1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Old Dominion University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Old Dominion University VA · Large public institution · Overall rank #154 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/old-dominion-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/old-dominion-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/old-dominion-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/old-dominion-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/old-dominion-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Old Dominion University #154 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Old Dominion University suits a student who wants a large public campus in Virginia and expects to work after the degree. Most graduates are estimated to go into jobs rather than on to further study, and the degree mix is led by Health Professions, Business, and Social Sciences. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — while the unexplained remainder subtracts. The typical graduate earns below the median at comparable schools, so the earnings advantage holds against the model's expectation rather than in raw earnings. Pell recipients finish within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and access is well above average. The lowest income band averages well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are in engineering, not the social sciences or psychology. ## Old Dominion University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 90.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 46.3% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $64,472 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $13,123 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $18,866 ## Old Dominion University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Old Dominion University is a public university in Norfolk, Virginia, enrolling 17,514 undergraduates. The university sits in the top tenth of the Azimuth composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. Admission is open: the university accepts 90.4% of applicants, against a median of 78.1% at comparable institutions (same type and size). Among first-year students studying full time, 76.9% return for a second year, below the median at comparable institutions of 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 46.3%, compared with a peer median of 65.0%. An estimated 40.2% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the graduation rate describes a minority of the student body. The four pillars are spread out. Mobility is the strongest, at the 92nd percentile, and access follows at the 84th percentile. Return is the weakest of the four, at the 59th percentile, with affordability in between. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Old Dominion University among nonprofit four-year institutions on four pillars. Mobility is the strongest, in the 92nd percentile. Access sits in the 84th percentile and affordability in the 71st percentile. Return is the weakest of the four, at the 59th percentile. 36.8% of undergraduates at Old Dominion University receive Pell Grants. Those students complete at 48.5%, 2.2 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks the university #241 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. For mobility, Azimuth ranks Old Dominion University #124 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,397 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/) Old Dominion University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #154 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 92 **Access & reach** National percentile: 84 **[Affordability](/school/old-dominion-university/cost/)** National percentile: 71 **[Return on investment](/school/old-dominion-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 59 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other**#3** 2. Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies**#11** 3. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other**#11** 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/old-dominion-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Old Dominion University briefing ## [Old Dominion University cost & financial aid](/school/old-dominion-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Old Dominion University is $29,446. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $8,040 and required fees of $5,280 for the 2025-26 academic year, with on-campus food and housing at $15,720. Nonresidents face tuition of $28,605. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $14,638, a savings of $14,808 against the sticker price. That is $996 below the $15,634 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #417 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance at Old Dominion University is $29,446. Azimuth ranks the university #417 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For families earning under $30,000, it is $9,739; for those earning $48,001 to $75,000, it is $13,123; and for those earning over $110,000, it is $23,567. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,828. Aid covers about 50% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) across all aid recipients is $14,638, which is $996 below the median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $24,000 in federal student loans. That is $3,924 above the peer median of $20,076. 86.9% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $18,866. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 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**$13,123** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Old Dominion University Federal borrowing is common at Old Dominion University: 86.9% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among those who complete, the median federal student debt is $24,000. That median is $3,924 above the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $18,866. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 62% of its 1,579 bachelor's graduates had borrowed from any source, with an average cumulative total of $31,216 per borrower. Of those graduates, 60% held federal loans averaging $22,808. A smaller group, 15%, held private loans averaging $37,509. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Old Dominion University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $64,472. That figure is $1,138 below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $2,397 more than the model expects for similar students, a result at the 64th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from a downside of $50,726 to an upside of $87,649, with a typical scenario of $64,472. The median federal student debt at completion is $24,000, which is $3,924 above the peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month if repaid over ten years. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $18,866. For student borrowers, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 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** $24,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $18,866 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $273/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $240/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=old-dominion-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/old-dominion-university/cost/) 02 / Old Dominion University briefing ## [Old Dominion University career outcomes & earnings](/school/old-dominion-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Azimuth places the return pillar for Old Dominion University in the 59th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $64,472 four years after completion, a figure in the 64th percentile. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $65,610, and this figure is $1,138 below that. Graduates earn about $2,397 more than the model expects for similar students. The gap is in the 64th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,344. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $3,947. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,990. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $64,472 at Old Dominion University. That figure is drawn from a cohort of 4,872 completers and sits at the 64th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,397 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios derived from the program mix show a downside of $50,726 and an upside of $87,649. An estimated 31.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Working and not enrolled, federally aided graduates earn a median of $64,472 four years after completing a degree at Old Dominion University, at the 64th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That amount falls $1,138 below the $65,610 median observed at comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #604 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. On this measure, graduates earn about $2,397 more than the model expects for similar students. [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. That outcome sits at the 64th 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 $6,344. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $3,947. Within the measured factors, the STEM component alone adds $2,990. Degrees awarded cluster in Health Professions, Business and Social Sciences, with 28.1% in STEM fields. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $50,726 on the downside to $87,649 on the upside for graduates. An estimated 31.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix and not observed enrollment. Earnings scenarios range from $50,726 on the downside to $87,649 on the upside, a spread that shows the variation across programs at Old Dominion University. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the upper end, Electrical Engineering graduates earn $96,427 four years after completion, from 44 degrees awarded. Computer and Information Sciences follows at $95,485 with 108 degrees awarded, and Nursing at $90,917 with 222 degrees awarded. Graduates of Old Dominion University earn about $2,397 more than the model expects for similar students, yet borrowers who finish leave with a median of $24,000 in federal student loans. That median is $3,924 above the $20,076 figure posted by comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, the median federal debt yields an estimated monthly payment of $273. The student debt figure covers borrowers who completed and excludes Parent PLUS. Parent PLUS borrowers hold a separate median of $18,866, distinct from the student-borrower population. That earnings advantage and the debt level, which sits above the peer median, pull in opposite directions for a family weighing whether the earnings justify the borrowing. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,344 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$3,947 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$2,397 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/old-dominion-university/outcomes/) 03 / Old Dominion University briefing ## [Old Dominion University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/old-dominion-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Old Dominion University admits 90.4% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 15,024 applicants, 13,725 admitted, and 2,697 enrolled. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 90.4% **25th percentile** 1120 **Median** 1190 **75th percentile** 1270 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/old-dominion-university/admissions/) 04 / Old Dominion University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Old Dominion University?](/school/old-dominion-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The earnings spread across programs is wide, and the largest fields do not sit at the top of it. Psychology awards 316 degrees a year and posts a median of $51,907 four years after completion. Nursing, the second-largest program at 222 degrees, reaches $90,917. The highest-earning programs are in engineering and computing. Electrical Engineering graduates earn $96,427 from 44 degrees awarded, and Computer and Information Sciences follows at $95,485 with 108 degrees. Several programs carry strong national ranks within their fields. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians #3 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 141 degrees awarded and median earnings of $81,077. Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management holds a national rank of #12 and is the top-ranked program in its field in Virginia. Old Dominion University has 31 nationally ranked bachelor's programs. Health Professions accounts for 18.2% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 13.3%. The largest program is Psychology, with 316 degrees awarded and median earnings of $51,907 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #142 nationally in its field. Mechanical Engineering ranks #188 nationally, with 114 degrees awarded and median earnings of $87,772 four years after completion. Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians ranks #3 nationally, with 141 degrees awarded and median earnings of $81,077. Health Professions accounts for 18.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Business next at 13.3% and Social Sciences at 10.5%. Old Dominion University has 31 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 37 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single programs are Psychology at 316 degrees awarded, Nursing at 222, and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 218. Nursing, the second-largest program, is also the highest-earning among the larger programs, with a median of $90,917 four years after completion. The highest-ranked program is Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, which awards 141 degrees a year and graduates earn a median of $81,077. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #1 in Virginia within its field. Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management awards 56 degrees and ranks #12 nationally and #1 in Virginia within its field. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences awards 125 degrees and also ranks #2 in Virginia within its field. Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies carries a benchmark ratio of 1.12x against the national median for its field. The strongest programs are spread across several fields rather than concentrated in one family. The highest-earning programs are in engineering and computing, led by Electrical Engineering at $96,427 from 44 degrees a year. 28.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Psychology, General 316 degrees awarded** $51,907 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 222 degrees awarded** $90,917 **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 218 degrees awarded** $55,889 **Criminology 213 degrees awarded** $56,659 **Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies 210 degrees awarded** $54,390 **Biology, General 196 degrees awarded** $55,304 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/old-dominion-university/majors/) 05 / Old Dominion University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Old Dominion University?](/school/old-dominion-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/old-dominion-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Old Dominion University. Admissions peerChristopher Newport University86.0% admitted+ Comparison with Old Dominion University | Measure | Old Dominion University | Christopher Newport University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,472 | $62,140\-$2,332 vs Old Dominion University | | Average annual net price | $14,638 | $23,015+$8,377 vs Old Dominion University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.4% | 86.0% | Nearby alternativeVirginia Commonwealth UniversityNearby option · VA+ Comparison with Old Dominion University | Measure | Old Dominion University | Virginia Commonwealth University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,472 | $64,703+$231 vs Old Dominion University | | Average annual net price | $14,638 | $23,433+$8,795 vs Old Dominion University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.4% | 92.6% | [Explore Virginia Commonwealth University →](/school/virginia-commonwealth-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeOregon Institute of Technology$87,138 earnings+ Comparison with Old Dominion University | Measure | Old Dominion University | Oregon Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,472 | $87,138+$22,666 vs Old Dominion University | | Average annual net price | $14,638 | $15,706+$1,068 vs Old Dominion University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.4% | 95.0% | [Explore Oregon Institute of Technology →](/school/oregon-institute-of-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Lehman College$3,148 average net price+ Comparison with Old Dominion University | Measure | Old Dominion University | CUNY Lehman College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,472 | $63,353\-$1,119 vs Old Dominion University | | Average annual net price | $14,638 | $3,148\-$11,490 vs Old Dominion University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 90.4% | 56.6% | [Explore CUNY Lehman College →](/school/cuny-lehman-college/) Similar profileWest Virginia UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Old Dominion University | Measure | Old Dominion University | West Virginia University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,472 | $64,952+$480 vs Old Dominion University | | Average annual net price | $14,638 | $15,634+$996 vs Old Dominion University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.4% | 89.0% | [Explore West Virginia University →](/school/west-virginia-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/old-dominion-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)