1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Missouri-Kansas City Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Missouri-Kansas City MO · Medium public institution · Overall rank #262 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/similar/) ## Azimuth places the university in the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Missouri-Kansas City is a public university in Kansas City, Missouri, where Business, Health Professions, and Biological Sciences lead the degree mix. Affordability is well above average, the strongest of the four pillars. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds, while the part it cannot explain subtracts. Pell Grant recipients complete below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is well above average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the highest-earning ones are in engineering and computer science. ## University of Missouri-Kansas City at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 72.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 55.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $65,925 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,613 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $18,750 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $18,462 ## University of Missouri-Kansas City rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) In Kansas City, Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City enrolls 6,817 undergraduates as a public university. The university sits in the upper portion among nonprofit four-year institutions (82nd percentile). First-time full-time students continue at a rate of 75.4%, against a peer median of 73.7% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. 55.5% complete within six years, compared with a peer median of 49.1%. The university admits 72.2% of applicants, while the peer median for comparable institutions of the same type and size is 85.9%. An estimated 43.0% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year graduation figure captures only those who began here full time and leaves the transfer population uncounted. Affordability is the strongest pillar (85th percentile), while access is the weakest (57th percentile). Return (75th) and mobility (76th) fall between them, and the four are spread across the upper half of the field rather than clustered tightly together. Access sits near the middle of the field while affordability reaches the upper portion, so the gap between the two is wide enough to notice. At University of Missouri-Kansas City, affordability is the clearest strength, so price merits attention alongside the university's outcomes and completion picture. Azimuth places affordability in the 85th percentile and mobility in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return stands in the 75th percentile, while access is in the 57th percentile, according to Azimuth. The spread makes affordability the strongest pillar and access the weakest for families weighing this public university's overall profile. SAT submitters in the enrolled class scored between 1,290 and 1,550 for the middle 50%, while ACT submitters scored between 20 and 28. 26.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Pell recipients finish at 48.5%, a rate that trails the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (55.5%) by 7.0 percentage points. Azimuth ranks the university #629 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #353 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,483 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that points the same way as the mobility pillar's standing. [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 Missouri-Kansas City rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #262 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 76 **Access & reach** National percentile: 57 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/cost/)** National percentile: 85 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/outcomes/)** National percentile: 75 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Dental Support Services and Allied Professions**#26** 2. Business/Commerce, General**#28** 3. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#43** 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-missouri-kansas-city/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / University of Missouri-Kansas City briefing ## [University of Missouri-Kansas City cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) University of Missouri-Kansas City presents a comparatively low average cost after aid, a point reinforced by its affordability standing. The published cost of attendance is $25,320 (an average across living arrangements). In-state tuition and fees are $12,587, out-of-state tuition and fees are $30,227, and room and board are $15,452. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,310, with $12,010 in average savings against the sticker cost. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068; the university’s figure is $758 below. Azimuth ranks the university #215 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison and Azimuth standing both point toward lower costs after aid. For aid recipients, the cost picture at University of Missouri-Kansas City starts well below its published cost of attendance of $25,320 (an average across living arrangements) for lower-income families. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $10,576 in the low-income family-income band, $10,472 in the lower-middle-income band, and $12,613 in the middle-income band. It reaches $16,019 for the upper-middle-income band and $18,877 for the high-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $8,301. Azimuth ranks the university #215 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 47% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $12,010. Across all aid recipients, the average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,310. That figure is $758 below the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition and fees are $12,587, compared with $30,227 for out-of-state tuition and fees. The average price and the comparison with similar institutions both point toward lower costs for aid recipients. Federal-loan borrowers who completed leave with median federal student loan debt of $18,750 at completion. That is $2,479 below the peer median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size), and 83.6% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $213 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $18,462. 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**$12,613** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of Missouri-Kansas City Federal borrowing is common at University of Missouri-Kansas City, though the typical federal debt for completers sits below the comparable-school benchmark. