1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Texas A & M International University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Texas A & M International University TX · Medium public institution · Overall rank #94 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/similar/) ## A public university in Laredo with access in the 99th percentile nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for Texas A & M International University is a public university in Laredo, Texas, whose degree mix is led by Business, Security & Protective Services, and Psychology. Access is among the highest we track, and mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap to a remainder it does not explain, which subtracts from earnings, and to the factors it measures, which add to them. Return is below the levels seen at many peers. Affordability is among the highest we track, and the net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell students complete at a rate above the cohort as a whole. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and the degree mix is led by Business, Security & Protective Services, and Psychology. The largest programs are not the best-paid ones: Nursing graduates earn the most, from a smaller number of degrees awarded. ## Texas A & M International University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 44.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 46.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $50,288 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $3,840 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $15,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $8,721 ## Texas A & M International University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Texas A & M International University is a public university in Laredo, Texas, enrolling 6,667 undergraduates. Its composite standing in the Azimuth ranking sits near the top of the field among nonprofit four-year institutions (94th percentile). The university admits 44.4% of applicants, a rate that is considerably lower than the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 77.8% return for a second year, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 46.5%, compared with a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 29.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so a significant portion of the student body did not begin their studies here. The four pillars that make up the composite are not evenly balanced. Access is the strongest, and affordability is close behind. Mobility also sits high. Return is the weakest of the four, creating a wide gap between the institution's strongest and weakest dimensions. Azimuth places Texas A & M International University in the 99th percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university's strongest pillar. Affordability follows at the 98th percentile, and mobility at the 93rd percentile. The return pillar is the weakest, in the 17th percentile. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #94 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 890 and 1,090, and ACT scores between 16 and 22. Pell Grants reach 64.5% of undergraduates, a measure of financial access. For access, Azimuth ranks Texas A & M International University #22 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year completion rate for Pell recipients is 54.1%, 7.6 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (46.5%). For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #108 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,706 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/) Texas A & M International University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #94 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #14 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #31 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 93 **Access & reach** National percentile: 99 **[Affordability](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/cost/)** National percentile: 98 **[Return on investment](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 17 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Systems Engineering**#9** 2. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#82** 3. Criminal Justice and Corrections**#140** 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/texas-a-m-international-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Texas A & M International University briefing ## [Texas A & M International University cost & financial aid](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Texas A & M International University publishes a cost of attendance of $15,558 (an average). In-state tuition and fees are $7,894, and room and board are $10,826. Out-of-state students face tuition and fees of $19,454. After financial aid, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients drops to $3,637, a savings of $11,921 against the sticker price. Aid covers about 77% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. That average net price is below the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $10,431. Azimuth ranks the university #25 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Texas A & M International University publishes an average cost of attendance of $15,558. In-state tuition and fees are $7,894, and room and board is $10,826. After aid, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships — is $3,097 for families earning under $30,000, $3,840 for the $48,001–$75,000 band, and $10,697 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $7,600. Azimuth ranks the university #25 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 77% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $11,921 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $3,637, which sits below the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $10,431. Out-of-state students face a higher published tuition of $19,454, though the net price figures here are on an in-state basis. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, the median federal student debt is $15,000, with about 55.1% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. That debt is below the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions by $6,229. The median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $8,721. If repaid over ten years, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $170 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$3,840** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Texas A & M International University At Texas A & M International University, 55.1% of federal aid recipients take out federal loans. Borrowers who complete hold a median federal debt of $15,000. That median is below the $21,229 level for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $6,229. For parent borrowers, a separate population, the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan is $8,721. The median federal student debt at Texas A & M International University is $15,000, which is below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated monthly payment of $170. Four years after completion, graduates earn a median of $50,288, a figure in the 18th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,706 less than the model expects for similar students, an outcome in the 41st percentile nationally. Earnings scenarios, derived from the university's program mix, range from a downside of $40,998 to an upside of $69,501, with $50,288 as the typical outcome. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $8,721. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $170. [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** $15,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $8,721 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $170/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $111/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=texas-a-m-international-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/cost/) 02 / Texas A & M International University briefing ## [Texas A & M International University career outcomes & earnings](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/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 $50,288, in the 18th percentile. That figure is $7,013 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $3,706 less than the model expects for similar students, placing that gap at the 41st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 17th 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 $1,056. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $4,762. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $769. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Texas A & M International University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $50,288. That is $7,013 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The earnings figure covers a cohort of 1,707 completers and falls at the 18th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix span from $40,998 on the downside to $69,501 on the upside, with a typical outcome at the same level as the median. An estimated 32.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Earnings fall short of both the peer median and what the model expects. Four years after completion, the median earnings of Texas A & M International University graduates stand at $50,288, which places the university in the 18th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure is below the median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size), a gap of $7,013. Graduates earn about $3,706 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 41st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $1,056. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $4,762. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $769. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #1,215 for return on investment. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $40,998 and an upside of $69,501. The largest program, Criminal Justice, awarded 178 degrees and shows median earnings of $48,833 four years after completion. Psychology follows with 165 degrees awarded and a median of $39,993. The highest-earning program is Nursing, with 108 degrees awarded and a median of $83,327, which is 0.94x the national median for the field. Systems Engineering graduates, with 45 degrees awarded, earn a median of $60,126. Earnings four years after completion vary considerably by field at Texas A & M International University. The downside earnings scenario sits at $40,998, while the upside scenario reaches $69,501 — a spread that reflects the university's mix of programs. Nursing completers earn a median of $83,327, the highest among the university's programs with earnings data. Systems Engineering graduates follow at $60,126, and Mathematics completers earn $55,272. The largest program, Criminal Justice, awards 178 degrees and shows a median of $48,833. Texas A & M International University publishes a cost of attendance of $15,558 (an average across living arrangements). For aid recipients, the average net price after grants and scholarships is $3,637, which is $10,431 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete their degree carry a median of $15,000 in federal student loans. This is $6,229 below the $21,229 peer median, and corresponds to an estimated payment of $170 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $8,721. A low net price and below-peer debt point the same way, keeping the cost of attendance within reach for most families. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$1,056 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$4,762 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$3,706 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/texas-a-m-international-university/outcomes/) 03 / Texas A & M International University briefing ## [Texas A & M International University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Texas A & M International University admits 44.4% of applicants, well below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 44.4% **Approximate lower endpoint** 890 **Reported average** 993 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1090 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/texas-a-m-international-university/admissions/) 04 / Texas A & M International University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Texas A & M International University?](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The largest programs at Texas A & M International University show a clear split. The fields that award the most degrees differ from the one that pays the most four years after completion. Criminal Justice awards the most degrees, at 178, with a median of $48,833. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #140 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Psychology is close behind in size, at 165 degrees awarded, and its median earnings of $39,993 rank #315 nationally. Nursing is the highest-earning of the large programs, with 108 degrees awarded and a median of $83,327. Azimuth ranks it #189 in its field. The contrast between that figure and the earnings in the two largest programs is the main story in the program data. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 15 of the university's bachelor's programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The best-ranked is Systems Engineering, at #9 in its field and #1 in Texas, with 45 degrees awarded and median earnings of $60,126 four years after completion. The largest program is Criminal Justice, with 178 degrees awarded and a national rank of #140. Psychology follows at 165 degrees, and Business Administration and Management at 141. Earnings vary widely by field. Nursing graduates earn a median of $83,327, the highest among the university's programs, while Psychology graduates earn $39,993. The largest program and the highest-earning one are not the same, so the return a graduate sees depends heavily on the field they choose. Texas A & M International University awards bachelor's degrees across 15 ranked programs, with earnings data published for 20. The program mix leans toward professional fields: Business accounts for 16.6% of degrees awarded, followed by Security & Protective Services at 14.0% and Psychology at 13.0%. The largest single programs are Criminal Justice with 178 degrees awarded, Psychology with 165, and Business Administration and Management with 141. The highest-ranked program is Systems Engineering, which ranks #1 in Texas within its field and awards 45 degrees a year. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies also stands out, with a national rank of #82 from 24 degrees awarded annually. The highest-earning program is Nursing, where graduates earn a median of $83,327 four years out. It is also the fifth-largest program, with 108 degrees awarded. Systems Engineering is the next highest-earning program, with a median of $60,126 four years after completion. Strength is concentrated in a few programs rather than spread across the catalog. The largest programs by degrees awarded are not the highest-earning, and the highest-ranked program is a small one. Across all fields, 14.7% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings for fields where graduate study is common may understate later trajectories. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Criminal Justice and Corrections 178 degrees awarded** $48,833 **Psychology, General 165 degrees awarded** $39,993 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 141 degrees awarded** $48,187 **Biology, General 126 degrees awarded** $53,125 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 108 degrees awarded** $83,327 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 64 degrees awarded** $50,261 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/texas-a-m-international-university/majors/) 05 / Texas A & M International University briefing ## How does Texas A & M International University serve students from different backgrounds? Azimuth places Texas A & M International University in the 93rd 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 46.5%, while Pell recipients complete at 54.1% — above the overall rate by 7.6 percentage points. Graduates earn about $3,706 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 41st percentile. Azimuth places the access pillar of Texas A & M International University in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university admits 44.4% of applicants and enrolls 6,667 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 64.5% of the undergraduate body, and an estimated 29.5% arrive as transfers or part-time students. 06 / Texas A & M International University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Texas A & M International University?](/school/texas-a-m-international-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/texas-a-m-international-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Texas A & M International University. Admissions peerWilberforce University40.5% admitted+ Comparison with Texas A & M International University | Measure | Texas A & M International University | Wilberforce University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $50,288 | $45,958\-$4,330 vs Texas A & M International University | | Average annual net price | $3,637 | $5,567+$1,930 vs Texas A & M International University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 44.4% | 40.5% | Higher-admission alternativeTexas A&M University-Kingsville90.9% admitted+ Comparison with Texas A & M International University | Measure | Texas A & M International University | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $50,288 | $56,982+$6,694 vs Texas A & M International University | | Average annual net price | $3,637 | $12,090+$8,453 vs Texas A & M International University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 44.4% | 90.9% | [Explore Texas A&M University-Kingsville →](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/) Nearby alternativeTexas A&M University-KingsvilleNearby option · TX+ Comparison with Texas A & M International University | Measure | Texas A & M International University | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $50,288 | $56,982+$6,694 vs Texas A & M International University | | Average annual net price | $3,637 | $12,090+$8,453 vs Texas A & M International University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 44.4% | 90.9% | [Explore Texas A&M University-Kingsville →](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/) Higher-earnings alternativeCUNY Bernard M Baruch College$82,748 earnings+ Comparison with Texas A & M International University | Measure | Texas A & M International University | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $50,288 | $82,748+$32,460 vs Texas A & M International University | | Average annual net price | $3,637 | $3,033\-$604 vs Texas A & M International University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 44.4% | 47.5% | [Explore CUNY Bernard M Baruch College →](/school/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college/) Lower-cost alternativeSan Diego Christian College$992 average net price+ Comparison with Texas A & M International University | Measure | Texas A & M International University | San Diego Christian College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $50,288 | $50,741+$453 vs Texas A & M International University | | Average annual net price | $3,637 | $992\-$2,645 vs Texas A & M International University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 44.4% | 30.8% | Similar profileTexas A&M University-San AntonioMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Texas A & M International University | Measure | Texas A & M International University | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $50,288 | $55,112+$4,824 vs Texas A & M International University | | Average annual net price | $3,637 | $11,196+$7,559 vs Texas A & M International University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 44.4% | 92.8% | [Explore Texas A&M University-San Antonio →](/school/texas-am-university-san-antonio/) 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/texas-a-m-international-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)