1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. SUNY Brockport Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # SUNY Brockport NY · Medium public institution · Overall rank #344 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/suny-brockport/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/suny-brockport/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/suny-brockport/admissions/)[Majors](/school/suny-brockport/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/suny-brockport/similar/) ## Azimuth composite standing: 77th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for SUNY Brockport is a public university in Brockport, New York, where Health Professions, Business, and Parks, Recreation & Fitness lead the degree mix. Mobility is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to expected earnings, while the part it attributes to a remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Return is below the levels seen at many peers. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole, and access is well above average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. The largest program is also the highest-earning one, but other large programs earn considerably less. ## SUNY Brockport at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 70.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 55.1% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $57,799 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $16,609 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $20,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $16,353 ## SUNY Brockport rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) SUNY Brockport is a public university in Brockport, New York, enrolling 5,784 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the upper quarter of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (77th percentile). The strongest pillar is mobility, and the weakest is return. The university admits 70.7% of applicants, a rate that is more selective than the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among full-time first-year students, 71.8% return for a second year, compared with a typical rate of 73.7% for similar schools. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that cohort is 55.1%, which is above the typical rate of 49.1%. An estimated 37.4% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students. The four pillars show a clear shape: mobility and access sit well above affordability and return. The spread between the strongest and weakest pillars is wide, with SUNY Brockport's strengths concentrated in who it serves and how they finish rather than in the earnings picture alone. SUNY Brockport shows its clearest strengths in mobility and access, while return is the constraint. Azimuth places its mobility pillar in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, its strongest pillar. Azimuth puts access in the 82nd percentile and affordability in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return, the weakest pillar, sits in the 25th percentile. Strong mobility, access, and affordability standings contrast with the return result. Pell Grants go to 40.2% of undergraduates at SUNY Brockport. For enrolled students who submitted test scores, the middle half of SAT results spanned 1,100 to 1,280. The middle half of ACT results spanned 23 to 26. For access, Azimuth places SUNY Brockport at #264 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among Pell recipients, 60.8% finish within six years, exceeding the overall cohort rate (55.1%) by 5.7 percentage points. Azimuth ranks SUNY Brockport #191 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,553 less than the model expects for similar students, which means mobility standing and the earnings gap move in opposite directions here. [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/) SUNY Brockport rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #344 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 87 **Access & reach** National percentile: 82 **[Affordability](/school/suny-brockport/cost/)** National percentile: 76 **[Return on investment](/school/suny-brockport/outcomes/)** National percentile: 25 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management**#26** 2. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#47** 3. Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies**#58** 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/suny-brockport/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / SUNY Brockport briefing ## [SUNY Brockport cost & financial aid](/school/suny-brockport/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,353 at SUNY Brockport, compared with a published annual cost of attendance of $26,046. The published budget includes in-state tuition and fees of $8,752, out-of-state tuition and fees of $15,822, and room and board of $16,418. Aid recipients receive an average reduction of $9,693 from that sticker cost. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, making Brockport's average $2,285 above that benchmark. Azimuth places the university's affordability pillar in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, though its average aid-recipient price sits above the comparable-school median. At SUNY Brockport, the published cost of attendance is $26,046, but aid-recipient costs differ sharply by family income. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $10,911 for the lowest-income band, $12,699 for the lower-middle-income band, $16,609 for the middle-income band, $17,818 for the upper-middle-income band, and $20,625 for the highest-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,714. Azimuth ranks the public university #338 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 37% of the published cost, or $9,693 against the sticker price. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,353, which is $2,285 above the $14,068 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). In-state tuition and fees are $8,752, and out-of-state tuition and fees are $15,822; room and board are $16,418. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $20,000, $1,229 below the $21,229 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). 90.8% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans, and that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $227 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $16,353. 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**$16,609** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at SUNY Brockport Federal borrowing is widespread at SUNY Brockport: 90.8% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $20,000. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $21,229, and the university’s median is below that figure by $1,229. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $16,353. The lower median debt coincides with federal borrowing being common among undergraduates. The investment picture at SUNY Brockport is mixed. Graduates earn a median of $57,799 four years after completion, in the 43rd percentile nationally. That is $498 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). However, they earn about $8,553 less than the model expects for similar students, an outcome that falls in the 23rd percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from $45,792 in a downside case to $85,083 in an upside case, with a typical scenario of $57,799. On the borrowing side, the median federal student debt at completion is $20,000, which is $1,229 below the $21,229 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $227 a month if repaid over ten years. The return picture is mixed: earnings beat the peer median but fall short of the model's expectation. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers, a separate parent-borrower population, have median federal borrowing of $16,353. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $227 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** $20,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $16,353 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $227/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $208/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=suny-brockport#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/suny-brockport/cost/) 02 / SUNY Brockport briefing ## [SUNY Brockport career outcomes & earnings](/school/suny-brockport/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return is the weakest of the four pillars for SUNY Brockport, at the 25th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median earnings for federally aided graduates four years after completion are $57,799, in the 43rd percentile nationally. That figure is $498 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $8,553 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap in the 23rd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,748. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,301. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $415. For earnings, SUNY Brockport sits modestly above comparable institutions but below the model's expectation. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $57,799. Azimuth places that earnings level in the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort contains 2,233 completers. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university is above it by $498. Graduates earn about $8,553 less than the model expects for similar students. A typical earnings scenario is $57,799, and an estimated 28.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The peer comparison and model result point in different directions. The return picture at SUNY Brockport is mixed: median earnings are $57,799 four years after completion, in the 43rd percentile. This is $498 above the peer median of $57,301, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $8,553 less than the model expects for similar students, placing [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) in the 23rd percentile. That gap is what graduates earn minus what the model expects for similar students. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,748. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,301. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $415. Downside and upside earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix are $45,792 and $85,083. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 25th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing is the largest program, with 250 degrees awarded and median earnings of $88,583 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #123 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management awarded 20 degrees and earned an Azimuth national rank of #26 in its field. The range across these fields means the schoolwide median is a broad summary rather than a single program outcome. At SUNY Brockport, earnings scenarios indicate substantial earnings variation across program mixes. The downside scenario is $45,792, compared with an upside scenario of $85,083; these are earnings scenarios rather than observed groups. Among fields with published earnings, Nursing completers have median earnings of $88,583 four years after completion. Finance is at $70,248, and Accounting is at $68,712 on the same timeline. These are among the higher-earning fields in the published data. Mobility is the clearest strength at SUNY Brockport, while the earnings-and-debt picture is less even. At completion, borrowers' median federal student loan debt is $20,000, below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,229. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $227 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $8,553 less than the model expects for similar students. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,353, above the peer median by $2,285. Debt below peers sits alongside a net price above peers and earnings below the model's expectation. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$3,748 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$12,301 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$8,553 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/suny-brockport/outcomes/) 03 / SUNY Brockport briefing ## [SUNY Brockport acceptance rate & admissions](/school/suny-brockport/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission at SUNY Brockport is less open than at comparable institutions, based on the reported admission rate. The university admitted 70.7% of applicants, below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 70.7% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1100 **Reported average** 1193 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1280 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/suny-brockport/admissions/) 04 / SUNY Brockport briefing ## [What are the largest majors at SUNY Brockport?](/school/suny-brockport/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At SUNY Brockport, program choice makes a visible difference in earnings four years after completion. Nursing reports median earnings of $88,583 and 250 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #123 nationally within its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. Subject-Area Teacher Education has median earnings of $53,378, 105 degrees awarded, and an Azimuth national field rank of #47. More moderate earnings appear in Criminal Justice, at $54,634 with 106 degrees awarded and an Azimuth rank of #106 nationally within its field. Kinesiology and Physical Education records $49,241, 146 degrees awarded, and an Azimuth national field rank of #159. The contrast between these fields shows that the earnings picture varies substantially by program. Azimuth assigns national ranks to 21 bachelor's fields at SUNY Brockport among nonprofit four-year institutions in their fields, and earnings are published for 24 fields. Subject-Area Teacher Education ranks #47 nationally by Azimuth, with 105 degrees awarded and median earnings of $53,378 four years after completion. Health Professions accounts for 21.