1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Texas A&M University-Kingsville Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Texas A&M University-Kingsville TX · Medium public institution · Overall rank #281 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/admissions/)[Majors](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/similar/) ## Azimuth places Texas A&M University-Kingsville in the 81st percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for Texas A&M University-Kingsville is a public university in Kingsville, Texas, where the degree mix is led by Engineering and Agriculture & Natural Resources. Access is well above average, and affordability is well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gap to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. Students who arrive with Pell Grants finish within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Mobility is well above average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are in engineering. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. ## Texas A&M University-Kingsville at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 90.9% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 41.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $56,982 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,700 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,934 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $14,224 ## Texas A&M University-Kingsville rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Texas A&M University-Kingsville is a public university in Kingsville, Texas, enrolling 4,748 undergraduates. In the Azimuth ranking of 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions, the university sits in the top fifth (81st percentile). The university admits 90.9% of applicants, a rate that is above the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among those who start full time, 64.6% return for a second year and 41.9% finish within six years. Those rates sit below the peer medians of 73.7% and 49.1%. An estimated 20.7% 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 are not far apart, but access is the strongest (83rd percentile) and return is the weakest (53rd percentile). Affordability and mobility sit between them (82nd and 76th percentiles). The shape is a broad-access public campus where access and affordability are strongest, while return is the most modest of the four. Access and affordability are the clearest strengths in the Azimuth profile for Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth places its access pillar in the 83rd percentile and its affordability pillar in the 82nd percentile, with mobility in the 76th percentile. Return is the weakest pillar, at the 53rd percentile. Strong access, affordability, and mobility sit alongside a more middle-of-the-pack return measure. 52.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 990 and 1,110. Azimuth ranks Texas A&M University-Kingsville #244 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 40.5%, which is 1.4 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (41.9%). Azimuth ranks the university #357 for mobility. Graduates earn about $9,314 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Texas A&M University-Kingsville rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #281 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #27 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #98 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 76 **Access & reach** National percentile: 83 **[Affordability](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/cost/)** National percentile: 82 **[Return on investment](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/outcomes/)** National percentile: 53 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Agriculture, General**#10** 2. Music**#14** 3. Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians**#24** 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-am-university-kingsville/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Texas A&M University-Kingsville briefing ## [Texas A&M University-Kingsville cost & financial aid](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, Texas A&M University-Kingsville brings its published cost down to an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) of $12,090. The published cost of attendance is $24,060, including $9,892 in-state tuition and fees and $11,200 for room and board. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $25,746. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, leaves average financial aid savings of $11,970 against the sticker price. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, making this average $1,978 below that benchmark. Azimuth ranks the university #260 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lower net price and affordability standing point in the same direction for aid recipients. For families receiving aid, Texas A&M University-Kingsville has a published cost of attendance of $24,060, with costs after grants and scholarships differing across family-income bands. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $10,207 in the lowest family-income band, $10,960 in the lower-middle band, $12,700 in the middle band, $15,325 in the upper-middle band, and $19,553 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,346, and Azimuth ranks the university #260 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 50% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, rather than promising the same result for every family. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $12,090 after average financial-aid savings of $11,970 against the sticker price. That figure is $1,978 below the peer median net price of $14,068, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition and fees are $9,892, compared with $25,746 for out-of-state tuition and fees. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $22,934, and 80.2% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The peer median debt is $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size), placing the university's figure $1,705 above that benchmark. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $261 a month if repaid over ten years. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $14,224. 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**$12,700** 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 University-Kingsville Federal borrowing is common at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, with 80.2% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $22,934. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median federal debt is $21,229, placing the university's median above by $1,705. For the separate population of [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers, median borrowing is $14,224. Graduates of Texas A&M University-Kingsville earn about $9,314 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome at the 82nd percentile nationally. The median earnings four years after completion is $56,982, at the 39th percentile, which is $319 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, show a typical outcome of $56,982, with a downside case of $42,526 and an upside case of $84,300. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $22,934 in federal student loans, $1,705 above the median of $21,229 for comparable institutions. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $261 a month. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $14,224, a figure for a separate parent-borrower population. The median federal student debt cited above corresponds to an estimated payment of $261 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** $22,934 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $14,224 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $261/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $181/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-am-university-kingsville#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/cost/) 02 / Texas A&M University-Kingsville briefing ## [Texas A&M University-Kingsville career outcomes & earnings](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is mixed: graduates earn about $9,314 more than the model expects for similar students. That earnings-beyond-expectations measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 82nd percentile. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 53rd 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 $1,068. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $8,246. Four years after completion, the median earnings figure is $56,982, in the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with Texas A&M University-Kingsville below it by $319. Higher-than-expected earnings and a modest peer edge sit alongside a lower earnings percentile. The schoolwide earnings measure is a useful starting point, while earnings scenarios show that outcomes can differ across program mixes. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, Texas A&M University-Kingsville reports median earnings of $56,982 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The measure is based on an earnings cohort of 1,177 completers. The typical earnings scenario is $56,982 four years after completion; scenarios are model outputs, not observed groups. An estimated 27.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The median gives the schoolwide reference point, and the scenarios supply context for differences by field. Texas A&M University-Kingsville posts median earnings of $56,982 four years after completion, in the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with the university below it by $319. Graduates earn about $9,314 more than the model expects for similar students, placing [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). That gap is in the 82nd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $1,068. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $8,246. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,081. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $42,526 on the downside to $84,300 on the upside. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 53rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, pairing earnings above the peer median with higher-than-expected earnings. At the high end of the program earnings data, Chemical Engineering has 29 degrees awarded and median earnings of $97,811 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #75 nationally within its field. Program choice matters here: earnings scenarios run from $42,526 in the downside scenario to $84,300 in the upside scenario, both four years after completion. These are earnings scenarios rather than observed groups. The higher end is illustrated by Chemical Engineering at $97,811, Electrical Engineering at $94,810, and Mechanical Engineering at $88,830 four years after completion. Those field-level medians show why the modeled range is wider than the schoolwide figure alone suggests. For families weighing price against outcomes, Texas A&M University-Kingsville has an average net price below that of comparable institutions. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $12,090, below the $14,068 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,978. Graduates earn about $9,314 more than the model expects for similar students. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $22,934, above the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,705. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $261 a month if repaid over ten years. The lower net price and higher-than-expected earnings point favorably, though borrower debt sits above the peer median. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$1,068 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$8,246 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$9,314 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-am-university-kingsville/outcomes/) 03 / Texas A&M University-Kingsville briefing ## [Texas A&M University-Kingsville acceptance rate & admissions](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission is relatively broad at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where 90.9% of applicants were admitted in the reported entering class. This is above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size), placing the reported rate higher than its comparison point. The figure summarizes that reported applicant pool rather than setting a cutoff or forecasting a decision. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 90.9% **Approximate lower endpoint** 990 **Reported average** 1050 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1110 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-am-university-kingsville/admissions/) 04 / Texas A&M University-Kingsville briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Texas A&M University-Kingsville?](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At Texas A&M University-Kingsville, program earnings differ across fields, so the schoolwide figure does not describe every academic option. These medians cover completers working four years after completion, with higher- and moderate-earning fields separated clearly. For Agriculture, median earnings are $58,245 and 26 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the field #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Music records $57,117 with 32 degrees awarded and ranks #14 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians has $71,207 in median earnings, 29 degrees awarded, and an Azimuth rank of #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The contrast shows why program choice matters for the return picture. Texas A&M University-Kingsville has 17 bachelor’s programs with an Azimuth national field rank, alongside published earnings for 22 programs. The ranked programs span distinct earnings levels, so the field chosen matters to the outcome picture. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Agriculture #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; it awarded 26 degrees and reports median earnings of $58,245 four years after completion. Music ranks #14 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, with 32 degrees awarded and $57,117 in median earnings. Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ranks #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, awarded 29 degrees, and shows median earnings of $71,207. The program mix at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is built around Engineering, which accounts for 20.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Agriculture & Natural Resources at 12.3% and Biological Sciences at 7.9%. The university has 17 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 22 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Biology, at 75 degrees awarded, with Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies close behind at 64 and Civil Engineering at 62. The highest-ranked program is Agriculture, with 26 degrees awarded and median earnings of $58,245 four years after completion, and it ranks #4 in Texas within its field. Music ranks #14 nationally and #7 in Texas within its field, with 32 degrees awarded and median earnings of $57,117. The highest-earning program is Chemical Engineering, while Electrical Engineering follows at $94,810 from 20 degrees awarded. Mechanical Engineering, the fourth-largest program at 55 degrees awarded, earns a median of $88,830. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in engineering: the largest family and four of the five highest-earning programs all sit in that family. Biology, the largest single program, earns $42,405 and ranks #363 nationally within its field, well below the engineering programs around it. The highest-earning programs shown are concentrated in engineering, while the largest single program, Biology, has lower median earnings. 28.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Biology, General 75 degrees awarded** $42,405 **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 64 degrees awarded** $55,231 **Civil Engineering 62 degrees awarded** $75,033 **Mechanical Engineering 55 degrees awarded** $88,830 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 54 degrees awarded** $56,170 **Animal Sciences 42 degrees awarded** $44,214 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-am-university-kingsville/majors/) 05 / Texas A&M University-Kingsville briefing ## How does Texas A&M University-Kingsville serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is another relative strength: the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 41.9%, while Pell recipients complete within six years at 40.5%, below the overall rate by 1.4 percentage points. Azimuth places Texas A&M University-Kingsville's mobility pillar in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,314 more than the model expects for similar students four years after completion. [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, sits in the 82nd percentile. The mobility standing and earnings measure point in the same direction. A broad admission rate and substantial Pell Grant presence make access a central part of the picture at Texas A&M University-Kingsville: 90.9% of applicants are admitted, and 52.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Undergraduate enrollment is 4,748, with an estimated 20.7% arriving after beginning elsewhere. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 83rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. 06 / Texas A&M University-Kingsville briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Texas A&M University-Kingsville?](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/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-am-university-kingsville/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Admissions peerTexas A & M University-Corpus Christi88.6% admitted+ Comparison with Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Measure | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,982 | $59,765+$2,783 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | Average annual net price | $12,090 | $15,225+$3,135 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.9% | 88.6% | [Explore Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi →](/school/texas-a-m-university-corpus-christi/) Nearby alternativeTexas A & M University-Corpus ChristiNearby option · TX+ Comparison with Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Measure | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,982 | $59,765+$2,783 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | Average annual net price | $12,090 | $15,225+$3,135 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.9% | 88.6% | [Explore Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi →](/school/texas-a-m-university-corpus-christi/) Higher-earnings alternativeSan Jose State University$89,614 earnings+ Comparison with Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Measure | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | San Jose State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,982 | $89,614+$32,632 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | Average annual net price | $12,090 | $13,760+$1,670 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.9% | 84.6% | [Explore San Jose State University →](/school/san-jose-state-university/) Lower-cost alternativeTexas A & M International University$3,637 average net price+ Comparison with Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Measure | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Texas A & M International University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,982 | $50,288\-$6,694 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | Average annual net price | $12,090 | $3,637\-$8,453 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville · lower cost | | Admission rate | 90.9% | 44.4% | [Explore Texas A & M International University →](/school/texas-a-m-international-university/) Similar profileUniversity of New OrleansMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Texas A&M University-Kingsville | Measure | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | University of New Orleans | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,982 | $56,037\-$945 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | Average annual net price | $12,090 | $12,384+$294 vs Texas A&M University-Kingsville · higher cost | | Admission rate | 90.9% | 74.3% | [Explore University of New Orleans →](/school/university-of-new-orleans/) 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-am-university-kingsville/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/)