1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Purdue University Northwest Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Purdue University Northwest IN · Medium public institution · Overall rank #203 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/purdue-university-northwest/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/purdue-university-northwest/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/purdue-university-northwest/admissions/)[Majors](/school/purdue-university-northwest/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/purdue-university-northwest/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Purdue University Northwest #203 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Purdue University Northwest is a public university in Hammond, Indiana, where Health Professions dominates the degree mix and affordability is among the highest we track. The fit is clearest for a student who wants a low-cost public education in Indiana and expects to work after the degree. Most graduates are estimated to go into jobs rather than on to further study. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them, and the typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools. The model attributes more of that gain to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — than to what it cannot explain. Affordability is among the highest we track, and the spread between the lowest and highest income bands is modest. Pell Grant recipients complete within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. The access picture is one of a low price and a completion gap that is not wide. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and the degree mix leans heavily toward health professions and business. The highest-earning programs are in engineering, but they award far fewer degrees than Nursing, the largest program. ## Purdue University Northwest at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 72.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 42.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $73,337 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $7,026 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $21,229 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $14,984 ## Purdue University Northwest rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Enrolling 5,671 undergraduates, Purdue University Northwest is a public university in Hammond, Indiana. The university sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (86th percentile). Affordability is the clear standout among the four pillars, mobility sits well below it, and return and access land in the middle. Purdue University Northwest admits 72.4% of applicants, while the peer median for comparable institutions of the same type and size is 85.9%. Of students beginning full time, 65.7% return after the first year, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/), which tracks only the first-time full-time cohort, is 42.9%, compared with 49.1% at comparable institutions. An estimated 29.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so that group represents a minority of the undergraduate body. The four pillars are spread wide. Affordability is the strongest, at the 94th percentile, while mobility is the weakest, at the 57th percentile. Return and access sit between them, at the 85th and 62nd percentiles respectively. Affordability is the strongest pillar for Purdue University Northwest, at the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return follows in the 85th percentile. Access and mobility are the two pillars that sit closer to the middle, at the 62nd and 57th percentiles respectively. Mobility is the weakest of the four. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores among enrolled students fell between 890 and 1,140. The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 16 and 24. 28.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Purdue University Northwest #560 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 38.6%, 4.3 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (42.9%). For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #628 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,389 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/) Purdue University Northwest rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #203 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 57 **Access & reach** National percentile: 62 **[Affordability](/school/purdue-university-northwest/cost/)** National percentile: 94 **[Return on investment](/school/purdue-university-northwest/outcomes/)** National percentile: 85 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians**#8** 2. Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians**#16** 3. Human Resources Management and Services**#40** 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/purdue-university-northwest/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Purdue University Northwest briefing ## [Purdue University Northwest cost & financial aid](/school/purdue-university-northwest/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Affordability is the strongest pillar at Purdue University Northwest, and the numbers bear that out. The published cost of attendance is $15,571, an average across living arrangements. In-state tuition and fees are $8,675, and room and board is $8,907. For out-of-state students, tuition and fees are $16,094. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $6,079. That is $7,989 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). On average, financial aid reduces the published cost by $9,492. Azimuth ranks the university #89 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Purdue University Northwest delivers one of the strongest affordability profiles among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance is $15,571, an average across living arrangements. In-state tuition and fees are listed at $8,675, and room and board at $8,907. For families earning under $30,000 the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $1,432; it moves to $2,428 for the $30,001–$48,000 band, $7,026 for the $48,001–$75,000 band, $12,452 for the $75,001–$110,000 band, and $13,645 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $12,213. Azimuth ranks the university #89 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 61% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $9,492 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients the average net price is $6,079, which sits below the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $7,989. Out-of-state students face a higher tuition and fees figure of $16,094, though the net price for those who receive aid will still reflect the university's overall aid generosity. Graduates who borrow federal loans leave with a median federal student debt of $21,229, a figure that is level with the peer median for comparable institutions. About 76.1% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $241 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow through [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) carry a separate median of $14,984. 