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $18,750, and 83.6% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the median is $21,229; Missouri-Kansas City’s figure is $2,479 below. Parent borrowers are a separate population, with median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $18,462. Among federally aided graduates of University of Missouri-Kansas City who are working and not enrolled, the median four years after completion is $65,925. That median falls in the 68th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,483 more than the model expects for similar students. That outcome is in the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $45,717 on the downside to $86,500 on the upside. The typical earnings scenario lands at $65,925. The median federal debt for borrowers who complete is $18,750. That amount sits $2,479 below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $213 a month. For parent borrowers, a separate population from student federal-loan borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing at University of Missouri-Kansas City is $18,462. The median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $213 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** $18,750 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $18,462 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $213/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $235/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-missouri-kansas-city#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/cost/) 02 / University of Missouri-Kansas City briefing ## [University of Missouri-Kansas City career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $65,925, in the 68th percentile nationally. That is $8,624 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar at the 75th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,483 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 82nd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $10,702. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,219. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,441. At $65,925, median earnings four years after completion give University of Missouri-Kansas City graduates an outcome above much of nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 68th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 1,914 federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. Graduates earn about $9,483 more than the model expects for similar students, describing [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. A typical earnings scenario, based on the program mix, is $65,925 four years after completion. An estimated 32.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. The earnings result and modeled graduate-study estimate describe different possible paths after completion. At four years after completion, University of Missouri-Kansas City has median earnings of $65,925, placing it in the 68th percentile of nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, leaving the university $8,624 above that benchmark. Graduates earn about $9,483 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, sits in the 82nd 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 $10,702. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,219. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,441. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $45,717 in the downside scenario to $86,500 in the upside scenario. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #366 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison and modeled expectation point in the same direction. Business/Commerce is the largest program, with 237 degrees awarded and median earnings of $63,569 four years after completion; Azimuth ranks it #28 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The range of modeled outcomes is wide: the downside earnings scenario is $45,717, while the upside scenario reaches $86,500 four years after completion. Program medians show why field matters. Computer Science completers earn $97,043, Mechanical Engineering completers earn $90,588, and Nursing completers earn $88,249 four years after completion. These are program-level medians, not guarantees for individual graduates. At University of Missouri-Kansas City, the cost side is favorable: borrower debt and aid-recipient net price are below comparable-institution medians. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $18,750. It is below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $213 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $9,483 more than the model expects for similar students. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,310, below the $14,068 peer median. The below-peer debt and price figures point in the same direction as the modeled earnings result. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,702 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$1,219 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$9,483 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-missouri-kansas-city/outcomes/) 03 / University of Missouri-Kansas City briefing ## [University of Missouri-Kansas City acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) University of Missouri-Kansas City admitted 72.2% of applicants, so the reported rate describes the share of that entering-class applicant pool offered admission. That rate is below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 72.2% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1290 **Reported average** 1204 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1550 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-missouri-kansas-city/admissions/) 04 / University of Missouri-Kansas City briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Missouri-Kansas City?](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) University of Missouri-Kansas City shows a wide earnings range across its nationally ranked fields, making field choice especially relevant to the return picture. Dental Support Services and Allied Professions reported median earnings of $64,838 four years after completion, with 30 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #26 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Health Sciences had median earnings of $58,973 and 60 degrees awarded, ranking #43 nationally by Azimuth in its field. English Language and Literature recorded median earnings of $56,584 four years after completion. It awarded 38 degrees, and Azimuth places it #71 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Chemistry posted $60,950 across 76 degrees awarded and ranks #72 nationally by Azimuth in its field. The figures show that the higher- and moderate-earning options differ substantially within the university's ranked programs. Program choice carries real weight here: University of Missouri-Kansas City has 18 nationally ranked programs and published earnings data across 22 fields. Azimuth assigns Dental Support Services and Allied Professions a national field rank of #26 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business/Commerce holds an Azimuth national field rank of #28 among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 237 degrees awarded and median earnings of $63,569 four years after completion. The degree mix at University of Missouri-Kansas City is led by Business, which accounts for 19.