1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Mary Hardin-Baylor TX · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #917 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/similar/) ## A return-led profile within Azimuth’s broader composite view. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private nonprofit university in Belton, Texas, where Health Professions and Business lead the degree mix. Return is above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gain to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. So the advantage is not simply a matter of which programs students choose. Pell Grant recipients finish at a rate slightly above the entering cohort as a whole. But affordability is below the levels seen at many peers, and the spread between what the lowest and highest income bands pay is modest. The price case does not vary much by family income. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student drawn to Nursing should know it is both the largest program and the best-paid one. ## University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 95.8% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 49.3% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $61,024 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $23,607 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $26,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $34,374 ## University of Mary Hardin-Baylor rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private nonprofit university in Belton, Texas, enrolling 2,759 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits below the midpoint among nonprofit four-year institutions (38th percentile). The university admits 95.8% of applicants, a rate well above the 71.2% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). First-year retention stands at 62.4%, against a peer median of 83.4%. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 49.3%, compared with a peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 19.9% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the graduation rate describes a narrower slice of the student body than the retention figure. The four pillars are spread out. Return is the strongest (63rd percentile), while affordability is the weakest (20th percentile). Access sits near the middle (53rd percentile), and mobility is lower (26th percentile). Return is the clearest part of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor profile, standing in the 63rd percentile of nonprofit four-year institutions. Access is in the 53rd percentile, while mobility is in the 26th percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar at the 20th percentile, so the profile’s stronger return measures sit alongside a cost picture that merits close attention. 39.6% of undergraduates at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor receive Pell Grants, the federal aid measure of financial access. Among enrolled students who submitted scores, the middle 50% of SAT scores fell between 960 and 1,200. For those who submitted ACT scores, the middle 50% ranged from 19 to 26. Azimuth ranks the university #693 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell Grant recipients complete at 50.7%, a rate that stands 1.4 percentage points above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (49.3%) recorded for the first-time full-time cohort. Azimuth ranks the university #1,086 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,021 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of Mary Hardin-Baylor rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #917 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #59 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #314 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 26 **Access & reach** National percentile: 53 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/cost/)** National percentile: 20 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/outcomes/)** National percentile: 63 01 / University of Mary Hardin-Baylor briefing ## [University of Mary Hardin-Baylor cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is $46,874, with tuition and fees of $32,020 and room and board of $13,224. For the average aid recipient, grants and scholarships cut that sticker price by $20,768, bringing the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what families actually pay after aid—to $26,106. That average net price is $1,265 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Aid covers about 44% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Azimuth ranks the university #1,137 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 20th percentile. Aid-recipient pricing at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor increases from the low-income family band to the higher-income family band. Its published cost of attendance is $46,874. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $22,089 for the low-income band; $23,064 for the lower-middle-income band; $23,607 for the middle-income band; $27,343 for the upper-middle-income band; and $33,166 for the higher-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $11,077. Azimuth ranks the university #1,137 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 44% of the published cost. That average aid savings is $20,768, leaving an average net price of $26,106 across aid recipients. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions, is $27,371; this university's average net price is $1,265 below it. Published tuition and fees are $32,020, and room and board are $13,224. Federal borrowing is common among undergraduates, with 91.0% taking federal loans. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $26,000, or $1,801 above the $24,199 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $34,374. 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**$23,607** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor At University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, federal borrowing is common, and borrower debt sits somewhat higher than at comparable institutions. 91.0% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $26,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199; the university's median is $1,801 above that figure. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $34,374. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor graduates record a median of $61,024 in earnings four years after completion, a result at the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,021 more than the model expects for similar students. That outcome falls in the 78th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median is $7,226 below the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $46,487 in a downside case to $88,860 in an upside case, with $61,024 as the typical scenario. Completers who borrowed hold a median federal debt of $26,000, a level $1,801 above the peer median of $24,199 for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month. The separate parent-borrower population had median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $34,374. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 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** $26,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $34,374 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $295/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $437/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-mary-hardin-baylor#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/cost/) 02 / University of Mary Hardin-Baylor briefing ## [University of Mary Hardin-Baylor career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Graduates of University of Mary Hardin-Baylor earn about $8,021 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 78th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The model attributes more of that gap to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $1,325. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $6,696. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $61,024, at the 54th percentile. That is $7,226 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar at the 63rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. At University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, the median earnings four years after completion reach $61,024 for federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled. That figure places the university in the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, drawn from an earnings cohort of 874 completers. Graduates earn about $8,021 more than the model expects for similar students. The gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students sits at the 78th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix put typical earnings at $61,024, with a downside scenario of $46,487 and an upside scenario of $88,860. An estimated 29.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor graduates with federal aid earn a median of $61,024 four years after completing a degree, among those working and not enrolled. That result sits at the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, $7,226 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 #545 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,021 more than the model expects for similar students. That result sits at the 78th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university awards most degrees in health professions and business, with education as the next largest field, and STEM makes up a smaller share of the mix. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $1,325. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $6,696. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $507. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, span from a downside of $46,487 to an upside of $88,860 four years after completion. An estimated 29.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix, rather than moving directly into the workforce after completing a degree. Field choice corresponds with a wide modeled earnings span at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. The earnings scenarios run from $46,487 on the downside to $88,860 on the upside, and they are modeled from the program mix rather than observed groups of graduates. Four years after completion, program median earnings are $88,815 in Nursing, $78,344 in Accounting, and $78,137 in Computer Science. Those field results show why a schoolwide scenario range leaves room for very different earnings paths. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor posts a published cost of attendance of $46,874, and aid covers about 44% of that for the average aid recipient. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $26,106, which is $1,265 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete leave with a median of $26,000 in federal student loans, $1,801 above the peer median of $24,199. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $34,374. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$1,325 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$6,696 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$8,021 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-mary-hardin-baylor/outcomes/) 03 / University of Mary Hardin-Baylor briefing ## [University of Mary Hardin-Baylor acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 95.8% of applicants were admitted, so the reported outcome covers most of that year's applicant pool. That rate is above the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 95.8% **Approximate lower endpoint** 960 **Reported average** 1099 **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-mary-hardin-baylor/admissions/) 04 / University of Mary Hardin-Baylor briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor?](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) University of Mary Hardin-Baylor has a pronounced split between its highest-earning fields and a more moderate business option four years after completion. Nursing pairs median earnings of $88,815 with 165 degrees awarded, making it both a large program and the highest earner among the fields shown. Accounting recorded $78,344 across 22 degrees awarded, and Computer Science posted $78,137 with 14 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management, with 41 degrees awarded, had median earnings of $65,603. The first three fields sit at the higher end of this set, while the business field shows a more moderate earnings figure. Health Professions accounts for 29.5% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, placing health fields at the center of the program mix. Nursing is the largest listed program, with 165 degrees awarded and median earnings of $88,815 four years after completion. Teacher Education had 34 degrees awarded, alongside median earnings of $50,730 at that point. The largest fields report markedly different median earnings. The degree mix at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is led by Health Professions, which accounts for 29.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Business follows at 17.1%, with Education third at 9.9%. The university has 15 programs with published four-year earnings data. Nursing is the largest single program, at 165 degrees awarded a year, and it is also the highest-earning. Graduates earn a median of $88,815 four years after completion, which matches the national median for the field. Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology is the second-largest program, with 61 degrees awarded, but its median earnings of $42,301 sit below the national benchmark for the field. The pattern is one of concentration: the largest program is also the best-paid, and the earnings gap between it and the next-largest programs is wide. 13.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, and the highest-earning programs outside of Nursing are in business and computing. A student's choice of major here carries a large earnings difference. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 165 degrees awarded** $88,815 **Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology 61 degrees awarded** $42,301 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 41 degrees awarded** $65,603 **Health/Medical Preparatory Programs 35 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 34 degrees awarded** $50,730 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 33 degrees awarded** $52,923 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-mary-hardin-baylor/majors/) 05 / University of Mary Hardin-Baylor briefing ## How does University of Mary Hardin-Baylor serve students from different backgrounds? Graduates earn about $8,021 more than the model expects for similar students, a measure of [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. Azimuth places that measure in the 78th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 49.3%; Pell recipients complete within six years at 50.7%, above the overall rate by 1.4 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Above-expected earnings sit alongside a lower mobility standing. At University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, the 95.8% admission rate makes entry available to most applicants. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,759, including 39.6% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants; an estimated 19.9% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth puts the access pillar in the 53rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. High admission, Pell participation, and transfer entry describe several paths into this private nonprofit university. 06 / University of Mary Hardin-Baylor briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Mary Hardin-Baylor?](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/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-mary-hardin-baylor/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Admissions peerTexas State University89.3% admitted+ Comparison with University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Measure | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Texas State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,024 | $58,786\-$2,238 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | | Average annual net price | $26,106 | $16,805\-$9,301 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · lower cost | | Admission rate | 95.8% | 89.3% | [Explore Texas State University →](/school/texas-state-university/) Nearby alternativeConcordia University TexasNearby option · TX+ Comparison with University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Measure | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Concordia University Texas | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,024 | $64,701+$3,677 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | | Average annual net price | $26,106 | $23,131\-$2,975 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · lower cost | | Admission rate | 95.8% | 91.3% | Higher-earnings alternativeGwynedd Mercy University$89,170 earnings+ Comparison with University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Measure | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Gwynedd Mercy University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,024 | $89,170+$28,146 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | | Average annual net price | $26,106 | $27,483+$1,377 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · higher cost | | Admission rate | 95.8% | 89.6% | Lower-cost alternativeTexas State University$16,805 average net price+ Comparison with University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Measure | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Texas State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,024 | $58,786\-$2,238 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | | Average annual net price | $26,106 | $16,805\-$9,301 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · lower cost | | Admission rate | 95.8% | 89.3% | [Explore Texas State University →](/school/texas-state-university/) Similar profileHouston Christian UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Measure | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Houston Christian University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,024 | $62,310+$1,286 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | | Average annual net price | $26,106 | $20,629\-$5,477 vs University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · lower cost | | Admission rate | 95.8% | 84.4% | 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-mary-hardin-baylor/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)