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**$7,026** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Purdue University Northwest Borrowing at Purdue University Northwest is moderate and closely tracks the norm for comparable institutions. The median federal student debt for borrowers who complete a degree is $21,229. That median is level with the $21,229 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). About 76.1% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. For a separate population of parent borrowers, the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan is $14,984. Graduates of Purdue University Northwest earn about $14,389 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome in the 91st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median earnings four years after completion reach $73,337, in the 81st percentile nationally, which is above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $16,036. Earnings scenarios, which reflect the university's program mix, show a typical earnings level matching the observed median, with a downside scenario of $46,550 and an upside scenario of $89,747. On the cost side, the median federal student debt at completion is $21,229, which is level with the $21,229 median for comparable institutions. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $241 a month if repaid over ten years. Earnings well above the peer median and higher-than-expected earnings point the same way, while the debt load sits right at the peer median, making the return picture straightforward. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $14,984. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $241. [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** $21,229 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $14,984 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $241/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $190/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=purdue-university-northwest#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/purdue-university-northwest/cost/) 02 / Purdue University Northwest briefing ## [Purdue University Northwest career outcomes & earnings](/school/purdue-university-northwest/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $73,337, in the 81st percentile. That is $16,036 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $14,389 more than the model expects for similar students, placing that gap at the 91st 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 $8,021. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $6,368. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,687. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Purdue University Northwest graduates who received federal aid and are working four years after completion earn a median of $73,337. That result comes from a cohort of 2,012 completers who are working and not enrolled. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, that median falls at the 81st percentile. Graduates earn about $14,389 more than the model expects for similar students. That gap is the distance between actual pay and the model's expectation for similar students. It places the university at the 91st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $46,550 on the downside to $89,747 on the upside, with typical earnings at $73,337. An estimated 24.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Purdue University Northwest who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $73,337 in the federal data. That figure falls in the 81st percentile, sitting $16,036 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Purdue University Northwest #223 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,389 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the earnings gap at the 91st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,021. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $6,368. Within the measured factors, the STEM component alone adds $2,687. The degree program mix centers on health professions, engineering technologies and business, the largest degree families at the university. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix rather than observed outcomes, span from a downside of $46,550 to an upside of $89,747. An estimated 24.9% of graduates continue on to graduate study, an estimate based on the program mix. Earnings at Purdue University Northwest vary widely by field, a pattern captured by the earnings scenarios four years after completion. The downside earnings scenario sits at $46,550, the typical scenario at $73,337, and the upside scenario reaches $89,747. That spread reflects the range of outcomes across the university's 25 programs with published data. The highest-earning programs show the upper end: Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $96,206, Mechanical Engineering graduates earn $91,229, and Nursing graduates earn $88,935. The large Nursing program, which awarded 603 degrees, sits among the top earners and ranks #84 nationally in its field. The average net price at Purdue University Northwest is $6,079, which is $7,989 below the peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That average is what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships. Borrowers who finish hold a median of $21,229 in federal student loans, a figure that is level with the peer median. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $241 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $14,984 in Parent PLUS loans. Graduates earn about $14,389 more than the model expects for similar students. The net price sits below the peer median, and the median debt is close to it. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$8,021 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$6,368 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$14,389 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/purdue-university-northwest/outcomes/) 03 / Purdue University Northwest briefing ## [Purdue University Northwest acceptance rate & admissions](/school/purdue-university-northwest/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Purdue University Northwest admits 72.4% of applicants, a rate that sits below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 72.4% **Approximate lower endpoint** 890 **Reported average** 1024 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1140 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/purdue-university-northwest/admissions/) 04 / Purdue University Northwest briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Purdue University Northwest?](/school/purdue-university-northwest/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Purdue University Northwest awards bachelor's degrees across 25 fields with published four-year earnings, and