1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of La Verne Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of La Verne CA · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #473 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-la-verne/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-la-verne/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-la-verne/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-la-verne/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-la-verne/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the University of La Verne #473 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of La Verne is a private nonprofit university in La Verne, California, where Business and Education lead the degree mix. Access is well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that to what it cannot explain than to the factors it measures—field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. Pell recipients complete at a rate below the entering cohort as a whole. Access is well above average, while mobility is modestly below average. The admission rate is close to the median for comparable institutions. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and the best-paid programs are not the largest ones. ## University of La Verne at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 71.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 63.1% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $64,109 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** Not reported **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $27,977 ## University of La Verne rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) A private nonprofit university in La Verne, California, the University of La Verne enrolls 3,050 undergraduates. Its overall standing sits in the upper-middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions nationally (68th percentile). University of La Verne admits 71.2% of applicants, against a peer median of 71.2% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. First-year retention stands at 64.5%, compared with the 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 63.1%, against a peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 35.2% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes only a portion of those who ultimately study here. Access is the strongest pillar (87th percentile) and mobility the weakest (43rd percentile). Return (64th percentile) and affordability (50th percentile) sit between those two poles, leaving the four pillars spread far apart from one another. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of La Verne #473 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions, with access as its strongest pillar in the 87th percentile. The return pillar sits in the 64th percentile, while affordability and mobility land near the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 50th and 43rd percentiles respectively. Mobility is the weakest pillar. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 986 and 1,236. For the ACT, the middle 50% ranged from 18 to 25. 51.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, a share that measures the reach of federal financial aid across the student body. Azimuth ranks University of La Verne #196 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate of 53.6%, which sits 9.5 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (63.1%). The gap is a fact about the institution's results, not an explanation of them, and it is the figure that gives the access pillar its shape. Azimuth ranks the university #830 for mobility. Graduates earn about $6,347 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits apart from the mobility rank. [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 La Verne rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #473 | | [California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) | #50 | | [West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) | #89 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 43 **Access & reach** National percentile: 87 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-la-verne/cost/)** National percentile: 50 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-la-verne/outcomes/)** National percentile: 64 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#34** 2. Criminology**#43** 3. Business Administration, Management and Operations**#58** 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-la-verne/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / University of La Verne briefing ## [University of La Verne cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-la-verne/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) University of La Verne lists a published cost of attendance of $62,278, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees are $49,470, and room and board are $15,830. For the average aid recipient, grants and scholarships reduce that sticker price by $42,117, bringing the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to $20,161. That net price is $7,210 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Aid covers about 68% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Azimuth ranks the university #712 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance at University of La Verne is $62,278, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees are $49,470. Azimuth ranks the university #712 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $20,151 for families earning under $30,000. Aid covers about 68% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $42,117. The average net price across all aid recipients is $20,161, which is $7,210 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $23,500 in federal student loans, $699 below the $24,199 peer median. 82.6% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $27,977 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $267 a month. It estimates costs and payments for your own situation. 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**Not reported** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of La Verne The University of La Verne's median federal student debt at completion is $23,500, which is below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $699. For a separate population of parent borrowers, the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loan is $27,977. The return picture at University of La Verne is built on earnings that outpace the model's prediction, while borrowing sits close to the peer norm. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $64,109, at the 63rd percentile nationally. Graduates earn about $6,347 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome that falls at the 75th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from a downside case of $50,848 to an upside case of $78,703, with a typical scenario of $64,109. The median federal student debt at completion is $23,500, $699 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $267 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowers at the university took on a median of $27,977 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans, a separate federal borrowing population. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $267. [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** $23,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $27,977 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $267/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $355/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-la-verne#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-la-verne/cost/) 02 / University of La Verne briefing ## [University of La Verne career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-la-verne/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Graduates of University of La Verne earn about $6,347 more than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 75th 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 $2,916. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $3,431. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $481. Four years after completion, completers earn a median of $64,109, which lands in the 63rd percentile. That figure sits below the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size), a gap of $4,141. The return pillar ranks in the 64th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, a position that shows [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) more than raw earnings levels. Four years after completion, the median earnings of University of La Verne's 1,242 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled stand at $64,109. That figure runs below the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $6,347 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the university in the 75th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That gap—the difference between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students—is the clearest signal in the university's earnings profile. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a typical outcome that matches the observed median, with a downside scenario of $50,848 and an upside scenario reaching $78,703. An estimated 31.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of University of La Verne who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $64,109. That figure is $4,141 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #535 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,347 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 75th 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 $2,916. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $3,431. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $481. The program mix leans toward business and education, with psychology and a small STEM presence also in the picture. Estimated earnings scenarios derived from that mix range from $50,848 on the downside to $78,703 on the upside. An estimated 31.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios at University of La Verne span from a downside of $50,848 to an upside of $78,703 four years after completion. That spread reflects the variation across the university's 14 programs with published earnings data. The highest-earning fields show the upper end of that range: completers from Computer and Information Sciences earn a median of $90,694, Accounting graduates reach $77,520, and completers from the large Business Administration and Management program, with 350 degrees awarded, earn a median of $76,769. Graduates of University of La Verne earn about $6,347 more than the model expects for similar students, and the debt they carry is manageable alongside those earnings. The median federal student loan debt for borrowers who complete is $23,500, which is $699 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $267 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $27,977 in Parent PLUS loans. The published cost of attendance is $62,278 (an average across living arrangements), and aid covers about 68% of that for the average aid recipient. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$2,916 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$3,431 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$6,347 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-la-verne/outcomes/) 03 / University of La Verne briefing ## [University of La Verne acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-la-verne/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of La Verne admits 71.2% of applicants, a rate that sits close to the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The figure describes broad access: most applicants receive an offer. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 71.2% **Approximate lower endpoint** 986 **Reported average** 1083 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1236 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-la-verne/admissions/) 04 / University of La Verne briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of La Verne?](/school/university-of-la-verne/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The University of La Verne awards bachelor's degrees across 14 fields with published four-year earnings, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 9 of them nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The highest-earning program, Computer and Information Sciences, shows a median of $90,694 four years after completion, with 35 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $77,520 and 20 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management, the most-awarded degree at 350 degrees, reaches $76,769 and an Azimuth national rank of #58. Psychology and Subject-Area Teacher Education sit in a moderate range, at $56,925 (ranked #85) and $54,898 (ranked #34), on 116 and 93 degrees awarded respectively. The contrast between the top-earning technical fields and the larger social-science and education programs is clear, and the university's strongest national rank sits in education. University of La Verne has its strongest program showings in Subject-Area Teacher Education and Criminology, both among the 9 fields that hold an Azimuth national rank among nonprofit four-year institutions. Subject-Area Teacher Education ranks #34 nationally, with 93 degrees awarded and median earnings of $54,898 four years after completion. Criminology ranks #43, with 58 degrees awarded and median earnings of $47,273 four years after completion. Business