northwest Missouri State University Federal borrowing reaches 88.9% of federal aid recipients at Northwest Missouri State University, so debt is part of the cost picture for many students. The borrower share describes undergraduates taking federal loans, while the completion figures describe borrowers who finished. For borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $21,500. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229; the university's median is $271 above it. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $15,803. At Northwest Missouri State University, the investment picture is shaped more by affordability than by earnings. The median federal student debt at completion is $21,500, a figure that sits $271 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month. Earnings are the weaker side of the ledger. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $52,213, which lands in the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,670 less than the model expects for similar students, an outcome at the 41st percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's mix of programs, range from $43,973 in a downside case to $65,478 in an upside case, with $52,213 as the typical scenario. The return picture is mixed: earnings sit below the peer median and the model's expectation, while the debt load is close to the peer norm. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing was $15,803. For student borrowers with median federal debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $21,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $15,803 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $244/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $201/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=northwest-missouri-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/cost/) 02 / Northwest Missouri State University briefing ## [Northwest Missouri State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Affordability is the stronger pillar at Northwest Missouri State University, while its return measures sit lower in Azimuth’s comparison. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 29th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,670 less than the model expects for similar students. That [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 41st 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 $7,257. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $10,927. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,054. Four years after completion, median earnings are $52,213, in the 24th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with the university $5,088 below it. Both comparisons point below the relevant benchmark. Graduate earnings at Northwest Missouri State University sit toward the lower end of nonprofit four-year institutions. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled had median earnings of $52,213 four years after completion, based on an earnings cohort of 1,290 completers. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios based on the program mix range from $43,973 in the downside scenario to $65,478 in the upside scenario, with the typical scenario matching the observed median. An estimated 26.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. [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, also warrants attention. Graduates earn about $3,670 less than the model expects for similar students. The lower earnings standing and the model comparison point in the same direction. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn $52,213 four years after completion, at the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median is $5,088 below the $57,301 figure for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Northwest Missouri State University #1,037 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,670 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the earnings gap at the 41st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,257. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $10,927. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,054. The largest bachelor's programs are in education and business, and the degree mix tilts toward fields where pay runs below the national median for those fields. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from a downside scenario of $43,973 to an upside of $65,478. An estimated 26.9% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the program mix. Earnings vary across the program mix, with earnings scenarios ranging from $43,973 on the downside to $65,478 on the upside. These scenarios describe lower- and higher-earning program clusters, not observed groups of graduates. Among higher-earning fields, median earnings four years after completion are $80,690 in Computer and Information Sciences, $72,893 in Accounting, and $65,692 in Finance. Those field results help explain the distance between the earnings scenarios. Affordability is the strongest pillar at Northwest Missouri State University, and the debt and price figures show why. The median federal student debt for borrowers who complete is $21,500, which is $271 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month. The published cost of attendance is $24,945. After grants and scholarships, aid recipients in the lowest income band pay an average net price of $13,176, while those in the highest band pay $20,796. The spread between the two ends is $7,620, and aid covers about 35% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Graduates earn about $3,670 less than the model expects for similar students. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $15,803 in Parent PLUS loans. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$7,257 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$10,927 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$3,670 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/northwest-missouri-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Northwest Missouri State University briefing ## [Northwest Missouri State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Northwest Missouri State University admitted 86.1% of applicants in the reported entering class, a rate close to the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 86.1% **Approximate lower endpoint** 976 **Reported average** 1119 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1193 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/northwest-missouri-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Northwest Missouri State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Northwest Missouri State University?](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At Northwest Missouri State University, program-level earnings vary substantially: the highest-earning fields sit well above a large teacher education program four years after completion. Computer and Information Sciences records median earnings of $80,690 from 22 degrees awarded, while Accounting posts $72,893 across 27 degrees awarded. Finance has median earnings of $65,692 and 28 degrees awarded. At the more moderate end, Teacher Education records $42,508 with 131 degrees awarded. The contrast between the higher-earning business and computing fields and teacher education means the earnings picture depends heavily on field. Education accounts for 19.