1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Oklahoma State University-Main Campus OK · Large public institution · Overall rank #138 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/admissions/)[Majors](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/similar/) ## Azimuth places Oklahoma State University-Main Campus in the 91st percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for Oklahoma State University-Main Campus is a public university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where Business and Engineering lead the degree mix. The strongest pillar is mobility, which is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them, and the typical graduate earns below the median at comparable schools. The model attributes the factors it measures to adding to expected earnings, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Pell recipients complete at a rate below the entering cohort as a whole, and affordability is the weakest pillar. Families at the bottom of the income scale pay well under the published cost, while those at the top pay closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the highest-earning ones are in engineering, not business. ## Oklahoma State University-Main Campus at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 75.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 68.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $65,492 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $15,893 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $20,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $38,513 ## Oklahoma State University-Main Campus rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) A public university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University-Main Campus enrolls 21,773 undergraduates. The university sits toward the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (composite at the 91st percentile). Admission stands at 75.0%, against a peer median of 78.1% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of the first-time full-time cohort, 84.8% return after the first year, compared to a peer median of 83.1%. 68.2% complete within six years, against a peer median of 65.0%, a rate that covers only students who started here full time. An estimated 25.2% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students, so many undergraduates did not begin their studies here. The strongest pillar is mobility and the weakest is affordability, with access and return falling in between (at the 83rd and 71st percentiles, respectively). The four sit far apart across the Azimuth framework. Mobility is the clearest strength at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, with Azimuth placing it in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth also places return in the 71st percentile, access in the 83rd percentile, and affordability in the 61st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility leads the profile, while affordability is the weakest of the four pillars. Enrolled students who submitted SAT scores posted a middle 50% range of 1,040 to 1,250. For the ACT, the comparable range was 20 to 27. 28.0% of undergraduates are Pell Grant recipients. Azimuth ranks Oklahoma State University-Main Campus #256 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients finish within six years at 54.4%, a rate that sits 13.8 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (68.2%). Azimuth ranks the university #105 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,195 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/) Oklahoma State University-Main Campus rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #138 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 93 **Access & reach** National percentile: 83 **[Affordability](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/cost/)** National percentile: 61 **[Return on investment](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/)** National percentile: 71 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Agricultural Public Services**#3** 2. Animal Sciences**#5** 3. Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services**#5** 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/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Oklahoma State University-Main Campus briefing ## [Oklahoma State University-Main Campus cost & financial aid](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus is $28,290. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $5,417 and required fees of $3,827 for the 2025-26 academic year, with on-campus food and housing at $9,845. Nonresidents face a published tuition of $20,937, and 100.0% of full-time undergraduates pay more than the base charge. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $17,447, which is $1,813 above the peer median of $15,634 at comparable institutions. Aid covers about 38% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $10,843 against the sticker price. Azimuth ranks the university #546 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Families receiving aid face a published cost of attendance of $28,290 at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, with prices varying substantially by income band. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $12,243 for the lowest family-income band, $12,314 for the lower-middle band, $15,893 for the middle band, $21,896 for the upper-middle band, and $24,711 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $12,468. Azimuth ranks the university #546 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 38% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $10,843 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $17,447. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $15,634, and the university's average net price is $1,813 above it. Aid lowers the published cost, but the average price remains above the comparable-school midpoint. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $20,500, and 81.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The peer median debt for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $20,076, with the university $424 above that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $38,513. 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**$15,893** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Federal borrowing is common: 81.3% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $20,500. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $20,076, and this median is above it by $424. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $38,513. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 48% of graduates borrowed from any source, with average cumulative borrowing of $26,744 per borrower. Graduate borrowing included federal loans for 45% of graduates, averaging $19,321. It included private loans for 10% of graduates, averaging $40,355. At Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, median graduate earnings four years after completion are $65,492, a level in the 67th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,195 more than the model expects for similar students, a performance that ranks in the 63rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios suggest a typical outcome of $65,492, a downside of $49,598, and an upside of $87,890. Borrowers who complete leave with a median federal debt of $20,500, above the $20,076 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. Above-expected earnings and peer-level debt point in the same direction. A family’s federal borrowing picture can include median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $38,513 among parent borrowers, a population separate from student borrowers. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 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** $20,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $38,513 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $233/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $489/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=oklahoma-state-university-main-campus#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/cost/) 02 / Oklahoma State University-Main Campus briefing ## [Oklahoma State University-Main Campus career outcomes & earnings](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) The return picture has competing signals for Oklahoma State University-Main Campus. Graduates earn about $2,195 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that earnings-beyond-expectations measure—the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students—in the 63rd 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 $10,905. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,710. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,568. Azimuth puts the return pillar in the 71st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $65,492, in the 67th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610; the university is $118 below it. Above-expected earnings and a below-peer median point in different directions. At Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $65,492 four years after completion. Azimuth places those earnings in the 67th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, using an earnings cohort of 4,757 completers. Graduates earn about $2,195 more than the model expects for similar students. The earnings scenarios, based on the program mix, span $49,598 in the downside scenario, $65,492 in the typical scenario, and $87,890 in the upside scenario. An estimated 26.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The scenarios show that program choices can yield materially different earnings paths after completion. The return picture is mixed across its peer comparison and modeled expectation. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $65,492 four years after completion, placing the university in the 67th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610; Oklahoma State University-Main Campus is $118 below it. Graduates earn about $2,195 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 63rd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,905. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,710. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,568. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix place the downside at $49,598 and the upside at $87,890. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Oklahoma State University-Main Campus #430 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison and modeled gap point in different directions. Business Administration and Management is the largest cited program, with 419 degrees awarded and median earnings of $64,062 four years after completion; Azimuth ranks it #180 nationally within its field. Fine and Studio Arts earned $52,405 and ranks #20 nationally by Azimuth, with a 1.27x benchmark ratio against the national median for its field. Mechanical Engineering awarded 269 degrees and posted $89,436 in median earnings; Azimuth ranks it #114 nationally within its field. The cited programs show different earnings and field-benchmark patterns rather than a single return profile. Earnings at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus vary widely by field. Its earnings scenarios range from a downside of $49,598 to an upside of $87,890, with a typical scenario of $65,492; these are scenarios based on the program mix, not observed groups. At Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, borrower debt sits at the peer midpoint while graduates earn about $2,195 more than the model expects for similar students. The median federal student loan debt for borrowers who completed is $20,500, close to the $20,076 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent PLUS borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $38,513. For aid recipients, the average net price, what they pay after grants and scholarships, is $17,447. That is above the $15,634 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,813. Debt in line with peers sits alongside higher-than-expected earnings, though average net price is higher than the peer median. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,905 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$8,710 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$2,195 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/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) 03 / Oklahoma State University-Main Campus briefing ## [Oklahoma State University-Main Campus acceptance rate & admissions](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Oklahoma State University-Main Campus admitted 75.0% of applicants in the reported cohort, so admission was available to about three quarters of those who applied. That rate was below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 28,024 first-year applicants, 20,646 admitted, and 5,160 enrolled. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 75.0% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1040 **Reported average** 1150 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1250 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/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/admissions/) 04 / Oklahoma State University-Main Campus briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus?](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The highest-earning programs at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus are concentrated in engineering, while the largest programs by degrees awarded are in business. Chemical Engineering reports median earnings of $98,557 four years after completion, with 46 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #68 nationally within its field and #2 in Oklahoma. Mechanical Engineering is both a large and high-earning program, with 269 degrees awarded and median earnings of $89,436. Azimuth ranks it #114 nationally within its field and #2 in Oklahoma. At the more moderate-earning end, Business Administration and Management awards 419 degrees a year and reports median earnings of $64,062. Azimuth ranks it #180 nationally within its field and #2 in Oklahoma. Psychology, with 236 degrees awarded, has median earnings of $50,956 four years after completion, and Azimuth ranks it #168 nationally within its field. Agriculture-related fields give Oklahoma State University-Main Campus its clearest cluster of highly ranked programs, alongside varied earnings