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Health Professions at 10.8% and Biological Sciences at 9.9%. The university has 18 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 22 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Business/Commerce, at 237 degrees awarded, followed by Biology at 163 and Liberal Arts and General Studies at 120. The strongest programs by national rank are concentrated in professional and technical fields. Dental Support Services and Allied Professions is the highest-ranked program on campus, with median earnings of $64,838 four years after completion and a state rank of #1 in Missouri within its field. Business/Commerce ranks #28 nationally and #3 in Missouri within its field. The program has 237 degrees awarded and median earnings of $63,569. The highest-earning program is Computer Science, where completers earn a median of $97,043 four years after completion from 91 degrees awarded, followed by Mechanical Engineering at $90,588. The highest-ranked program is Dental Support Services and Allied Professions, which awards 30 degrees, while scale sits in Business/Commerce with 237 degrees awarded. Computer Science completers earn nearly twice what Psychology completers earn four years after completion, while Business/Commerce combines scale with national ranking in its field. Across all fields, 30.8% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business/Commerce, General 237 degrees awarded** $63,569 **Biology, General 163 degrees awarded** $59,183 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 120 degrees awarded** $52,117 **Psychology, General 104 degrees awarded** $47,928 **Computer Science 91 degrees awarded** $97,043 **Accounting and Related Services 89 degrees awarded** $73,096 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-missouri-kansas-city/majors/) 05 / University of Missouri-Kansas City briefing ## How does University of Missouri-Kansas City serve students from different backgrounds? University of Missouri-Kansas City combines a 55.5% [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort with higher-than-expected graduate earnings. Pell recipients in that cohort complete within six years at 48.5%, 7.0 percentage points below the overall rate. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,483 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 82nd percentile nationally. Applicants saw a 72.2% admission rate at University of Missouri-Kansas City, a public university in Kansas City, Missouri with 6,817 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients account for 26.4% of undergraduates, and an estimated 43.0% arrive as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 57th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. These measures describe entry through both direct admission and transfer routes. 06 / University of Missouri-Kansas City briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Missouri-Kansas City?](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/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-missouri-kansas-city/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Missouri-Kansas City. Admissions peerUniversity of Evansville77.6% admitted+ Comparison with University of Missouri-Kansas City | Measure | University of Missouri-Kansas City | University of Evansville | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,925 | $59,762\-$6,163 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City | | Average annual net price | $13,310 | $18,499+$5,189 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.2% | 77.6% | Higher-admission alternativeUniversity of Kansas93.5% admitted+ Comparison with University of Missouri-Kansas City | Measure | University of Missouri-Kansas City | University of Kansas | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,925 | $69,680+$3,755 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City | | Average annual net price | $13,310 | $18,059+$4,749 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.2% | 93.5% | [Explore University of Kansas →](/school/university-of-kansas/) Nearby alternativeUniversity of KansasNearby option · KS+ Comparison with University of Missouri-Kansas City | Measure | University of Missouri-Kansas City | University of Kansas | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,925 | $69,680+$3,755 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City | | Average annual net price | $13,310 | $18,059+$4,749 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.2% | 93.5% | [Explore University of Kansas →](/school/university-of-kansas/) Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus$74,059 earnings+ Comparison with University of Missouri-Kansas City | Measure | University of Missouri-Kansas City | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,925 | $74,059+$8,134 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City | | Average annual net price | $13,310 | $11,900\-$1,410 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City · lower cost | | Admission rate | 72.2% | 74.7% | [Explore University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus →](/school/university-of-colorado-denveranschutz-medical-campus/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with University of Missouri-Kansas City | Measure | University of Missouri-Kansas City | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,925 | $62,833\-$3,092 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City | | Average annual net price | $13,310 | $3,103\-$10,207 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City · lower cost | | Admission rate | 72.2% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileUniversity of Minnesota-DuluthMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Missouri-Kansas City | Measure | University of Missouri-Kansas City | University of Minnesota-Duluth | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $65,925 | $66,056+$131 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City | | Average annual net price | $13,310 | $18,743+$5,433 vs University of Missouri-Kansas City · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.2% | 88.8% | [Explore University of Minnesota-Duluth →](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/) 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-missouri-kansas-city/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/)