1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of North Carolina at Greensboro Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of North Carolina at Greensboro NC · Large public institution · Overall rank #160 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/similar/) ## Azimuth places the university in the 89th percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a public university where the degree mix is led by Business, Health Professions, and the Visual and Performing Arts. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds, while the part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts. Most graduates are estimated to go into jobs rather than on to further study, so the four-year earnings picture captures most outcomes. Access is among the highest we track. Students who arrive with Pell Grants finish within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools. A student drawn to Computer Science should know it is not one of the largest programs, but it is the best-paid one. ## University of North Carolina at Greensboro at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 88.5% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 56.3% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $51,594 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $11,605 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,858 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $14,638 ## University of North Carolina at Greensboro rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, enrolling 14,062 undergraduates. The university's composite rank places it in the top fifth of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university admits 88.5% of applicants, which is above the 78.1% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among first-time, full-time students, 78.9% return for a second year, while the peer median is 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that same cohort is 56.3%, compared to a peer median of 65.0%. An estimated 43.4% of undergraduates arrive as transfers, meaning a large part of the student body did not start here, and the six-year rate describes only the first-time, full-time cohort. The four pillars are spread across the ranking: mobility is the strongest and return is the weakest. Access and affordability sit between them, giving the university a profile where the financial-access measures run well ahead of the earnings picture. Mobility gives University of North Carolina at Greensboro its clearest institutional strength, even though return is the profile’s weakest area. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth puts mobility in the 92nd percentile, access in the 92nd percentile, and affordability in the 85th percentile. Return sits in the 24th percentile. Strong mobility, access, and affordability stand beside a much weaker return reading. 50.2% of undergraduates at University of North Carolina at Greensboro receive Pell Grants, a measure of financial access. Among enrolled students who submitted standardized tests, the middle 50% of SAT scores fell between 1,150 and 1,355. The middle 50% of ACT scores fell between 22 and 27. Azimuth ranks the university #121 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 59.8%, a level 3.5 percentage points above the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the entering cohort as a whole (56.3%). Azimuth ranks the university #116 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,230 less 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 North Carolina at Greensboro rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #160 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 92 **Access & reach** National percentile: 92 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/cost/)** National percentile: 85 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/outcomes/)** National percentile: 24 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications**#5** 2. Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management**#11** 3. Dance**#13** 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-north-carolina-at-greensboro/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / University of North Carolina at Greensboro briefing ## [University of North Carolina at Greensboro cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the published budget for in-state students totals $21,373. Tuition and fees are $7,661; room and board are $10,688. Students from outside North Carolina pay $24,012 in tuition and fees. After grants and scholarships, aid recipients pay an average of $10,965. That is $4,669 below the median [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) at comparable institutions (same type and size), which is $15,634. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 49% of the published cost, lowering the bill by $10,408. Azimuth ranks the university #219 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 85th percentile. For aid recipients, the price remaining after grants varies sharply by family-income band at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The published cost of attendance is $21,373, and the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $7,305 in the lowest family-income band. The lower-middle band averages $8,082, the middle band $11,605, the upper-middle band $16,979, and the highest band $19,580. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $12,275. Azimuth ranks the public university #219 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid offsets a substantial share of the published cost for the average recipient. Aid covers about 49% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $10,408, leaving an average net price of $10,965 across all aid recipients. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $15,634; the university’s average net price is $4,669 below it. Published in-state tuition is $7,661, and out-of-state tuition is $24,012. Aid coverage and a below-peer average net price point in the same direction. Federal borrowing is common among undergraduates, and completing borrowers carry debt above the comparable-school median. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $22,858, which is $2,782 above the peer median of $20,076 at comparable institutions (same type and size). 84.4% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans, and that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $260 a month if repaid over ten years. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $14,638. 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**$11,605** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of North Carolina at Greensboro Federal borrowing reaches 84.4% of federal aid recipients at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, so loan amounts are central to the cost picture. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $22,858 at completion. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $20,076, leaving the university $2,782 above it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $14,638. Four years after completing a degree, the median for federally aided graduates of University of North Carolina at Greensboro who are working and not enrolled is $51,594. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, that figure falls at the 22nd percentile. Graduates earn about $5,230 less than the model expects for similar students. That result is at the 36th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, run from $42,326 on the downside to $66,845 on the upside. The typical estimate is $51,594. Completers who borrowed hold a median of $22,858 in federal student loans. That amount is $2,782 above the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $260 a month. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $14,638. The median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $260 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** $22,858 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $14,638 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $260/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $186/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-north-carolina-at-greensboro#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/cost/) 02 / University of North Carolina at Greensboro briefing ## [University of North Carolina at Greensboro career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Mobility is the stronger pillar at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, but Azimuth puts return in the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,230 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth assigns that result a 36th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions; [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) means the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,923. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,153. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $51,594 four years after completion, in the 22nd percentile. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median of $65,610, leaving the university $14,016 below that figure. The model result and peer comparison both point below the comparison marks. Earnings for University of North Carolina at Greensboro graduates trail the peer median and the model's expectation. The median for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled is $51,594 four years after completion, measured among 4,238 completers. That is $14,016 below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The median sits at the 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,230 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) compare actual pay to what the model expects for similar students. That gap is at the 36th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $42,326 on the downside to $66,845 on the upside, with typical earnings at $51,594. An estimated 29.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Mobility is the strongest pillar at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, but the return picture sits below the comparable-institution benchmark. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $51,594 four years after completion, in the 22nd percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610; the university’s median is $14,016 below it. Graduates earn about $5,230 less than the model expects for similar students. That earnings-beyond-expectations measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 36th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,923. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,153. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $933. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from a downside of $42,326 to an upside of $66,845. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration and Management is the largest bachelor’s program, with 377 degrees awarded and median earnings of $56,225 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #276 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications had 109 degrees awarded, median earnings of $68,293, and an Azimuth rank of #5 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing awarded 161 degrees, with median earnings of $80,383 and an Azimuth national field rank of #248 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The higher earnings in those latter programs sit alongside lower earnings in the largest program. Earnings at University of North Carolina at Greensboro depend heavily on the field a student chooses. Scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $42,326 on the downside to $66,845 on the upside, with $51,594 as the typical earnings scenario. The highest-earning programs sit above the upside scenario. Computer Science graduates earn a median of $86,372 four years after completion, from 56 degrees awarded. Nursing follows at $80,383, and Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications — a program [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #5 nationally within its field — at $68,293. At University of North Carolina at Greensboro, borrower debt is above the comparable benchmark while graduate earnings fall short of model expectations. For borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $22,858. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $20,076, and the university’s debt figure is above it by $2,782. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $260 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowers have median Parent PLUS debt of $14,638, measured separately from student borrowing. Graduates earn about $5,230 less than the model expects for similar students. Higher borrower debt and lower-than-expected earnings point in the same direction in this return picture. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,923 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$12,153 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$5,230 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-north-carolina-at-greensboro/outcomes/) 03 / University of North Carolina at Greensboro briefing ## [University of North Carolina at Greensboro acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of North Carolina at Greensboro admits 88.5% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). A rate this high means the university is accessible to a wide range of students who meet its published requirements. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 88.5% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1150 **Reported average** 1193 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1355 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-north-carolina-at-greensboro/admissions/) 04 / University of North Carolina at Greensboro briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of North Carolina at Greensboro?](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program choice makes the earnings picture uneven, ranging from a nationally prominent technical field to fields with more moderate four-year results. Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications reports median earnings of $68,293 four years after completion across 109 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #5 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Nursing has median earnings of $80,383 and 161 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth national field rank of #248. At a more moderate earnings level, Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management shows $42,920 across 20 degrees awarded and ranks #11 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Dance records $45,084 with 23 degrees awarded; Azimuth places it #13 nationally in its field. The contrast between these fields shows why the program selected matters when reading four-year earnings. Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications stands out among the university’s ranked fields, with earnings that sit above the overall median. University of North Carolina at Greensboro has 34 ranked bachelor’s fields in Azimuth’s national rankings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management ranks #11, with 20 degrees awarded and median earnings of $42,920. Apparel and Textiles ranks #21, with 89 degrees awarded and median earnings of $51,510 four years after completion. At University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Business leads the degree mix at 19.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 8.6% and Visual & Performing Arts at 7.4%. Across all fields, 34 programs carry an Azimuth national rank and 42 have published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Business Administration and Management, at 377 degrees awarded, followed by Psychology at 244 and Biology at 175. The highest-ranked program is Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #1 in North Carolina within its field. It awards 109 degrees a year, and graduates earn a median of $68,293 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management #11 nationally within its field and #2 in North Carolina, from 20 degrees awarded. Graduates of that program earn $42,920. Apparel and Textiles ranks #21 nationally within its field and #2 in North Carolina, with 89 degrees awarded and earnings of $51,510. The highest-earning program is Computer Science, at $86,372 from 56 degrees awarded. The pattern is one of strength spread across several applied and professional fields rather than concentrated in a single area. The top-ranked programs include technical fields like Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications alongside applied ones like Apparel and Textiles. The highest earnings come from a program that is not among the largest by degrees awarded. 15.7% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings for some fields understate later trajectories, because graduates often continue to graduate study before entering the workforce. The university's strongest programs by rank are not its largest by degrees awarded. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 377 degrees awarded** $56,225 **Psychology, General 244 degrees awarded** $43,825 **Biology, General 175 degrees awarded** $52,194 **Communication and Media Studies 169 degrees awarded** $43,231 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 161 degrees awarded** $80,383 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 156 degrees awarded** $51,275 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-north-carolina-at-greensboro/majors/) 05 / University of North Carolina at Greensboro briefing ## How does University of North Carolina at Greensboro serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is the university's strongest measured pillar: Pell recipients' six-year completion rate is 59.8%, above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 56.3% by 3.5 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 92nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, sits in the 36th percentile. Graduates earn about $5,230 less than the model expects for similar students. Completion is comparatively strong, while modeled earnings sit below expectations. At University of North Carolina at Greensboro, access stands out through an admission rate of 88.5% and Pell Grant recipients comprising 50.2% of undergraduates. Undergraduate enrollment is 14,062, with an estimated 43.4% entering as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 92nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Admission, Pell participation, and transfer entry point to several routes into a sizable public university. 06 / University of North Carolina at Greensboro briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of North Carolina at Greensboro?](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/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-north-carolina-at-greensboro/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Admissions peerWilliam Peace University94.3% admitted+ Comparison with University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Measure | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | William Peace University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,594 | $51,163\-$431 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro | | Average annual net price | $10,965 | $21,649+$10,684 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.5% | 94.3% | Higher-admission alternativeLiberty University99.0% admitted+ Comparison with University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Measure | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Liberty University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,594 | $57,700+$6,106 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro | | Average annual net price | $10,965 | $29,357+$18,392 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.5% | 99.0% | [Explore Liberty University →](/school/liberty-university/) Nearby alternativeGreensboro CollegeNearby option · NC+ Comparison with University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Measure | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,594 | $51,898+$304 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro | | Average annual net price | $10,965 | $17,882+$6,917 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.5% | 70.1% | Higher-earnings alternativeSaint Mary's University of Minnesota$72,502 earnings+ Comparison with University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Measure | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,594 | $72,502+$20,908 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro | | Average annual net price | $10,965 | $11,704+$739 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.5% | 92.8% | Lower-cost alternativeFayetteville State University$7,892 average net price+ Comparison with University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Measure | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Fayetteville State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,594 | $51,687+$93 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro | | Average annual net price | $10,965 | $7,892\-$3,073 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.5% | 82.2% | [Explore Fayetteville State University →](/school/fayetteville-state-university/) Similar profileWestern Kentucky UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Measure | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Western Kentucky University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,594 | $53,602+$2,008 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro | | Average annual net price | $10,965 | $10,990+$25 vs University of North Carolina at Greensboro · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.5% | 93.9% | [Explore Western Kentucky University →](/school/western-kentucky-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/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/)