1.  [College research](/)
2.  /
3.  Tulane University of Louisiana

Research brief & institution hub

Copy linkPrint brief

# Tulane University of Louisiana

LA · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #996 nationally

Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026

Overview[Cost & aid](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/admissions/)[Majors](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/similar/)

## Azimuth’s composite rank: 32nd percentile nationally.

### Who it’s a good fit for

Tulane University of Louisiana is a private nonprofit university in New Orleans, where the degree mix is led by Business and Social Sciences. Access is the strongest pillar, at above average, while affordability is below the levels seen at many peers.

Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gap to a remainder it does not explain, which subtracts from earnings, than to the factors it measures, which add to them.

The typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools, so the raw and adjusted results pull in opposite directions. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it.

Pell students complete at a rate well below the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is modestly below average. The admission rate is well below the median for comparable schools, and the largest programs are not the best-paid ones.

Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, so the four-year earnings figure is measured while most of them are already in the labor force.

## Tulane at a glance

### Admissions and outcomes

**Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)**
14.0%

**Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)**
86.1%

**Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)**
$73,816

### Cost and family borrowing

**Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)**
$20,149

**Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)**
$20,500

**Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)**
$33,574

## Tulane rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings)

Tulane University of Louisiana is a private nonprofit university in New Orleans, Louisiana, enrolling 7,767 undergraduates. Tulane University of Louisiana sits in the lower third of the Azimuth composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (32nd percentile).

The university accepts 14.0% of applicants, against a median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). First-year retention is 92.5%, against a peer median of 83.4%.

The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 86.1%, against a peer median of 68.8% for comparable institutions. An estimated 7.7% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the completion figure captures most of the student body but not all of it.

The four pillars sit far apart. Access is the strongest and affordability is the weakest, with return close behind and mobility in the lower third.

That wide spread means the overall standing of the university depends on which dimension a reader weighs most.

Access is the strongest part of Tulane University of Louisiana’s Azimuth profile, while affordability is the clearest constraint. Azimuth places access in the 65th percentile and return in the 63rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Mobility is in the 34th percentile, and affordability, the weakest pillar, is in the 7th percentile. The profile pairs comparatively stronger access and return measures with a much weaker affordability measure.

Enrolled students who submitted SAT scores posted a middle 50% range from 1,400 to 1,520. The comparable ACT range for enrolled students who submitted was 31 to 34.

9.8% of undergraduates hold Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Tulane University of Louisiana #518 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Pell recipients complete at 51.5% within six years, a rate that falls 34.6 percentage points below the figure for the entering cohort as a whole (86.1%). For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #968 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $30,917 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/)

Tulane rankings in context

| Geography | Rank |
| --- | --- |
| National | #996 |

Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group.

### National pillar percentiles

**Economic mobility**
National percentile: 34

**Access & reach**
National percentile: 65

**[Affordability](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/cost/)**
National percentile: 7

**[Return on investment](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/outcomes/)**
National percentile: 63

01 / Tulane briefing

## [Tulane cost & financial aid](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)

Cost is a weak point at Tulane University of Louisiana: the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $39,949. The published cost of attendance is $87,004, an average across living arrangements.

On-campus figures are $68,678 for tuition and fees and $18,868 for room and board. For the average aid recipient, financial aid offsets $47,055 of the published price.

The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $27,371, putting this average $12,578 above that benchmark. Azimuth places the affordability pillar in the 7th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The above-peer net price and low affordability standing point in the same direction.

Families face a high published price at Tulane University of Louisiana, with a cost of attendance of $87,004 (an average across living arrangements). Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,126 for the lowest family-income band, $18,041 for the lower-middle band, $20,149 for the middle band, $28,207 for the upper-middle band, and $56,667 for the highest band.

The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $40,541. Azimuth ranks the university #1,316 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Aid offsets much of the published charge for recipients, though the overall average remains above comparable institutions. Aid covers about 54% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, saving $47,055.

The average net price for first-time, full-time Title IV aid recipients is $39,949, $12,578 above the peer median of $27,371 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Published tuition and fees are $68,678.

Federal borrowing at completion sits below the comparable-school median, even as many undergraduates borrow. Among federal-loan borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $20,500, and 91.4% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans.

That median is $3,699 below the $24,199 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $33,574.

The median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years.

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**$20,149**

After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.

Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.

### Borrowing and repayment at Tulane

At Tulane University of Louisiana, 91.4% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, making borrowing common even though the median federal student loan debt at completion is $20,500. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199, and the university's median is $3,699 below that figure.

For separate parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $33,574.