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, making it the university's largest program family. Program-level earnings vary across the fields with the highest reported results, which gives applicants a more detailed view than a schoolwide figure alone. Accounting reported $72,893 in median earnings with 27 degrees awarded, while Finance reported $65,692 and awarded 28 degrees. These are separate fields with distinct award volumes and earnings results. The program mix at Northwest Missouri State University is anchored by Education and Business, which together account for nearly two-fifths of bachelor's degrees awarded. Education leads at 19.9% of degrees, with Business close behind at 19.2%. Agriculture & Natural Resources is the third-largest family at 11.3%. The largest single program is Teacher Education, awarding 131 degrees a year. Business Administration and Management follows with 95 degrees awarded, and Subject-Area Teacher Education with 86. Across all fields, 16.4% of degrees are in STEM. The highest-earning program is a much smaller one. Computer and Information Sciences graduates earn $80,690 four years after completion, from 22 degrees a year. Accounting is next at $72,893, with 27 degrees awarded. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in education and business, with the best-paid outcomes in computing and accounting. The largest programs are not the highest-earning ones, and the earnings figures sit below the national median for their fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 131 degrees awarded** $42,508 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 95 degrees awarded** $57,907 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 86 degrees awarded** $46,501 **Communication and Media Studies 77 degrees awarded** $50,012 **Agricultural Business and Management 61 degrees awarded** $58,035 **Research and Experimental Psychology 54 degrees awarded** $49,872 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/northwest-missouri-state-university/majors/) 05 / Northwest Missouri State University briefing ## How does Northwest Missouri State University serve students from different backgrounds? Affordability is the university's strongest pillar, while its mobility figures show a mixed picture. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 54.2%; Pell recipients complete within six years at 47.1%, below the overall rate by 7.1 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 56th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,670 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places this measure in the 41st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Completion and mobility standing sit alongside earnings below model expectations. Northwest Missouri State University admitted 86.1% of applicants, serving 4,378 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients account for 27.3% of undergraduates, and the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 24.3%. Azimuth assigns its access pillar to the 45th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission rate, Pell participation, and transfer estimate show several entry patterns within the undergraduate population. 06 / Northwest Missouri State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Northwest Missouri State University?](/school/northwest-missouri-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/northwest-missouri-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Northwest Missouri State University. Admissions peerUniversity of Nebraska at Omaha87.0% admitted+ Comparison with Northwest Missouri State University | Measure | Northwest Missouri State University | University of Nebraska at Omaha | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,213 | $60,448+$8,235 vs Northwest Missouri State University | | Average annual net price | $16,244 | $13,441\-$2,803 vs Northwest Missouri State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.1% | 87.0% | [Explore University of Nebraska at Omaha →](/school/university-of-nebraska-at-omaha/) Higher-admission alternativeBenedictine College98.1% admitted+ Comparison with Northwest Missouri State University | Measure | Northwest Missouri State University | Benedictine College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,213 | $55,405+$3,192 vs Northwest Missouri State University | | Average annual net price | $16,244 | $27,891+$11,647 vs Northwest Missouri State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.1% | 98.1% | Nearby alternativeMidwestern Baptist Theological SeminaryNearby option · MO+ Comparison with Northwest Missouri State University | Measure | Northwest Missouri State University | Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,213 | $62,368+$10,155 vs Northwest Missouri State University | | Average annual net price | $16,244 | $23,006+$6,762 vs Northwest Missouri State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.1% | 96.4% | Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Kansas$69,680 earnings+ Comparison with Northwest Missouri State University | Measure | Northwest Missouri State University | University of Kansas | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,213 | $69,680+$17,467 vs Northwest Missouri State University | | Average annual net price | $16,244 | $18,059+$1,815 vs Northwest Missouri State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.1% | 93.5% | [Explore University of Kansas →](/school/university-of-kansas/) Lower-cost alternativeSan Diego Christian College$992 average net price+ Comparison with Northwest Missouri State University | Measure | Northwest Missouri State University | San Diego Christian College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,213 | $50,741\-$1,472 vs Northwest Missouri State University | | Average annual net price | $16,244 | $992\-$15,252 vs Northwest Missouri State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.1% | 30.8% | Similar profileEastern Illinois UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Northwest Missouri State University | Measure | Northwest Missouri State University | Eastern Illinois University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $52,213 | $53,620+$1,407 vs Northwest Missouri State University | | Average annual net price | $16,244 | $12,786\-$3,458 vs Northwest Missouri State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.1% | 65.4% | [Explore Eastern Illinois University →](/school/eastern-illinois-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/northwest-missouri-state-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)