1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. The University of Texas at Dallas Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # The University of Texas at Dallas TX · Large public institution · Overall rank #74 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/admissions/)[Majors](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/similar/) ## A national university where mobility leads the pillars. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Texas at Dallas is a public university in Richardson, Texas, where Computer & Information Sciences and Business lead the degree mix. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to expected earnings, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Pell students complete below the overall rate, and the lowest income band pays well below the published cost. Affordability is the weakest pillar, but access is well above average and mobility is among the highest we track. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student drawn to the arts should know that the largest programs are not the best-paid ones. ## UT Dallas at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 65.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 75.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $76,497 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $14,030 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $18,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $21,495 ## UT Dallas rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) The University of Texas at Dallas is a public university in Richardson, Texas, enrolling 21,751 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (at the 95th percentile). The university admits 65.1% of applicants, a rate below the 78.1% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 90.0% return for a second year, compared with a median of 83.1% for comparable institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time, full-time cohort is 75.7%, against a median of 65.0% for comparable institutions. An estimated 32.6% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate does not capture outcomes for the roughly one-third of students who did not start here. Mobility is the strongest pillar (at the 96th percentile), while affordability is the weakest (at the 73rd percentile). Return and access sit between them (at the 86th and 87th percentiles), so the four pillars span a wide range rather than clustering together. The mobility pillar reaches the 96th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That is the university's strongest dimension, reflecting the scale at which graduates move beyond their pre-college economic circumstances. The access pillar sits in the 87th percentile, and the return pillar follows in the 86th percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar, in the 73rd percentile, though all four pillars land well above the median for nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell Grants go to 30.0% of undergraduates at The University of Texas at Dallas. Enrolled students who submitted SAT scores posted a middle 50% range from 1,160 to 1,410. The ACT middle 50% spanned 24 to 32. Among Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort, 68.2% finish within six years, a rate that sits 7.5 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (75.7%). Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth places the university at #185 for access. Azimuth ranks the university #59 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $12,672 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/) UT Dallas rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #74 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #12 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #25 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 96 **Access & reach** National percentile: 87 **[Affordability](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/cost/)** National percentile: 73 **[Return on investment](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/outcomes/)** National percentile: 86 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Visual and Performing Arts, General**#12** 2. Public Policy Analysis**#16** 3. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#21** 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-texas-at-dallas/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / UT Dallas briefing ## [UT Dallas cost & financial aid](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The University of Texas at Dallas posts a federal published cost of attendance of $29,807. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $18,267, a reduction of $11,540 from the sticker total. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported sticker charges for the 2026-27 academic year. Those charges include $10,640 in-state tuition, $4,024 in required fees, and $15,234 for on-campus food and housing. The out-of-state rate is $36,140. About 69.0% of full-time undergraduates face charges above the base tuition and fees. The peer median net price among comparable institutions (same type and size) is $15,634; the university's average net price sits above this by $2,633. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university lands at #381 for affordability. The University of Texas at Dallas publishes a cost of attendance of $29,807. For families earning under $30,000 the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $12,814, rising to $14,030 for the $48,001–$75,000 band and $26,596 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,782. Azimuth ranks the university #381 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 39% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of roughly $11,540. The average net price across all aid recipients is $18,267, which sits above the median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,633. The median federal student loan debt at completion is $18,000, with about 71.1% of federal aid recipients borrowing. That median is below the peer median of $20,076 by $2,076. The median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing stands at $21,495. If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment on the median federal debt is $205. 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**$14,030** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at UT Dallas Among completers who borrow, the median federal student debt at The University of Texas at Dallas is $18,000. That median runs below the $20,076 figure for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,076. Federal loans reach 71.1% of federal aid recipients. For the separate parent-borrower population, the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan is $21,495. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 31% of the 3,294 bachelor's graduates borrowed from any source, averaging $22,645 per borrower. Among those graduates, 30% took federal loans averaging $16,337, including 6% who took private loans averaging $35,625. The investment picture at The University of Texas at Dallas is shaped by earnings that outpace the model's expectations and debt that runs below the peer median. Four years after graduating, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $76,497, a figure in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $12,672 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome at the 88th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, stretch from $48,802 in a downside case to $105,100 in an upside case, with $76,497 as the typical outcome. On the borrowing side, the median federal student debt at completion is $18,000, which is $2,076 below the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $205 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $21,495. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $205. [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** $18,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $21,495 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $205/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $273/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-texas-at-dallas#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/cost/) 02 / UT Dallas briefing ## [UT Dallas career outcomes & earnings](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/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 $76,497, at the 85th percentile. That is $10,887 above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $12,672 more than the model expects for similar students, placing that gap at the 88th 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 $13,358. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $686. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $6,812. Azimuth places the return pillar at the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The University of Texas at Dallas graduates who received federal aid and are working rather than enrolled four years after completion earn a median of $76,497. The earnings cohort includes 4,254 completers. That median is at the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those graduates earn about $12,672 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) show how graduate pay compares with the model's prediction for similar students. The program-mix scenario estimates typical earnings at $76,497, ranging from a downside of $48,802 to an upside of $105,100. Earnings scenarios are estimates derived from the institution's program mix, not observed outcomes for a specific cohort. An estimated 30.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Four years after completion, graduates of The University of Texas at Dallas earn a median of $76,497, placing the university in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the median of $65,610 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $10,887. Graduates earn about $12,672 more than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 88th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $13,358. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $686. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $6,812. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #203 for return on investment. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $48,802 and an upside of $105,100. The largest program, Computer and Information Sciences, awarded 988 degrees and shows a median of $103,603 four years after completion, ranking #23 nationally in its field according to Azimuth. That program earns 1.12x the national median for the field. Biology follows with 347 degrees awarded and a median of $58,540. Computer Engineering reaches $112,666 with 200 degrees awarded. The range between the downside and upside earnings scenarios spans from $48,802 to $105,100, reflecting the spread of outcomes across the university's program clusters. The highest-earning programs anchor the upside: Computer Engineering graduates earn a median of $112,666, and Electrical Engineering graduates earn $104,448. The largest program, Computer and Information Sciences, awards 988 degrees and shows median earnings of $103,603, which sits above the national median for the field. Graduates of The University of Texas at Dallas earn about $12,672 more than the model expects for similar students. The median federal student debt for borrowers who complete a degree is $18,000, which is below the median of $20,076 for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment on that debt is $205. Parent PLUS borrowers, a separate population, carry a median of $21,495. The university's average net price of $18,267 sits above the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions. For aid recipients from families earning under $30,000, the average net price is $12,814, while the highest income band sees an average of $26,596—a spread of $13,782. Those earnings place the university in the 88th percentile nationally for that measure. A median debt that runs below the peer benchmark means graduates typically carry a lighter obligation relative to the earnings the institution delivers. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$13,358 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$686 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$12,672 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-texas-at-dallas/outcomes/) 03 / UT Dallas briefing ## [UT Dallas acceptance rate & admissions](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of Texas at Dallas admitted 65.1% of applicants, a rate below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 36,353 applicants, 25,115 admitted, and 4,948 enrolled first-year students. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 65.1% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1160 **Reported average** 1286 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1410 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-texas-at-dallas/admissions/) 04 / UT Dallas briefing ## [What are the largest majors at UT Dallas?](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Earnings four years after completion vary widely across the largest programs at The University of Texas at Dallas. Engineering and computing fields sit well above the university median, while arts and sciences fields land below it. Computer and Information Sciences is the largest program, with 988 degrees awarded and median earnings of $103,603. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #23 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Visual and Performing Arts sits at the other end of the earnings range, with 332 degrees awarded and median earnings of $37,825. Finance graduates earn $86,484 from 265 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #57 nationally. The University of Texas at Dallas offers 29 nationally ranked bachelor's programs, with earnings data available for 32 fields of study. The largest program, Computer and Information Sciences, awarded 988 degrees and holds a national rank of #23 (#3 in Texas). Graduates of this program earn a median of $103,603 four years after completion. Finance is the other ranked program, at #57 nationally (#4 in Texas), with 265 degrees awarded and median earnings of $86,484. Among the remaining large programs, Biology awarded 347 degrees with median earnings of $58,540, while Psychology awarded 320 degrees with median earnings of $51,459. The University of Texas at Dallas awards bachelor's degrees across 29 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 32 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is anchored by Business, which accounts for 19.8% of degrees awarded, and Computer & Information Sciences at 19.3%. Biological Sciences is third at 14.2%, and just over half of all degrees are in STEM fields. The largest single program is Computer and Information Sciences, at 988 degrees awarded a year. It is also the highest-ranked program, with median earnings of $103,603 four years after completion and a benchmark ratio of 1.12x against the national median for its field. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #3 in Texas within its field. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Computer Engineering graduates earn $112,666 four years out, from 200 degrees awarded a year. Electrical Engineering follows at $104,448, with 125 degrees awarded. Finance, the fifth-largest program at 265 degrees, earns $86,484 and ranks #57 nationally and #4 in Texas within its field. The pattern is concentrated: the largest program is also the highest-ranked and among the best-paid, and the top five earners are all in engineering or computing. A student drawn to Visual and Performing Arts, the third-largest program at 332 degrees, should know that its median earnings of $37,825 sit below the national median for its field. The return picture varies sharply by program, and the strongest outcomes cluster in the technical fields that dominate the degree mix. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Computer and Information Sciences, General 988 degrees awarded** $103,603 **Biology, General 347 degrees awarded** $58,540 **Visual and Performing Arts, General 332 degrees awarded** $37,825 **Psychology, General 320 degrees awarded** $51,459 **Finance and Financial Management Services 265 degrees awarded** $86,484 **Neurobiology and Neurosciences 257 degrees awarded** $59,498 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-texas-at-dallas/majors/) 05 / UT Dallas briefing ## How does UT Dallas serve students from different backgrounds? Azimuth places The University of Texas at Dallas's mobility pillar in the 96th percentile nationally. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort reaches 75.7%, while Pell recipients complete at 68.2% — below the overall rate by 7.5 percentage points. Graduates earn about $12,672 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 88th percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). Azimuth places the access pillar of The University of Texas at Dallas in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university admits 65.1% of applicants, a rate that is more selective than the peer median of 78.1%. Pell Grant recipients account for 30.0% of the undergraduate body, and an estimated 32.6% of its 21,751 undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students. 06 / UT Dallas briefing ## [What colleges are similar to UT Dallas?](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/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-texas-at-dallas/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with UT Dallas. Admissions peerLouisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College73.3% admitted+ Comparison with UT Dallas | Measure | UT Dallas | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $76,497 | $66,893\-$9,604 vs UT Dallas | | Average annual net price | $18,267 | $19,151+$884 vs UT Dallas · higher cost | | Admission rate | 65.1% | 73.3% | [Explore Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College →](/school/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college/) Higher-admission alternativeThe University of Texas at Arlington79.9% admitted+ Comparison with UT Dallas | Measure | UT Dallas | The University of Texas at Arlington | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $76,497 | $79,176+$2,679 vs UT Dallas | | Average annual net price | $18,267 | $13,951\-$4,316 vs UT Dallas · lower cost | | Admission rate | 65.1% | 79.9% | [Explore The University of Texas at Arlington →](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington/) Nearby alternativeTexas Christian UniversityNearby option · TX+ Comparison with UT Dallas | Measure | UT Dallas | Texas Christian University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $76,497 | $76,188\-$309 vs UT Dallas | | Average annual net price | $18,267 | $36,660+$18,393 vs UT Dallas · higher cost | | Admission rate | 65.1% | 44.5% | [Explore Texas Christian University →](/school/texas-christian-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeMissouri University of Science and Technology$93,514 earnings+ Comparison with UT Dallas | Measure | UT Dallas | Missouri University of Science and Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $76,497 | $93,514+$17,017 vs UT Dallas | | Average annual net price | $18,267 | $16,298\-$1,969 vs UT Dallas · lower cost | | Admission rate | 65.1% | 72.6% | [Explore Missouri University of Science and Technology →](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeThe University of Texas at Arlington$13,951 average net price+ Comparison with UT Dallas | Measure | UT Dallas | The University of Texas at Arlington | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $76,497 | $79,176+$2,679 vs UT Dallas | | Average annual net price | $18,267 | $13,951\-$4,316 vs UT Dallas · lower cost | | Admission rate | 65.1% | 79.9% | [Explore The University of Texas at Arlington →](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington/) Similar profileUniversity of Oklahoma-Norman CampusMatched across several measures+ Comparison with UT Dallas | Measure | UT Dallas | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $76,497 | $73,280\-$3,217 vs UT Dallas | | Average annual net price | $18,267 | $15,300\-$2,967 vs UT Dallas · lower cost | | Admission rate | 65.1% | 76.6% | [Explore University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus →](/school/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/) 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-texas-at-dallas/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/)