Administration and Management ranks #58, with 350 degrees awarded and median earnings of $76,769 four years after completion. Sociology ranks #68, with 22 degrees awarded and median earnings of $61,350 four years after completion. Business is the largest program family at University of La Verne, accounting for 35.6% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Education next at 18.8% and Psychology at 11.2%. The university has 9 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 14 with published four-year earnings data. The largest program with published earnings is Business Administration and Management, at 350 degrees awarded, followed by Psychology with 116 and Subject-Area Teacher Education with 93. The highest-ranked program is Subject-Area Teacher Education, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #4 in California within its field, with median earnings of $54,898 four years after completion. Criminology ranks #43 nationally and #5 in California within its field, with median earnings of $47,273 from 58 degrees awarded. The highest-earning program is Computer and Information Sciences, at $90,694 from 35 degrees awarded, a smaller program whose earnings sit just below the national median for the field. Business Administration and Management, the largest program, also ranks #58 nationally and #11 in California within its field, with earnings of $76,769. The pattern is one of strength spread across several fields rather than concentrated in a single area. The highest-ranked program is in Education, the highest-earning in Computer and Information Sciences, and the largest in Business. The university's strongest programs sit in professional fields, though the highest-earning program is also one of the smallest. 12.9% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 350 degrees awarded** $76,769 **Psychology, General 116 degrees awarded** $56,925 **Education, General 102 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 93 degrees awarded** $54,898 **Criminology 58 degrees awarded** $47,273 **Biology, General 57 degrees awarded** $58,897 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-la-verne/majors/) 05 / University of La Verne briefing ## How does University of La Verne serve students from different backgrounds? The mobility pillar at University of La Verne is its weakest, landing in the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort complete at 53.6%, which sits below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 63.1% by 9.5 percentage points. At the same time, graduates earn about $6,347 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that lands in the 75th percentile nationally. The completion gap and the above-expected earnings point in opposite directions. University of La Verne enrolls 3,050 undergraduates and draws more than half of them from backgrounds that qualify for federal Pell Grants: 51.4% of the undergraduate body receives the grant. An estimated 35.2% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, and the university admits 71.2% of applicants, a figure that sits near the median among comparable institutions (71.2%). Azimuth places the access pillar in the 87th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among enrolled students who submitted SAT scores, the middle half ranged from 986 to 1,236. Among those who submitted ACT scores, the middle half ranged from 18 to 25. 06 / University of La Verne briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of La Verne?](/school/university-of-la-verne/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-la-verne/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of La Verne. Admissions peerVanguard University of Southern California62.4% admitted+ Comparison with University of La Verne | Measure | University of La Verne | Vanguard University of Southern California | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,109 | $65,874+$1,765 vs University of La Verne | | Average annual net price | $20,161 | $21,241+$1,080 vs University of La Verne · higher cost | | Admission rate | 71.2% | 62.4% | [Explore Vanguard University of Southern California →](/school/vanguard-university-of-southern-california/) Higher-admission alternativeCalifornia State University-Fullerton90.5% admitted+ Comparison with University of La Verne | Measure | University of La Verne | California State University-Fullerton | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,109 | $63,753\-$356 vs University of La Verne | | Average annual net price | $20,161 | $6,555\-$13,606 vs University of La Verne · lower cost | | Admission rate | 71.2% | 90.5% | [Explore California State University-Fullerton →](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/) Nearby alternativeVanguard University of Southern CaliforniaNearby option · CA+ Comparison with University of La Verne | Measure | University of La Verne | Vanguard University of Southern California | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,109 | $65,874+$1,765 vs University of La Verne | | Average annual net price | $20,161 | $21,241+$1,080 vs University of La Verne · higher cost | | Admission rate | 71.2% | 62.4% | [Explore Vanguard University of Southern California →](/school/vanguard-university-of-southern-california/) Higher-earnings alternativeMount Saint Mary's University$79,546 earnings+ Comparison with University of La Verne | Measure | University of La Verne | Mount Saint Mary's University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,109 | $79,546+$15,437 vs University of La Verne | | Average annual net price | $20,161 | $21,413+$1,252 vs University of La Verne · higher cost | | Admission rate | 71.2% | 73.1% | [Explore Mount Saint Mary's University →](/school/mount-saint-marys-university/) Lower-cost alternativeCalifornia State University-Los Angeles$3,967 average net price+ Comparison with University of La Verne | Measure | University of La Verne | California State University-Los Angeles | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,109 | $59,756\-$4,353 vs University of La Verne | | Average annual net price | $20,161 | $3,967\-$16,194 vs University of La Verne · lower cost | | Admission rate | 71.2% | 91.3% | [Explore California State University-Los Angeles →](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/) Similar profilePacific Lutheran UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of La Verne | Measure | University of La Verne | Pacific Lutheran University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,109 | $63,671\-$438 vs University of La Verne | | Average annual net price | $20,161 | $19,589\-$572 vs University of La Verne · lower cost | | Admission rate | 71.2% | 78.0% | 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-la-verne/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/)