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded at SUNY Brockport, with Business next at 12.1% and Parks, Recreation & Fitness at 9.7%. The university has 21 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 24 with published four-year earnings data. The largest programs are Nursing at 250 degrees awarded, Kinesiology and Physical Education at 146, and Psychology at 122. Nursing is also the highest-earning program, with a median of $88,583 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #25 in New York within its field. The highest-ranked program is Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, which awards 20 degrees a year and ranks #1 in New York within its field. Subject-Area Teacher Education ranks #47 nationally and #11 in New York within its field, with 105 degrees awarded and median earnings of $53,378. Strength is concentrated in a few professional fields. The largest program is also the best-paid, and the highest-ranked programs are in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management and Subject-Area Teacher Education. Across all fields, 7.5% of degrees are in STEM, so the earnings picture is shaped more by health professions and business than by technical fields. Four-year earnings for fields that commonly precede graduate study may understate later trajectories. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 250 degrees awarded** $88,583 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 146 degrees awarded** $49,241 **Psychology, General 122 degrees awarded** $48,050 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 106 degrees awarded** $54,634 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 105 degrees awarded** $53,378 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 97 degrees awarded** $59,839 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/suny-brockport/majors/) 05 / SUNY Brockport briefing ## How does SUNY Brockport serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is SUNY Brockport's strongest Azimuth pillar. Azimuth places the university in the 87th percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 55.1%, while Pell recipients complete at 60.8%, above the overall rate by 5.7 percentage points. Graduates earn about $8,553 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places [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, in the 23rd percentile nationally. Access at SUNY Brockport combines a broad Pell presence with a sizable estimated transfer-in share. Of its 5,784 undergraduates, 40.2% receive Pell Grants, a financial-access measure, and an estimated 37.4% arrive as transfers or part-time students. The university admits 70.7% of applicants. Azimuth places its access pillar in the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. 06 / SUNY Brockport briefing ## [What colleges are similar to SUNY Brockport?](/school/suny-brockport/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/suny-brockport/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with SUNY Brockport. Admissions peerRoberts Wesleyan University70.6% admitted+ Comparison with SUNY Brockport | Measure | SUNY Brockport | Roberts Wesleyan University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,799 | $64,802+$7,003 vs SUNY Brockport | | Average annual net price | $16,353 | $23,130+$6,777 vs SUNY Brockport · higher cost | | Admission rate | 70.7% | 70.6% | Higher-admission alternativeHilbert College97.2% admitted+ Comparison with SUNY Brockport | Measure | SUNY Brockport | Hilbert College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,799 | $53,063\-$4,736 vs SUNY Brockport | | Average annual net price | $16,353 | $22,723+$6,370 vs SUNY Brockport · higher cost | | Admission rate | 70.7% | 97.2% | Nearby alternativeNazareth UniversityNearby option · NY+ Comparison with SUNY Brockport | Measure | SUNY Brockport | Nazareth University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,799 | $57,472\-$327 vs SUNY Brockport | | Average annual net price | $16,353 | $29,357+$13,004 vs SUNY Brockport · higher cost | | Admission rate | 70.7% | 74.7% | [Explore Nazareth University →](/school/nazareth-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeNew Jersey Institute of Technology$91,874 earnings+ Comparison with SUNY Brockport | Measure | SUNY Brockport | New Jersey Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,799 | $91,874+$34,075 vs SUNY Brockport | | Average annual net price | $16,353 | $16,504+$151 vs SUNY Brockport · higher cost | | Admission rate | 70.7% | 65.1% | [Explore New Jersey Institute of Technology →](/school/new-jersey-institute-of-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeSUNY Buffalo State University$11,346 average net price+ Comparison with SUNY Brockport | Measure | SUNY Brockport | SUNY Buffalo State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,799 | $53,203\-$4,596 vs SUNY Brockport | | Average annual net price | $16,353 | $11,346\-$5,007 vs SUNY Brockport · lower cost | | Admission rate | 70.7% | 73.0% | [Explore SUNY Buffalo State University →](/school/suny-buffalo-state-university/) Similar profileState University of New York at CortlandMatched across several measures+ Comparison with SUNY Brockport | Measure | SUNY Brockport | State University of New York at Cortland | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,799 | $58,555+$756 vs SUNY Brockport | | Average annual net price | $16,353 | $22,345+$5,992 vs SUNY Brockport · higher cost | | Admission rate | 70.7% | 59.8% | [Explore State University of New York at Cortland →](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-cortland/) 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/suny-brockport/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/)