across those fields. The university has 43 ranked programs. Azimuth places Agricultural Public Services at #3 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, with 66 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Animal Sciences #5 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; 200 degrees were awarded. Median earnings for that field are $53,971 four years after completion. Azimuth puts Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services at #5 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, where 83 degrees were awarded. The rankings sit close together, but the earnings figures show why field choice still matters. Oklahoma State University-Main Campus awards bachelor's degrees across 43 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 52 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is anchored by Business, which accounts for 26.1% of degrees awarded, followed by Engineering at 13.4% and Agriculture & Natural Resources at 9.4%. The largest single programs are Business Administration and Management at 419 degrees awarded, Marketing at 334, and Mechanical Engineering at 269. The university's strongest national ranks sit in fields tied to agriculture and the life sciences. Agricultural Public Services ranks #3 nationally within its field and #1 in Oklahoma, with 66 degrees awarded. Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services awards 83 degrees, ranking #5 nationally and #1 in Oklahoma. The highest-earning programs are in engineering: Computer Engineering graduates earn a median of $101,279 four years after completion, though the program awards only 27 degrees a year. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering is a larger engineering program at 118 degrees awarded, with median earnings of $91,249 and a national rank of #34 within its field. Fine and Studio Arts stands out for its return, carrying a benchmark ratio of 1.27x against the national median for its field with median earnings of $52,405. Across all fields, 25.5% of degrees awarded are in STEM. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in agriculture and the life sciences, where several programs hold top-ten national ranks, alongside a broad engineering footprint that delivers the highest earnings. The largest programs by degrees awarded are in business, and their earnings and ranks are solid but not the university's strongest. 25.5% of degrees are in STEM, and the highest-paid outcomes sit in engineering fields that award a smaller share of the university's total degrees. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 419 degrees awarded** $64,062 **Marketing 334 degrees awarded** $62,716 **Mechanical Engineering 269 degrees awarded** $89,436 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 249 degrees awarded** $52,152 **Psychology, General 236 degrees awarded** $50,956 **Animal Sciences 200 degrees awarded** $53,971 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/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/majors/) 05 / Oklahoma State University-Main Campus briefing ## How does Oklahoma State University-Main Campus serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is a clear strength at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, with favorable completion and modeled earnings signals. Azimuth places its mobility pillar in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 68.2%. Pell recipients complete within six years at 54.4%, below the overall rate by 13.8 percentage points. Graduates earn about $2,195 more than the model expects for similar students. The [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, sits in the 63rd percentile. The mobility picture combines above-expected earnings with a Pell completion rate below the overall rate. A 75.0% admission rate makes entry relatively open at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus. The public university enrolls 21,773 undergraduates, and 28.0% receive Pell Grants. An estimated 25.2% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 83rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. These measures describe admission, financial access, and routes into undergraduate enrollment. 06 / Oklahoma State University-Main Campus briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Oklahoma State University-Main Campus?](/school/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/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/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Oklahoma State University-Main Campus. Admissions peerUniversity of Science and Arts of Oklahoma65.8% admitted+ Comparison with Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Measure | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,492 | $42,786\-$22,706 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $17,447 | $6,624\-$10,823 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.0% | 65.8% | Higher-admission alternativeOklahoma Christian University96.5% admitted+ Comparison with Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Measure | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Oklahoma Christian University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,492 | $67,575+$2,083 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $17,447 | $21,872+$4,425 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.0% | 96.5% | Nearby alternativeUniversity of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNearby option · OK+ Comparison with Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Measure | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,492 | $73,280+$7,788 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $17,447 | $15,300\-$2,147 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.0% | 76.6% | [Explore University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus →](/school/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Massachusetts-Lowell$81,163 earnings+ Comparison with Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Measure | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,492 | $81,163+$15,671 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $17,447 | $17,163\-$284 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.0% | 83.0% | [Explore University of Massachusetts-Lowell →](/school/university-of-massachusetts-lowell/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Measure | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,492 | $62,833\-$2,659 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $17,447 | $3,103\-$14,344 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.0% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileNorthern Arizona UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Measure | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Northern Arizona University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,492 | $60,629\-$4,863 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $17,447 | $14,158\-$3,289 vs Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.0% | 89.6% | [Explore Northern Arizona University →](/school/northern-arizona-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/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus/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/)