1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Stockton University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Stockton University NJ · Medium public institution · Overall rank #247 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/stockton-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/stockton-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/stockton-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/stockton-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/stockton-university/similar/) ## An 83rd overall Azimuth placement among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Stockton University is a public university in Galloway, New Jersey, whose degree mix is led by Business and Health Professions. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes part of that gap to the factors it measures, which adds, and part to a remainder it does not explain, which subtracts. Return is modestly below average. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the overall six-year rate, and access is well above average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and the largest programs are not the best-paid ones. ## Stockton University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 88.9% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 68.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $58,872 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $18,964 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $20,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $23,182 ## Stockton University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Stockton University is a public university in Galloway, New Jersey, enrolling 7,537 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the top fifth of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university admits 88.9% of applicants, a rate close to the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among full-time first-year students, 78.6% return for a second year, compared with a median of 73.7% for similar schools. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that first-time, full-time cohort is 68.5%, well above the peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 33.7% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes a portion of the student body rather than the whole. The four Azimuth pillars are spread across the ranking. Mobility is the strongest, and return is the weakest. Access and affordability sit between them, closer to the top than the bottom. Mobility is the clearest strength for Stockton University, though return is the limiting part of its Azimuth profile. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, mobility stands in the 93rd percentile and access in the 78th percentile. Affordability is in the 60th percentile, while return is in the 38th percentile, the weakest pillar. The pattern is uneven: strong mobility and access sit beside a more restrained return measure. Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants make up 42.3% of the student body. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores spanned 1,030 to 1,230, and the ACT middle 50% fell between 21 and 25. Among Pell recipients, the six-year completion rate is 71.0%, 2.5 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort overall. Azimuth ranks Stockton University #322 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks it #109 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,894 less 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/) Stockton University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #247 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 93 **Access & reach** National percentile: 78 **[Affordability](/school/stockton-university/cost/)** National percentile: 60 **[Return on investment](/school/stockton-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 38 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Criminology**#19** 2. Visual and Performing Arts, General**#19** 3. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#19** 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/stockton-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Stockton University briefing ## [Stockton University cost & financial aid](/school/stockton-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For a public university, Stockton University presents a published annual cost of $35,139, with in-state tuition and fees of $16,266 and room and board of $15,834. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $24,524. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $20,670. Average financial aid offsets $14,469 from the published cost. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, placing Stockton's average net price $6,602 above that benchmark. Azimuth places affordability at the 60th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The above-peer net price and this affordability standing point to a cost picture that merits close attention. Published cost of attendance at Stockton University is $35,139, but average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s vary across family-income bands. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $15,135 for the lowest family-income band; $14,264 for the lower-middle band; $18,964 for the middle band; $26,140 for the upper-middle band; and $28,601 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,466. Azimuth ranks Stockton University #570 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 41% of the published cost, a savings of $14,469 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $20,670. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, putting Stockton’s average net price $6,602 above that figure. Published tuition is $16,266 for in-state students and $24,524 for out-of-state students. Aid reduces the published cost, though the overall net price sits above the peer median. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $20,500, and 90.1% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. At comparable institutions (same type and size), median federal debt is $21,229, leaving Stockton’s figure $729 below the peer median. 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 is $23,182. 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**$18,964** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Stockton University Federal borrowing is widespread at Stockton University, with 90.1% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. That makes the debt figures relevant to most students who finance their education this way. For borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $20,500. Among comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $21,229, and Stockton’s figure is $729 below it. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $23,182. Mobility is Stockton University’s strongest Azimuth pillar, but its financial return evidence is mixed. Graduates working and not enrolled earn median earnings of $58,872 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 47th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, are less favorable. Graduates earn about $2,894 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places earnings beyond expectations in the 44th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios place downside earnings at $49,805, typical earnings at $58,872, and upside earnings at $72,103. Median federal debt of $20,500 is below the $21,229 peer median, and that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. Lower-than-expected earnings alongside lower-than-peer debt leave a mixed return picture. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $23,182, a figure for parents rather than student borrowers. For borrowers with median federal debt, 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** $23,182 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $233/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $295/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=stockton-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/stockton-university/cost/) 02 / Stockton University briefing ## [Stockton University career outcomes & earnings](/school/stockton-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Stockton University has a restrained return picture despite its mobility standing. Azimuth places its return pillar in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,894 less than the model expects for similar students. This earnings-beyond-expectations measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 44th 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 $5,307. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,201. Median earnings are $58,872 four years after completion, in the 47th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with Stockton $1,571 above it. The return picture is mixed: earnings sit above peers but below the model’s expectation. Graduate earnings sit above the peer median, but the model sets a higher expectation for comparable graduates. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, Stockton University has median earnings of $58,872 four years after completion, based on an earnings cohort of 2,446 completers. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 47th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, offers a separate reference point. Graduates earn about $2,894 less than the model expects for similar students. An estimated 31.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. Earnings scenarios, rather than observed groups, show how program mix can shift the earnings picture. Above-peer earnings and below-expected earnings give different reference points. Stockton University graduates who are working and not enrolled four years after completing a degree report the median earnings of $58,872. That figure is at the 47th percentile and sits $1,571 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Stockton University #915 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions nationally. Graduates earn about $2,894 less than the model expects for similar students. That result is at the 44th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions nationally. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure the gap between what graduates actually earn and what the model expects for similar students overall. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,307 in health, business and social-science fields overall. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain instead subtracts $8,201. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $895. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from $49,805 on the downside to $72,103 on the upside. An estimated 31.6% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the program mix. These scenarios illustrate how estimated earnings can vary widely across different program clusters. Program mix leaves a wide range of possible earnings outcomes at Stockton University. The downside earnings scenario is $49,805, the typical scenario is $58,872, and the upside scenario is $72,103 four years after completion; these are scenarios, not observed groups. At the higher end of program medians four years after completion, Nursing reaches $97,739, Physics reaches $86,849, and Information Science/Studies reaches $79,310. Those program results make the modeled range concrete. At Stockton University, borrowers carry less federal debt than at comparable institutions, though modeled earnings are less favorable. Borrowers who completed leave with median federal student loan debt of $20,500. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229; the university’s figure is below it by $729. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. For aid recipients, average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $20,670. Graduates earn about $2,894 less than the model expects for similar students. Lower borrower debt and earnings below the model point in different directions. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,307 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$8,201 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$2,894 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/stockton-university/outcomes/) 03 / Stockton University briefing ## [Stockton University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/stockton-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Stockton University admitted 88.9% of applicants to its reported entering class, so the published outcome covered a large share of that year’s applicant pool. Its rate is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The reported rate summarizes a group outcome and does not forecast an individual admission decision. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 88.9% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1030 **Reported average** 1139 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1230 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/stockton-university/admissions/) 04 / Stockton University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Stockton University?](/school/stockton-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Stockton University’s nationally ranked programs show higher and more moderate earnings levels four years after completion. Health Sciences recorded median earnings of $63,295 and 325 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #19 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Visual and Performing Arts posted $40,199 with 23 degrees awarded and ranks #19 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. At the more moderate end, Criminology had median earnings of $55,408 across 169 degrees awarded. Azimuth ranks it #19 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Social Work recorded $59,102 and 83 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth rank of #29 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The figures show program-level earnings vary even among Stockton’s better-ranked fields. Health Professions accounts for 19.4% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, giving Stockton’s ranked fields a substantial health-related presence. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Health Sciences #19 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions; it awarded 325 degrees, and its completers had median earnings of $63,295 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks Criminology #19 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions; it awarded 169 degrees, and its completers had median earnings of $55,408 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks Visual and Performing Arts #19 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. The degree mix at Stockton University is led by Business, which accounts for 20.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded, closely followed by Health Professions at 19.4%. Social Sciences is the third-largest family, at 10.7% of degrees. The university has 21 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 26 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Business Administration and Management, at 385 degrees awarded, with Health Sciences next at 325 degrees awarded and Psychology at 192 degrees awarded. The strongest programs are concentrated in health and social sciences. Health Sciences, the second-largest program on campus, is the highest-ranked nationally and sits at #1 in New Jersey, with median earnings of $63,295 four years after completion. Criminology also ranks #19 nationally within its field and #1 in New Jersey, with 169 degrees awarded and median earnings of $55,408. Visual and Performing Arts awarded 23 degrees and ranks #2 in New Jersey. The highest-return program, Social Work, carries a benchmark ratio of 1.14x against the national median for its field, with median earnings of $59,102. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Nursing, at 68 degrees awarded, reports median earnings of $97,739. The pattern is one of strength in fields tied to public service and health, with the top-ranked programs spanning both the largest and mid-sized departments. The highest earnings sit in Nursing, a program with fewer than a hundred degrees awarded a year, while the largest programs in business and health sciences post lower earnings. Across all fields, 15.4% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 385 degrees awarded** $64,060 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 325 degrees awarded** $63,295 **Psychology, General 192 degrees awarded** $50,947 **Criminology 169 degrees awarded** $55,408 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 136 degrees awarded** $54,628 **Biology, General 112 degrees awarded** $59,151 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/stockton-university/majors/) 05 / Stockton University briefing ## How does Stockton University serve students from different backgrounds? Completion anchors Stockton University's strongest measured pillar: the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 68.5%, while Pell recipients complete within six years at 71.0%, above the overall rate by 2.5 percentage points. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, its mobility pillar sits in the 93rd percentile, according to Azimuth. [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, fall in the 44th percentile. Graduates earn about $2,894 less than the model expects for similar students. Strong completion and below-expected earnings point in different directions. Stockton University admits 88.9% of applicants, and its undergraduate enrollment is 7,537. That combination makes a broad entry point the main takeaway from its access profile. Pell Grant recipients account for 42.3% of undergraduates, a financial-access measure, and an estimated 33.7% enter as transfers or part-time students. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the access pillar registers in the 78th percentile. Admissions, Pell participation, and transfer entry each show routes into the university. 06 / Stockton University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Stockton University?](/school/stockton-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/stockton-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Stockton University. Admissions peerMontclair State University87.9% admitted+ Comparison with Stockton University | Measure | Stockton University | Montclair State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,872 | $61,351+$2,479 vs Stockton University | | Average annual net price | $20,670 | $15,566\-$5,104 vs Stockton University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.9% | 87.9% | [Explore Montclair State University →](/school/montclair-state-university/) Higher-admission alternativeThe University of Texas at El Paso99.9% admitted+ Comparison with Stockton University | Measure | Stockton University | The University of Texas at El Paso | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,872 | $58,771\-$101 vs Stockton University | | Average annual net price | $20,670 | $9,403\-$11,267 vs Stockton University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.9% | 99.9% | [Explore The University of Texas at El Paso →](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-el-paso/) Nearby alternativeNew Jersey City UniversityNearby option · NJ+ Comparison with Stockton University | Measure | Stockton University | New Jersey City University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,872 | $60,965+$2,093 vs Stockton University | | Average annual net price | $20,670 | $16,053\-$4,617 vs Stockton University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.9% | 98.4% | [Explore New Jersey City University →](/school/new-jersey-city-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeLa Salle University$70,254 earnings+ Comparison with Stockton University | Measure | Stockton University | La Salle University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,872 | $70,254+$11,382 vs Stockton University | | Average annual net price | $20,670 | $19,409\-$1,261 vs Stockton University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.9% | 96.6% | Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with Stockton University | Measure | Stockton University | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,872 | $62,833+$3,961 vs Stockton University | | Average annual net price | $20,670 | $3,103\-$17,567 vs Stockton University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.9% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileBridgewater State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Stockton University | Measure | Stockton University | Bridgewater State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $58,872 | $59,669+$797 vs Stockton University | | Average annual net price | $20,670 | $16,383\-$4,287 vs Stockton University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.9% | 87.8% | [Explore Bridgewater State University →](/school/bridgewater-state-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/stockton-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance 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/)