the program mix is anchored by Health Professions, which accounts for 40.3% of degrees awarded. The highest-earning programs cluster in engineering and technology. The largest program, Nursing, combines scale with strong earnings: 603 degrees awarded and a median of $88,935 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #84 nationally and #1 in Indiana. Electrical Engineering leads on earnings at $96,206, though it awarded only 25 degrees. Mechanical Engineering follows at $91,229 with 48 degrees awarded. Outside of engineering, Teacher Education and Biology sit near $49,224 and $48,094, showing how the early-career return varies by field even at a university where the overall earnings picture is strong. Purdue University Northwest offers earnings data across 25 bachelor's fields, yet only 17 carries an Azimuth national rank. That program, Nursing, shows median earnings of $88,935 four years after completion and ranks #84 nationally. With 603 degrees awarded, it dominates the bachelor's degree count at the university. The highest earnings are concentrated in engineering, where Electrical Engineering, with 25 degrees awarded, leads at $96,206 four years after completion, while Mechanical Engineering (48 degrees awarded) reaches $91,229 and Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (41 degrees awarded) reaches $85,242. By contrast, the large Teacher Education program reports $49,224, a difference that shows program choice matters greatly here. Purdue University Northwest awards bachelor's degrees across 25 programs with published four-year earnings data, and 17 holds an Azimuth national rank. The degree mix is anchored by Health Professions, which accounts for 40.3% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 16.9% and Engineering Technologies at 7.8%. The largest single program is Nursing, at 603 degrees awarded, with Teacher Education a distant second at 59 and Communication and Media Studies at 57. Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians has an Azimuth national rank. It ranks #2 in Indiana within its field, with median earnings of $85,242 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $96,206, from 25 degrees awarded a year. Mechanical Engineering follows at $91,229 with 48 degrees awarded. The earnings strength is concentrated in engineering and health fields. Outside those areas, the largest programs show a mixed picture: Teacher Education graduates earn a median of $49,224, which is a benchmark ratio of 1.04x against the national median for its field, while Communication and Media Studies and Biology sit below theirs. Across all programs, 26.3% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 603 degrees awarded** $88,935 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 59 degrees awarded** $49,224 **Communication and Media Studies 57 degrees awarded** $49,326 **Biology, General 53 degrees awarded** $48,094 **Accounting and Related Services 53 degrees awarded** $69,186 **Human Resources Management and Services 51 degrees awarded** $67,466 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/purdue-university-northwest/majors/) 05 / Purdue University Northwest briefing ## How does Purdue University Northwest serve students from different backgrounds? The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort at Purdue University Northwest is 42.9%, while Pell recipients complete at a rate of 38.6% — below the overall rate by 4.3 percentage points. Azimuth places the university's mobility pillar in the 57th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,389 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure in the 91st percentile. Purdue University Northwest serves 5,671 undergraduates in Hammond, Indiana, with a student body that includes roughly 28.1% Pell Grant recipients and an estimated 29.5% who transferred in. The university admits 72.4% of applicants, a rate below the median of 85.9% among comparable institutions. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the access pillar falls in the 62nd percentile. 06 / Purdue University Northwest briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Purdue University Northwest?](/school/purdue-university-northwest/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/purdue-university-northwest/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Purdue University Northwest. Admissions peerIndiana University-Northwest73.4% admitted+ Comparison with Purdue University Northwest | Measure | Purdue University Northwest | Indiana University-Northwest | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,337 | $59,535\-$13,802 vs Purdue University Northwest | | Average annual net price | $6,079 | $5,130\-$949 vs Purdue University Northwest · lower cost | | Admission rate | 72.4% | 73.4% | [Explore Indiana University-Northwest →](/school/indiana-university-northwest/) Higher-admission alternativeValparaiso University89.4% admitted+ Comparison with Purdue University Northwest | Measure | Purdue University Northwest | Valparaiso University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,337 | $69,228\-$4,109 vs Purdue University Northwest | | Average annual net price | $6,079 | $18,578+$12,499 vs Purdue University Northwest · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.4% | 89.4% | [Explore Valparaiso University →](/school/valparaiso-university/) Nearby alternativeValparaiso UniversityNearby option · IN+ Comparison with Purdue University Northwest | Measure | Purdue University Northwest | Valparaiso University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,337 | $69,228\-$4,109 vs Purdue University Northwest | | Average annual net price | $6,079 | $18,578+$12,499 vs Purdue University Northwest · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.4% | 89.4% | [Explore Valparaiso University →](/school/valparaiso-university/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Lehman College$3,148 average net price+ Comparison with Purdue University Northwest | Measure | Purdue University Northwest | CUNY Lehman College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,337 | $63,353\-$9,984 vs Purdue University Northwest | | Average annual net price | $6,079 | $3,148\-$2,931 vs Purdue University Northwest · lower cost | | Admission rate | 72.4% | 56.6% | [Explore CUNY Lehman College →](/school/cuny-lehman-college/) Similar profileUniversity of Wisconsin-PlattevilleMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Purdue University Northwest | Measure | Purdue University Northwest | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,337 | $70,899\-$2,438 vs Purdue University Northwest | | Average annual net price | $6,079 | $16,032+$9,953 vs Purdue University Northwest · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.4% | 89.4% | [Explore University of Wisconsin-Platteville →](/school/university-of-wisconsin-platteville/) 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/purdue-university-northwest/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/)