At Tulane University of Louisiana, the investment picture is mixed: observed earnings are strong, but [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) are not. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $73,816 four years after completion.

Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings beyond expectations, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, point the other way.

Graduates earn about $30,917 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 1st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings scenarios run from $49,033 in a downside case to $113,513 in an upside case, with the typical scenario matching the observed median. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199; median federal student loan debt is $20,500, $3,699 below it.

That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years. Higher observed earnings and lower debt point favorably, while the model-based earnings measure pulls the return picture in the other direction.

Among the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing was $33,574. For completers with median federal student debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month if repaid over ten years.

[How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/)

Financial GPS

### What does repayment look like?

**Institution median student debt**
$20,500

**Institution Parent PLUS debt**
$33,574

Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.

**Estimated student payment · monthly**
$233/mo

**Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly**
$427/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=tulane-university-of-louisiana#student-tool)

[Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/cost/)

02 / Tulane briefing

## [Tulane career outcomes & earnings](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/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 $73,816, at the 82nd percentile nationally. That is $5,566 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Azimuth places the return pillar in the 63rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $30,917 less than the model expects for similar students.

That gap sits at the 1st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,182.

The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $38,099. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,088.

At Tulane University of Louisiana, the broad earnings measure lands relatively high in the national comparison, although the model comparison gives a different reading. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $73,816 four years after completion.

Among nonprofit four-year institutions, that result sits in the 82nd percentile; the earnings cohort includes 1,301 completers. Graduates earn about $30,917 less than the model expects for similar students.

Earnings scenarios based on the program mix place typical earnings at $73,816, with a downside scenario of $49,033 and an upside scenario of $113,513. An estimated 34.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix.

The high broad earnings placement and below-expected model result point in different directions.

Return data at Tulane University of Louisiana give a mixed picture. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $73,816 four years after completion, in the 82nd percentile.

At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median, the middle value for those institutions, is $68,250, leaving the university's median $5,566 above it. [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, supply a different comparison.

Graduates earn about $30,917 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 1st percentile, while the return pillar is in the 63rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The downside and upside earnings scenarios, grounded in the program mix, run from $49,033 to $113,513. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,182.

The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $38,099. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,088.

At the program level, Finance stands apart with 249 degrees awarded and median earnings of $129,850 four years after completion. Computer Science recorded 36 degrees awarded and median earnings of $118,931, while Psychology, the largest program, awarded 251 degrees and had median earnings of $60,260. The program figures show that outcomes differ across fields.

Finance is among the higher-earning program paths at the university. The downside earnings scenario is $49,033, compared with an upside scenario of $113,513.

These are scenarios based on the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. The program figures and modeled range point to wide variation by field.

Graduates of Tulane University of Louisiana earn a median of $73,816 four years after completion, but they earn about $30,917 less than the model expects for similar students. The earnings picture is mixed: raw pay is solid, but the model expected more for students with this profile.

The published cost of attendance is $87,004 (an average across living arrangements). After grants and scholarships, aid recipients in the lowest income band pay an average net price of $16,126, while those in the highest band pay $56,667.

The spread between the two ends is $40,541. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $20,500 in federal student loans, which is $3,699 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions.

If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $233 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $33,574 in Parent PLUS loans.

What explains value-added earnings?

**Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.**
+$7,182

**Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.**
\-$38,099

**Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.**
\-$30,917

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/tulane-university-of-louisiana/outcomes/)

03 / Tulane briefing

## [Tulane acceptance rate & admissions](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention)

Tulane University of Louisiana admitted 14.0% of applicants in the reported cycle, a rate that calls for a deliberate application-list decision. This sits below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size).

SAT: approximate enrolled-student range

**Admission rate**
14.0%

**Approximate lower endpoint**
1400

**Reported average**
1448

**Approximate upper endpoint**
1520

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/tulane-university-of-louisiana/admissions/)

04 / Tulane briefing

## [What are the largest majors at Tulane?](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs)

Program choice matters sharply at Tulane University of Louisiana, where the named fields span markedly different median earnings four years after completion. Finance sits at the higher end, with median earnings of $129,850 and 249 degrees awarded.

Computer Science also reports $118,931 in median earnings, across 36 degrees awarded. Biomedical Engineering recorded median earnings of $112,914 four years after completion and 32 degrees awarded.

At a more moderate earnings level, Psychology had median earnings of $60,260 and 251 degrees awarded. The contrast between those fields shows why a schoolwide earnings figure can obscure materially different outcomes by field.

At Tulane University of Louisiana, published program earnings differ enough by field that degree choice deserves close attention. The data cover 25 bachelor’s fields with earnings figures four years after completion.

