1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Illinois Springfield Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Illinois Springfield IL · Medium public institution · Overall rank #400 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/similar/) ## Overall standing: 73rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for University of Illinois Springfield is a public university in Springfield, Illinois, whose degree mix is led by Business and Computer & Information Sciences. Affordability is among the highest we track, and most graduates are estimated to go into jobs rather than on to further study. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes some of that to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — while the unexplained remainder subtracts. Return is around the average, and the typical graduate earns above the median at comparable schools. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, and the spread between the lowest and highest bands is present. Pell students finish below the overall rate, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is close to the median for comparable schools, and the largest programs span business and computer science. The best-paid program is not the largest one. ## UIS at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 85.9% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 53.2% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $63,235 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $9,520 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $19,128 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $13,450 ## UIS rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of Illinois Springfield enrolls 2,263 undergraduates as a public university in Springfield, Illinois. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, it lands in the middle of the field (73rd percentile). The university admits 85.9% of applicants, against a median of 85.9% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. 74.8% of first-time full-time students return after the first year, against a peer median of 73.7% for comparable institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) stands at 53.2%, against 49.1% for comparable institutions. An estimated 63.9% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes only the minority who started here as full-time freshmen. At University of Illinois Springfield, affordability is the strongest pillar (92nd percentile), while return is the weakest (54th percentile). Access and mobility sit between them, at the 55th and 57th percentiles. The four pillars are spread wide on affordability alone, with the other three running close together. Affordability is the standout in University of Illinois Springfield’s profile, landing in the 92nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth puts mobility in the 57th percentile and access in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return, the weakest pillar, is in the 54th percentile. The very high affordability standing sits beside middle-of-the-pack results on the other three measures. The admitted-student profile at University of Illinois Springfield covers a wide range of test scores, with 37.4% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. Among enrolled students who submitted SAT scores, the middle 50% reaches from 940 to 1,200. The ACT middle 50% for those submitters spans 21 to 27. Azimuth ranks University of Illinois Springfield #660 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort complete at 48.1%, a rate that falls 5.1 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (53.2%). For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #629 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,320 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that parallels the mobility pillar's position. [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/) UIS rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #400 | | [Illinois](/rankings/best-colleges-in-illinois/) | #18 | | [Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/) | #71 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 57 **Access & reach** National percentile: 55 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/cost/)** National percentile: 92 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/outcomes/)** National percentile: 54 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Computer Science**#106** 2. Criminal Justice and Corrections**#120** 3. Communication and Media Studies**#160** 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-illinois-springfield/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / UIS briefing ## [UIS cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At University of Illinois Springfield, affordability stands out: aid recipients have an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, of $9,833. The published cost of attendance is $25,521. Published in-state tuition and fees are $12,252, out-of-state tuition and fees are $22,017, and room and board are $12,242. Financial aid lowers the published cost by $15,688 on average. The peer median net price is $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size), and the university sits $4,235 below that figure. Azimuth ranks the university #109 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Its low net price, peer comparison, and affordability standing point in the same direction. The published cost of attendance at University of Illinois Springfield is $25,521, with much lower average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s after aid for families in the lowest income band. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $5,778 for the lowest family-income band; $5,915 for the lower-middle band; $9,520 for the middle band; $12,349 for the upper-middle band; and $16,544 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,766. Azimuth ranks the university #109 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 61% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, offsetting $15,688 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $9,833. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068, and the university’s average net price is $4,235 below it. Published in-state tuition is $12,252, while out-of-state tuition is $22,017. Aid savings and a lower-than-peer average net price point in the same direction. Federal borrowing at completion is lower than the comparable-school midpoint. Borrowers who completed have median federal student loan debt of $19,128, and 84.0% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The peer median federal debt for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, placing the university’s median $2,101 below it. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowers have median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $13,450. 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**$9,520** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at UIS At University of Illinois Springfield, borrowing is widespread, but the typical federal debt figure is below that of comparable institutions. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $19,128, excluding [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) and private loans. Federal loans are used by 84.0% of federal aid recipients. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $21,229; the university's median is $2,101 below it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median Parent PLUS borrowing is $13,450. At University of Illinois Springfield, lower-than-peer federal borrowing sits alongside earnings that exceed the model’s expectation. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $63,235 four years after completion; that figure is in the 61st 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, offers a separate modeled view. Graduates earn about $2,320 more than the model expects for similar students. This measure is in the 64th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The downside, typical, and upside earnings scenarios put four-year earnings at $47,620, $63,235, and $93,408. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $19,128, $2,101 below the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 a month if repaid over ten years. Federal borrowing can extend beyond the student loan: [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) parent borrowers have median borrowing of $13,450. For student borrowers, median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $19,128 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $13,450 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $217/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $171/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-illinois-springfield#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/cost/) 02 / UIS briefing ## [UIS career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) University of Illinois Springfield shows earnings above both its modeled expectation and the peer median, even though return is not its leading pillar. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,320 more than the model expects for similar students. That earnings-beyond-expectations result, the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students, sits in the 64th 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 $4,369. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $2,049. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $63,235 four years after completion, in the 61st percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions in the same type and size, is $57,301; the university stands $5,934 above it. The model result and peer comparison point in the same direction, despite the modest return-pillar standing. For federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, University of Illinois Springfield has median earnings of $63,235 four years after completion. That measure falls in the 61st percentile of nonprofit four-year institutions and is based on 847 completers. Graduates earn about $2,320 more than the model expects for similar students. The program mix frames earnings scenarios of $63,235 in the typical case, $47,620 in the downside case, and $93,408 in the upside case. An estimated 28.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The typical scenario and higher-than-expected earnings point in the same direction, though the scenarios show that earnings vary across the program mix. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled from University of Illinois Springfield have median earnings of $63,235, in the 61st percentile. That figure is $5,934 above the peer median of $57,301, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $2,320 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 64th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,369. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $2,049. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,148. Downside and upside earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix are $47,620 and $93,408. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration and Management is the largest named program, with 96 degrees awarded and median earnings of $61,499 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the field #245 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Computer Science recorded 76 degrees awarded and $102,020 in median earnings, while Psychology had 65 degrees awarded and $47,802. The named programs show a wide spread in four-year earnings. The modeled range is wide enough that field choice deserves close attention: the downside earnings scenario is $47,620 and the upside scenario is $93,408. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups. Program medians four years after completion include Computer Science at $102,020, Mathematics at $72,681, and Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at $69,334. Those program figures give the modeled spread a practical meaning. Affordability is the clearest part of the picture at University of Illinois Springfield, where the average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $9,833. That is below the $14,068 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size), by $4,235. Aid covers about 61% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $19,128. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229, and this debt figure is below it by $2,101. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $2,320 more than the model expects for similar students. Lower average net price, below-peer borrowing, and higher-than-expected earnings point in the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,369 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$2,049 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$2,320 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-illinois-springfield/outcomes/) 03 / UIS briefing ## [UIS acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) University of Illinois Springfield admitted 85.9% of applicants in the reported entering class, a rate that matches the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). That comparison puts its reported admission outcome in line with similar institutions, without indicating how any individual application will be decided. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 85.9% **Approximate lower endpoint** 940 **Reported average** 1102 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1200 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-illinois-springfield/admissions/) 04 / UIS briefing ## [What are the largest majors at UIS?](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program earnings vary sharply at University of Illinois Springfield, from a high-earning technical field to more moderate options. Computer Science recorded median earnings of $102,020 four years after completion and 76 degrees awarded, marking the higher-earning end of this group. Computer Science recorded $102,020 and 76 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #106 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Criminal Justice posted $55,780 across 24 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #120 nationally in its field. The higher technical result sits alongside Communication and Media Studies, which awarded 34 degrees. Program choice carries a wide earnings range at University of Illinois Springfield, which has 8 bachelor’s fields with Azimuth national ranks. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Computer Science #106 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions; it awarded 76 degrees and had median earnings of $102,020 four years after completion. Criminal Justice ranks #120 nationally in its field in Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 24 degrees awarded and median earnings of $55,780 four years after completion. The bachelor's degrees at University of Illinois Springfield are concentrated in a few professional fields. Business accounts for 23.0% of degrees awarded, followed by Computer & Information Sciences at 18.4% and Psychology at 11.0%. The university has 15 programs with published four-year earnings data, and 8 of them carry an Azimuth national rank. The largest single program is Business Administration and Management, at 96 degrees awarded, with Computer Science next at 76 and Psychology at 65. The highest-earning program is also the second-largest: Computer Science graduates earn a median of $102,020 four years after completion. Mathematics is a smaller program, with 19 degrees awarded and median earnings of $72,681. Computer Science, the second-largest program, earns a median of $102,020 and ranks #7 in Illinois within its field. Criminal Justice ranks #120 nationally and #7 in Illinois within its field. The largest program is Business Administration and Management, while the highest-ranked program is Computer Science. 29.0% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, and the earnings spread between the top and bottom of the largest programs is wide: Computer Science graduates earn more than double the median of Psychology graduates. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 96 degrees awarded** $61,499 **Computer Science 76 degrees awarded** $102,020 **Psychology, General 65 degrees awarded** $47,802 **Accounting and Related Services 40 degrees awarded** $64,048 **Biology, General 39 degrees awarded** $59,817 **Communication and Media Studies 34 degrees awarded** $52,588 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-illinois-springfield/majors/) 05 / UIS briefing ## How does UIS serve students from different backgrounds? For University of Illinois Springfield, completion is uneven across cohorts, though modeled earnings are above expectation. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 53.2%; the Pell recipient completion rate is 48.1%, below the overall rate by 5.1 percentage points. Azimuth puts its mobility pillar in the 57th 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, sits in the 64th percentile nationally according to Azimuth. Graduates earn about $2,320 more than the model expects for similar students. Above-expected earnings sit alongside a completion gap for Pell recipients. University of Illinois Springfield admits 85.9% of applicants, making entry a central part of its access picture. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,263 undergraduates; 37.4% receive Pell Grants, and an estimated 63.9% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Transfer entry and Pell participation both shape who reaches the university. 06 / UIS briefing ## [What colleges are similar to UIS?](/school/university-of-illinois-springfield/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-illinois-springfield/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with UIS. Admissions peerIllinois State University88.2% admitted+ Comparison with UIS | Measure | UIS | Illinois State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,235 | $62,507\-$728 vs UIS | | Average annual net price | $9,833 | $19,398+$9,565 vs UIS · higher cost | | Admission rate | 85.9% | 88.2% | [Explore Illinois State University →](/school/illinois-state-university/) Higher-admission alternativeSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville97.5% admitted+ Comparison with UIS | Measure | UIS | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,235 | $65,199+$1,964 vs UIS | | Average annual net price | $9,833 | $14,889+$5,056 vs UIS · higher cost | | Admission rate | 85.9% | 97.5% | [Explore Southern Illinois University Edwardsville →](/school/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/) Nearby alternativeIllinois State UniversityNearby option · IL+ Comparison with UIS | Measure | UIS | Illinois State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,235 | $62,507\-$728 vs UIS | | Average annual net price | $9,833 | $19,398+$9,565 vs UIS · higher cost | | Admission rate | 85.9% | 88.2% | [Explore Illinois State University →](/school/illinois-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Illinois Chicago$72,839 earnings+ Comparison with UIS | Measure | UIS | University of Illinois Chicago | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,235 | $72,839+$9,604 vs UIS | | Average annual net price | $9,833 | $10,974+$1,141 vs UIS · higher cost | | Admission rate | 85.9% | 77.4% | [Explore University of Illinois Chicago →](/school/university-of-illinois-chicago/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with UIS | Measure | UIS | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,235 | $62,833\-$402 vs UIS | | Average annual net price | $9,833 | $3,103\-$6,730 vs UIS · lower cost | | Admission rate | 85.9% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileDakota State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with UIS | Measure | UIS | Dakota State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,235 | $63,160\-$75 vs UIS | | Average annual net price | $9,833 | $21,057+$11,224 vs UIS · higher cost | | Admission rate | 85.9% | 88.1% | 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-illinois-springfield/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/)