1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga TN · Large public institution · Overall rank #393 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/admissions/)[Majors](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/similar/) ## Azimuth places The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga at 73rd overall among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is a public university in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the degree mix is led by Business, Parks, Recreation & Fitness, and Psychology. Affordability 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 earnings, while the remainder it does not explain subtracts from them. Pell recipients complete within a few points of the rate for 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 above the median for comparable institutions. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. ## The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 81.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 50.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $57,377 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $13,594 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $19,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $17,353 ## The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga enrolls 10,074 undergraduates as a public university in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In the Azimuth ranking of nonprofit four-year institutions, it sits in the upper half (73rd percentile). The strongest pillar is affordability, and the weakest is return, with access and mobility landing between them. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga admits 81.1% of applicants, against a peer median of 78.1% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Retention and completion both run below the peer medians. 72.5% of first-year students return for a second year, against a peer median of 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 50.2%, below the peer median of 65.0%. An estimated 22.4% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, and the six-year rate describes only the first-time, full-time cohort. The four pillars are spread apart. Affordability is the strongest (at the 81st percentile) and return is the weakest (at the 39th percentile). Access and mobility sit between them (at the 79th and 73rd percentiles). The gap between the two ends is wide. Affordability is the clearest part of the profile, though return is the area that warrants the most caution. Azimuth places The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's affordability pillar in the 81st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places access in the 79th percentile and mobility in the 73rd percentile. Return, the weakest pillar, is in the 39th percentile. Stronger affordability, access, and mobility readings sit beside a lower return reading. Pell Grants reach 32.8% of undergraduates at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Among enrolled students who submitted test scores, the middle 50% of SAT results fell between 1,013 and 1,210, while the corresponding ACT band ran from 20 to 26. Azimuth ranks the university #311 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients finish within six years at 48.1%, a rate that falls 2.1 percentage points below the figure for the entering cohort as a whole (50.2%). Azimuth ranks the university #390 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,533 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/) The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #393 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 73 **Access & reach** National percentile: 79 **[Affordability](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/cost/)** National percentile: 81 **[Return on investment](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/outcomes/)** National percentile: 39 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Engineering-Related Fields**#9** 2. Social Sciences, Other**#12** 3. Civil Engineering**#46** 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/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga briefing ## [The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga cost & financial aid](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, aid recipients face an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) below the comparable-school midpoint, a cost picture that aligns with the university’s affordability standing. The published cost of attendance is $25,489, including $10,448 for in-state tuition and fees and $12,604 for room and board. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $18,512. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $14,265. Financial aid offsets $11,224 of the published cost on average. At comparable institutions, meaning those in the same type and size, the peer median net price is $15,634, with this university $1,369 below it. Azimuth ranks the university #263 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lower average net price and Azimuth placement point in the same direction for affordability. At The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, the published cost of attendance is $25,489, but aid recipients face different average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s by family-income band. The average net price is $9,876 in the lowest-income band, $10,919 in the next band, $13,594 in the middle band, $17,374 in the next-highest band, and $19,137 in the highest-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,261, and Azimuth ranks the university #263 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Across all aid recipients, the average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $14,265. Aid covers about 44% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $11,224. The peer median net price, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $15,634, placing the university's average $1,369 below it. Published in-state tuition is $10,448, compared with $18,512 for out-of-state tuition; the lower-than-peer net price and aid offset point in the same direction. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $19,500, and 83.8% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The peer median debt for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $20,076, leaving the median here $576 below that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $17,353. 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**$13,594** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga has widespread federal borrowing, though its median federal debt sits below the comparable-school midpoint. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $19,500. Federal loans are used by 83.8% of federal aid recipients. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median federal debt of $20,076, making the university’s median $576 below it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $17,353. Affordability is the strongest pillar at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, although the return figures give a mixed picture for the cost of earning a degree. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $57,377, in the 40th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,533 less than the model expects for similar students. That earnings gap sits in the 38th percentile. Earnings scenarios range from $44,146 in the downside case to $80,401 in the upside case, with the typical scenario aligned to the observed median. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $19,500, $576 below the $20,076 peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. Lower debt and the earnings measures point in different directions. At The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, parent borrowers had median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $17,353, separate from federal student-loan borrowers. For median federal student debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 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** $19,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $17,353 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $222/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $220/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=the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/cost/) 02 / The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga briefing ## [The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga career outcomes & earnings](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completion, federally aided completers working and not enrolled at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga have median earnings of $57,377. That earnings measure places in the 40th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610; the university is $8,233 below that figure. Graduates earn about $4,533 less than the model expects for similar students. [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 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,095. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,628. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga reports a median of $57,377 four years after completion among 2,356 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That is $8,233 below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The median sits at the 40th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,533 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) sits at the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Estimated earnings scenarios from the program mix run from $44,146 on the downside to $80,401 on the upside, with $57,377 as the typical outcome. An estimated 28.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The wide spread between the downside and upside scenarios coincides with a broad range of earnings across fields. For The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, return measures show earnings below the peer median and below the model’s expectation. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $57,377 four years after completion, in the 40th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610; the university’s figure is $8,233 below it. Graduates earn about $4,533 less than the model expects for similar students. [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, is in the 38th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,095. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,628. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,643. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix put the downside at $44,146 and the upside at $80,401. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program earnings vary across the listed fields. Kinesiology and Physical Education is the largest listed program, with 212 degrees awarded and median earnings of $48,413 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #140 nationally. Engineering-Related Fields awarded 51 degrees and has median earnings of $92,900, while Civil Engineering awarded 24 degrees and has median earnings of $91,615. At The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, earnings scenarios run from $44,146 on the downside to $80,401 on the upside four years after completion. The range reflects scenarios based on the program mix, rather than observed groups of graduates. At the higher end, median earnings four years after completion are $92,900 in Engineering-Related Fields, $92,511 in Chemical Engineering, and $91,615 in Civil Engineering. Those fields sit well above the downside scenario, making the spread across programs clear. Affordability is the strongest pillar at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and the numbers bear that out. The average net price—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $14,265, which is $1,369 below the $15,634 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $19,500 in federal student loans, $576 below the $20,076 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $17,353. Cost and debt both run below their peer medians. Affordability sits at the 81st percentile. Graduates earn about $4,533 less than the model expects for similar students, and the return pillar sits at the 39th percentile. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$8,095 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$12,628 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,533 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/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/outcomes/) 03 / The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga briefing ## [The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga acceptance rate & admissions](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga admits 81.1% of applicants, a figure that sits close to the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 81.1% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1013 **Reported average** 1147 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1210 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/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/admissions/) 04 / The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga briefing ## [What are the largest majors at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga?](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The top-ranked programs include high-earning engineering fields alongside lower-earning sciences. Chemistry had median earnings of $71,634 four years after completion across 24 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #61 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Engineering-Related Fields recorded $92,900 from 51 degrees awarded and ranks #9 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Social Sciences posted $43,858 across 25 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth national rank of #12 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Civil Engineering had $91,615 and 24 degrees awarded; Azimuth places it #46 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The ranked program picture includes several fields with different earnings levels four years after completion. Azimuth identifies 20 ranked bachelor's fields at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Engineering-Related Fields #9 nationally in its field; it awarded 51 degrees, and completers had median earnings of $92,900 four years after completion. Social Sciences ranks #12 nationally in its field, with 25 degrees awarded and median earnings of $43,858 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks Civil Engineering #46 nationally in its field; it awarded 24 degrees and shows $91,615 in median earnings four years after completion. Chemistry ranks #61 nationally in its field, awarded 24 degrees, and had median earnings of $71,634 four years after completion. Degrees awarded at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga are concentrated in professional fields, with Business accounting for 20.6% of bachelor's degrees, Parks, Recreation & Fitness for 10.5%, and Psychology for 9.3%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 20 programs nationally within their fields and publishes four-year earnings data for 26 programs. The largest programs by degrees awarded are Kinesiology and Physical Education at 212, Psychology at 188, and Business Administration and Management at 186. Engineering-Related Fields awards 51 degrees, with median earnings of $92,900 four years after completion. Social Sciences ranks #12 nationally within its field and #1 in Tennessee. Graduates of Engineering-Related Fields report median earnings of $92,900 four years after completion, the highest among programs, from 51 degrees awarded. Civil Engineering graduates report median earnings of $91,615 four years after completion, from 24 degrees awarded. Program strength is spread across professional and technical fields rather than concentrated in one area, with best-ranked programs that are small departments. Across all fields, 20.0% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 212 degrees awarded** $48,413 **Psychology, General 188 degrees awarded** $44,700 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 186 degrees awarded** $66,554 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 146 degrees awarded** $46,029 **Biology, General 121 degrees awarded** $50,597 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 121 degrees awarded** $77,838 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/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/majors/) 05 / The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga briefing ## How does The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga serve students from different backgrounds? At The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 50.2%, and Pell recipients complete within six years at 48.1%, below the overall rate by 2.1 percentage points. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the mobility pillar sits in the 73rd percentile. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, are below the model’s expectation here: Graduates earn about $4,533 less than the model expects for similar students. That measure falls in the 38th percentile, leaving a mixed mobility picture alongside the completion figures. An 81.1% admission rate gives The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga a comparatively open front door, serving 10,074 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 32.8% of undergraduates, and the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 22.4%. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission rate, Pell participation, and transfer entry all point to several routes into the university. 06 / The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga briefing ## [What colleges are similar to The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga?](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/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/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Admissions peerThe University of Tennessee Southern86.7% admitted+ Comparison with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | The University of Tennessee Southern | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,377 | $46,181\-$11,196 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | | Average annual net price | $14,265 | $12,798\-$1,467 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.1% | 86.7% | Higher-admission alternativeShorter University96.5% admitted+ Comparison with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Shorter University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,377 | $54,008\-$3,369 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | | Average annual net price | $14,265 | $16,646+$2,381 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · higher cost | | Admission rate | 81.1% | 96.5% | Nearby alternativeMiddle Tennessee State UniversityNearby option · TN+ Comparison with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Middle Tennessee State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,377 | $54,525\-$2,852 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | | Average annual net price | $14,265 | $13,359\-$906 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.1% | 69.1% | [Explore Middle Tennessee State University →](/school/middle-tennessee-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeSan Jose State University$89,614 earnings+ Comparison with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | San Jose State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,377 | $89,614+$32,237 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | | Average annual net price | $14,265 | $13,760\-$505 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.1% | 84.6% | [Explore San Jose State University →](/school/san-jose-state-university/) Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of North Georgia$9,823 average net price+ Comparison with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | University of North Georgia | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,377 | $55,974\-$1,403 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | | Average annual net price | $14,265 | $9,823\-$4,442 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.1% | 67.9% | [Explore University of North Georgia →](/school/university-of-north-georgia/) Similar profileWestern Carolina UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Measure | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Western Carolina University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,377 | $54,667\-$2,710 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | | Average annual net price | $14,265 | $13,315\-$950 vs The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · lower cost | | Admission rate | 81.1% | 81.8% | [Explore Western Carolina University →](/school/western-carolina-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/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 is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. 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/)