The published figures make program-level earnings an important part of comparing options at the university.

The bachelor's degrees at Tulane University of Louisiana are spread across several fields, with no single family dominating. Business accounts for 22.4% of degrees awarded, followed closely by Social Sciences at 19.7% and Psychology at 9.3%.

The university has 25 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Psychology, at 251 degrees awarded, with Finance nearly as large at 249 degrees awarded and Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences third at 179 degrees awarded.

The highest-earning program is also one of the largest: Finance graduates earn a median of $129,850 four years after completion. Computer Science, a much smaller program at 36 degrees awarded, is the second-highest-earning at $118,931.

Biomedical Engineering follows at $112,914, from 32 degrees awarded. The pattern here is one of breadth rather than concentration: the largest program awards just over two hundred degrees, and the top-earning programs span business, computing, and engineering.

The largest program, Psychology, earns a median of $60,260, while the highest-earning program reaches a figure more than twice that—a wide gap separates the two. Across all fields, 16.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM.

Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields

**Psychology, General 251 degrees awarded**
$60,260

**Finance and Financial Management Services 249 degrees awarded**
$129,850

**Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 179 degrees awarded**
$71,325

**Communication and Media Studies 176 degrees awarded**
$76,945

**Political Science and Government 166 degrees awarded**
$71,160

**Business Administration, Management and Operations 157 degrees awarded**
$95,966

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/tulane-university-of-louisiana/majors/)

05 / Tulane briefing

## How does Tulane serve students from different backgrounds?

Access is the university's strongest pillar, but mobility data show a split between overall completion and modeled earnings. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 86.1%, while Pell recipients complete within six years at 51.5%, below the overall rate by 34.6 percentage points.

Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 34th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [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 1st percentile.

Graduates earn about $30,917 less than the model expects for similar students. Overall completion and modeled earnings pull in different directions.

Admission is selective at Tulane University of Louisiana, where 14.0% of applicants are admitted. The university has 7,767 undergraduates; 9.8% receive Pell Grants, and the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 7.7%.

Azimuth assigns the access pillar to the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission pattern and enrollment mix sit alongside an access standing above the midpoint.

06 / Tulane briefing

## [What colleges are similar to Tulane?](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/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/tulane-university-of-louisiana/similar/#peer-matching).

### A shortlist for different decisions

Choose a row to compare the figures with Tulane.

Admissions peerWake Forest University21.7% admitted+

Comparison with Tulane

| Measure | Tulane | Wake Forest University |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,816 | $92,943+$19,127 vs Tulane |
| Average annual net price | $39,949 | $28,719\-$11,230 vs Tulane · lower cost |
| Admission rate | 14.0% | 21.7% |

[Explore Wake Forest University →](/school/wake-forest-university/)

Higher-admission alternativeLouisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College73.3% admitted+

Comparison with Tulane

| Measure | Tulane | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,816 | $66,893\-$6,923 vs Tulane |
| Average annual net price | $39,949 | $19,151\-$20,798 vs Tulane · lower cost |
| Admission rate | 14.0% | 73.3% |

[Explore Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College →](/school/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college/)

Nearby alternativeLouisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeNearby option · LA+

Comparison with Tulane

| Measure | Tulane | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,816 | $66,893\-$6,923 vs Tulane |
| Average annual net price | $39,949 | $19,151\-$20,798 vs Tulane · lower cost |
| Admission rate | 14.0% | 73.3% |

[Explore Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College →](/school/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college/)

Higher-earnings alternativeBabson College$117,794 earnings+

Comparison with Tulane

| Measure | Tulane | Babson College |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,816 | $117,794+$43,978 vs Tulane |
| Average annual net price | $39,949 | $40,514+$565 vs Tulane · higher cost |
| Admission rate | 14.0% | 17.1% |

[Explore Babson College →](/school/babson-college/)

Lower-cost alternativeLouisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College$19,151 average net price+

Comparison with Tulane

| Measure | Tulane | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,816 | $66,893\-$6,923 vs Tulane |
| Average annual net price | $39,949 | $19,151\-$20,798 vs Tulane · lower cost |
| Admission rate | 14.0% | 73.3% |

[Explore Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College →](/school/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college/)

Similar profileTexas Christian UniversityMatched across several measures+

Comparison with Tulane

| Measure | Tulane | Texas Christian University |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,816 | $76,188+$2,372 vs Tulane |
| Average annual net price | $39,949 | $36,660\-$3,289 vs Tulane · lower cost |
| Admission rate | 14.0% | 44.5% |

[Explore Texas Christian University →](/school/texas-christian-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/tulane-university-of-louisiana/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/)