1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Akron Main Campus Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Akron Main Campus OH · Medium public institution · Overall rank #407 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of Akron Main Campus #407 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Akron Main Campus is a public university in Akron, Ohio, where Business, Engineering, and Health Professions lead the degree mix. Access is well above average, while return is above average. Graduates earn roughly what the model predicts for students like them, and the typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts. Pell recipients complete below the cohort as a whole, and mobility is above average. Families at the bottom of the income scale pay under the published cost, while those at the top pay closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. ## University of Akron Main Campus at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 59.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 51.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $62,809 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $13,519 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,250 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $22,000 ## University of Akron Main Campus rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of Akron Main Campus is a public university in Akron, Ohio, enrolling 9,052 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the upper-middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (72nd percentile). University of Akron Main Campus admits 59.7% of applicants, against a peer median of 85.9% at comparable institutions (same type and size). The first-year retention rate is 73.0%, against a peer median of 73.7% for comparable institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 51.9%, against a peer median of 49.1% at comparable institutions. An estimated 25.2% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so that rate describes only a minority of the people who study here. The four pillars sit within a fairly narrow range overall. Access is the strongest pillar, at the 75th percentile, while return is the weakest, at the 56th percentile. Affordability and mobility both fall between those two pillars, at the 71st and 60th percentiles respectively. The University of Akron Main Campus draws its strongest Azimuth pillar from access, where it sits in the 75th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability follows closely at the 71st percentile, and mobility lands in the 60th percentile. The return pillar is the weakest, in the 56th percentile. That spread—access and affordability well above the midpoint while return trails—is the central tension in the university's profile. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores among enrolled students fell between 900 and 1,190, and the middle 50% of ACT scores between 17 and 25. 29.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth places the university at #367 on access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among Pell recipients, the six-year completion rate is 36.3%, a figure that sits 15.6 percentage points below the six-year rate for the overall first-time full-time entering cohort (51.9%). On mobility, Azimuth places the university at #585 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completion, graduates earn about $601 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. [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/) University of Akron Main Campus rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #407 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 60 **Access & reach** National percentile: 75 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/cost/)** National percentile: 71 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/outcomes/)** National percentile: 56 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Computer Programming**#4** 2. Mathematics and Computer Science**#5** 3. Health/Medical Preparatory Programs**#5** 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/university-of-akron-main-campus/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / University of Akron Main Campus briefing ## [University of Akron Main Campus cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At University of Akron Main Campus, the published cost of attendance is $26,284, which includes in-state tuition and fees of $13,135 and room and board of $11,904. Out-of-state tuition and fees are published at $20,815. The average aid recipient pays $13,946, which is $12,338 less than the sticker price. That gap shows the published cost of attendance is not the amount most aided families actually face. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is below the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $122. For affordability, Azimuth ranks the university #409 among nonprofit four-year institutions. That standing places the affordability pillar in the 71st percentile. The University of Akron Main Campus publishes a cost of attendance of $26,284, with in-state tuition and fees at $13,135 and room and board at $11,904. For families earning under $30,000, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $10,413, and it stays nearly flat at $10,131 for the $30,001–$48,000 band before rising to $13,519 for the $48,001–$75,000 band, $17,800 for the $75,001–$110,000 band, and $20,226 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,813. Azimuth ranks the university #409 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 47% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an offset of $12,338 that brings the overall average net price to $13,946. That figure sits below the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $122. Out-of-state students face tuition and fees of $20,815. Graduates who borrow federal loans leave with a median federal student debt of $23,250, and 87.1% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. That debt is above the peer median of $21,229 by $2,021, and it corresponds to an estimated payment of $264 a month if repaid over ten years. For parents, the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $22,000. 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**$13,519** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of Akron Main Campus Federal borrowing touches most undergraduates at the University of Akron Main Campus, where 87.1% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. For those who finish, the median federal student debt is $23,250. That median runs above the $21,229 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,021. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, which covers a separate population of parent borrowers, carries a median of $22,000. Four years after completion, graduates of University of Akron Main Campus earn a median of $62,809, a figure in the 59th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $601 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, an outcome in the 57th percentile nationally. The university's program mix yields earnings scenarios that range from a downside of $45,325 to an upside of $87,273, with a typical scenario of $62,809. The median federal debt at completion is $23,250, which is above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $264 a month. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $22,000. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $264. [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** $23,250 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $22,000 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $264/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $280/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=university-of-akron-main-campus#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/cost/) 02 / University of Akron Main Campus briefing ## [University of Akron Main Campus career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/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 $62,809, placing the university in the 59th percentile nationally. That is $5,508 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $601 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. That places the gap at the 57th 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 $8,744. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,143. Azimuth places the return pillar at the 56th percentile. Federally aided graduates of University of Akron Main Campus who are working and not enrolled show a median of $62,809 four years after completion. Against a peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size), this figure is $5,508 above. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, it sits in the 59th percentile, based on an earnings cohort of 3,909 completers. Graduates earn about $601 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. That outcome falls in the 57th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $45,325 on the downside to $87,273 on the upside, with a typical scenario of $62,809. An estimated 26.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. University of Akron Main Campus graduates earn a median of $62,809 four years after completing a degree. That is $5,508 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #641 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $601 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. The gap sits at the 57th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,744. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,143. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $4,222. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from $45,325 on the downside to $87,273 on the upside. An estimated 26.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The median earnings four years after completion at University of Akron Main Campus sit above the peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size). But that headline figure conceals a wide spread: earnings scenarios, which reflect the university's program mix, range from a downside of $45,325 to an upside of $87,273. Several programs exceed even the upside scenario. Electrical Engineering completers earn a median of $97,875 four years after completion, Computer Engineering completers earn $96,791, and Chemical Engineering completers earn $90,279. The spread between the downside and upside scenarios reflects the mix of fields a student pursues, with engineering programs clustering near the top of the earnings distribution. The published cost of attendance at University of Akron Main Campus is $26,284. After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients is $13,946, which is $122 below the $14,068 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $23,250 in federal student loans, $2,021 above the peer median of $21,229. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $264 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $22,000 in Parent PLUS loans. Graduates earn about $601 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. The median debt runs above the peer midpoint, while the average net price sits below it. The university's strongest pillar is access, not return. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$8,744 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$8,143 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$601 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/university-of-akron-main-campus/outcomes/) 03 / University of Akron Main Campus briefing ## [University of Akron Main Campus acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of Akron Main Campus admits 59.7% of applicants, a rate that sits well below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 59.7% **Approximate lower endpoint** 900 **Reported average** 1081 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1190 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/university-of-akron-main-campus/admissions/) 04 / University of Akron Main Campus briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Akron Main Campus?](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The university's largest programs span engineering, health, and business fields, with earnings that vary considerably four years after completion. Mechanical Engineering, the second-largest program with 170 degrees awarded, shows median earnings of $87,752 and an Azimuth national rank of #166. Nursing, the largest at 191 degrees, reaches $76,089 and ranks #276 nationally. By contrast, Psychology awarded 102 degrees and reports median earnings of $47,763, with an Azimuth national rank of #253. Business Administration and Management, with 135 degrees, sits between these poles at $68,285 and ranks #203 nationally. The range from engineering to psychology shows how earnings differ across the university's largest fields. Engineering and health fields anchor the bachelor's program mix at University of Akron Main Campus, where 36 programs carry a national [Azimuth rank](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Mechanical Engineering ranks #166 nationally and awarded 170 degrees, with completers earning a median of $87,752 four years after completion. Among the ranked fields, Computer Programming stands at #4 with 35 degrees awarded and a median of $86,965. Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ranks #24 nationally and #2 in Ohio with 42 degrees and completers earning $80,611. Nursing, the largest program, ranks #276 with 191 degrees and a median of $76,089. University of Akron Main Campus awards bachelor's degrees across 36 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 46 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is led by Business, which accounts for 18.1% of degrees awarded, followed closely by Engineering at 17.2% and Health Professions at 13.5%. The largest single programs are Nursing at 191 degrees awarded, Mechanical Engineering at 170, and Business Administration and Management at 135. The highest-ranked program is Computer Programming, which awards 35 degrees a year and ranks #1 in Ohio within its field. Mathematics and Computer Science is another strong performer, ranking #5 nationally and #1 in Ohio, with 34 degrees awarded. The highest-earning programs are concentrated in engineering. Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $97,875, from 37 degrees awarded. Computer Engineering follows at $96,791, with 35 degrees awarded. Mechanical Engineering, one of the largest programs, also appears among the top earners at $87,752 and ranks #166 nationally within its field. The pattern shows a university where the largest programs and the highest-earning ones overlap in engineering, while the highest-ranked programs span health and technology. 35.5% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 191 degrees awarded** $76,089 **Mechanical Engineering 170 degrees awarded** $87,752 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 135 degrees awarded** $68,285 **Biology, General 102 degrees awarded** $59,427 **Psychology, General 102 degrees awarded** $47,763 **Marketing 99 degrees awarded** $65,857 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/university-of-akron-main-campus/majors/) 05 / University of Akron Main Campus briefing ## How does University of Akron Main Campus serve students from different backgrounds? The University of Akron Main Campus serves 9,052 undergraduates in Akron, Ohio, and its strongest pillar is access, where Azimuth places the university in the 75th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. For mobility, the university sits in the 60th percentile. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 51.9%, while Pell recipients complete at 36.3% — below the overall rate by 15.6 percentage points. Graduates earn about $601 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, a result that sits in the 57th percentile nationally. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth places University of Akron Main Campus in the 75th percentile for access, the university's strongest pillar in the Azimuth framework. The public university enrolls 9,052 undergraduates in Akron, Ohio. An estimated 25.2% of undergraduates enter as transfers or part-time students. Pell Grants reach 29.1% of the undergraduate body, while applicants are admitted at a rate of 59.7%. 06 / University of Akron Main Campus briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Akron Main Campus?](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/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/university-of-akron-main-campus/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Akron Main Campus. Admissions peerFriends University55.2% admitted+ Comparison with University of Akron Main Campus | Measure | University of Akron Main Campus | Friends University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,809 | $57,698\-$5,111 vs University of Akron Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $13,946 | $27,715+$13,769 vs University of Akron Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 59.7% | 55.2% | Higher-admission alternativeWalsh University70.7% admitted+ Comparison with University of Akron Main Campus | Measure | University of Akron Main Campus | Walsh University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,809 | $63,410+$601 vs University of Akron Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $13,946 | $20,493+$6,547 vs University of Akron Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 59.7% | 70.7% | Nearby alternativeYoungstown State UniversityNearby option · OH+ Comparison with University of Akron Main Campus | Measure | University of Akron Main Campus | Youngstown State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,809 | $56,047\-$6,762 vs University of Akron Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $13,946 | $12,767\-$1,179 vs University of Akron Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 59.7% | 84.5% | [Explore Youngstown State University →](/school/youngstown-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Tulsa$79,396 earnings+ Comparison with University of Akron Main Campus | Measure | University of Akron Main Campus | University of Tulsa | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,809 | $79,396+$16,587 vs University of Akron Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $13,946 | $15,000+$1,054 vs University of Akron Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 59.7% | 61.5% | Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with University of Akron Main Campus | Measure | University of Akron Main Campus | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,809 | $62,833+$24 vs University of Akron Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $13,946 | $3,103\-$10,843 vs University of Akron Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 59.7% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileSouth Dakota State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Akron Main Campus | Measure | University of Akron Main Campus | South Dakota State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,809 | $63,042+$233 vs University of Akron Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $13,946 | $19,841+$5,895 vs University of Akron Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 59.7% | 98.3% | [Explore South Dakota State University →](/school/south-dakota-state-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/university-of-akron-main-campus/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance 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/)