1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of North Dakota Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of North Dakota ND · Medium public institution · Overall rank #399 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-north-dakota/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-north-dakota/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-north-dakota/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-north-dakota/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-north-dakota/similar/) ## Azimuth places it in the 73rd percentile overall among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where Transportation & Materials Moving and Business lead the degree mix. Mobility is its strongest pillar, at well above average, while access is modestly below average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap to a remainder it does not explain, which subtracts, while the factors it measures—field of study, enrollment and the local labor market—adds to earnings. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, so the four-year earnings figure captures most outcomes. The net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell students complete at a rate that is below the overall rate, and mobility is well above average. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and the degree mix is oriented toward transportation, business, and health professions. ## University of North Dakota at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 76.9% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 60.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $69,563 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $15,206 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,057 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $14,269 ## University of North Dakota rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, enrolling 9,981 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the upper third of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (73rd percentile). University of North Dakota admits 76.9% of applicants, a rate that sits below the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 84.0% return for a second year, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 60.5%, compared with a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 33.1% of entrants arrive as transfers, so the six-year rate captures only the first-time, full-time cohort and leaves out a large share of the student body. Mobility is the strongest pillar (76th percentile), return is close behind (76th percentile), and affordability sits in the middle of the field (65th percentile). Access is the weakest of the four (39th percentile). The four pillars are spread across a wide range, with the two highest far above the lowest. Mobility is the clearest pillar at University of North Dakota, while access is the area furthest behind the university’s other measures. Azimuth places the university's mobility pillar in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places return in the 76th percentile and affordability in the 65th percentile. Access is the weakest pillar, at the 39th percentile. The university combines strong mobility and return measures with a lower access measure. 17.2% of undergraduates at University of North Dakota receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks University of North Dakota #902 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, the weakest of the university's four pillars. Pell recipients complete at 45.3%, which is 15.2 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the entering cohort. Azimuth ranks the university #347 for mobility. This is the strongest pillar for University of North Dakota. Graduates earn about $2,616 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 Dakota rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #399 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 76 **Access & reach** National percentile: 39 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-north-dakota/cost/)** National percentile: 65 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-north-dakota/outcomes/)** National percentile: 76 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Air Transportation**#1** 2. Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#12** 3. Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions**#25** 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-dakota/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / University of North Dakota briefing ## [University of North Dakota cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-north-dakota/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At University of North Dakota, the published cost of attendance is $25,605, and aid recipients face an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) of $18,551, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships. The published budget includes in-state tuition and fees of $10,951, out-of-state tuition and fees of $15,570, and room and board of $11,390. Financial aid reduces the published cost by an average of $7,054 for aid recipients. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, leaving this university's average $4,483 above that benchmark. Azimuth places the affordability pillar in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid lowers the published charge, though the average recipient cost remains above the comparable-institution benchmark. At $25,605, the published cost sets the starting point before aid. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,126 for the lowest family-income band, $12,251 for the lower-middle band, $15,206 for the middle band, $18,981 for the upper-middle band, and $20,730 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $7,604, and Azimuth ranks University of North Dakota #491 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 28% of the published cost, an average reduction of $7,054. For first-time full-time Title IV aid recipients, the average net price is $18,551, which is $4,483 above the peer median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). In-state tuition and fees are $10,951, and out-of-state tuition and fees are $15,570. Aid reduces the published cost, yet the average net price remains above the peer median. Federal borrowing reaches 93.1% of federal aid recipients. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $22,057, or $828 above the peer median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $251 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $14,269. 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**$15,206** 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 Dakota Federal borrowing is common at University of North Dakota, where 93.1% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt at completion is $22,057. Compared with the $21,229 median at comparable institutions (same type and size), the university's median is $828 above. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $14,269. Mobility is the strongest Azimuth pillar at University of North Dakota, while the investment picture combines earnings above the peer median with earnings below the model’s expectation. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $69,563. Azimuth places that figure in the 75th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,616 less 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, are in the 45th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The typical earnings scenario matches the reported median, with a downside scenario of $50,956 and an upside scenario of $100,622. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $22,057, $828 above the $21,229 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $251 a month if repaid over ten years. Earnings stand above peers, but the model comparison and debt comparison point the other way. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers, a separate parent-borrower population, have median borrowing of $14,269. Student borrowing is separate; that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $251 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** $22,057 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $14,269 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $251/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $181/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-dakota#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-north-dakota/cost/) 02 / University of North Dakota briefing ## [University of North Dakota career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-north-dakota/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 $69,563, in the 75th percentile. That is $12,262 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar at the 76th percentile. Graduates earn about $2,616 less than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 45th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $9,379. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $11,995. At University of North Dakota, the schoolwide earnings reference is $69,563 four years after completion for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Azimuth places that median in the 75th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 2,094 completers. Graduates earn about $2,616 less than the model expects for similar students. The model’s typical earnings scenario matches the reported median, with a downside scenario of $50,956 and an upside scenario of $100,622. These are earnings scenarios from the program mix, not observed groups. An estimated 25.6% continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. The earnings percentile and below-expected result point in different directions. The return picture is mixed: University of North Dakota has median earnings of $69,563 four years after completion, in the 75th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions of the same control and size, is $57,301. The university stands $12,262 above that figure. Graduates earn about $2,616 less 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 45th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $9,379. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $11,995. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,090. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #356 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $50,956 on the downside to $100,622 on the upside. Program choice is especially visible in the difference between the largest field and the highest-earning field. Electrical Engineering, the highest-earning listed program, awarded 39 degrees and posted $106,162 at the same point. The listed programs show a broad range of earnings even among fields with substantial degree counts. The earnings picture at University of North Dakota is broad, with outcomes that depend heavily on the field a student chooses. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $50,956 on the downside to $100,622 on the upside, with $69,563 as the typical scenario. At the upper end, Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $106,162 four years after completion, from 39 degrees awarded a year. Air Transportation is both the largest program and the second-highest earner, at $104,472 from 298 degrees. The spread between the downside scenario and the top-earning programs shows how much program choice matters here. University of North Dakota pairs federal borrowing above the peer median with earnings below the model’s expectation. Borrowers who completed had median federal student loan debt of $22,057. That is above the $21,229 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $828. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $251 a month if repaid over ten years. [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, offer a separate view of the return. Graduates earn about $2,616 less than the model expects for similar students. Debt sits above the peer benchmark, and the modeled earnings comparison also points downward, making the return picture less favorable on both measures. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$9,379 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$11,995 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$2,616 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-dakota/outcomes/) 03 / University of North Dakota briefing ## [University of North Dakota acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-north-dakota/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At University of North Dakota, an admission rate of 76.9% means that most applicants in the reported pool received an offer. It was below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Applicants should review the university's application requirements and assemble required materials before applying. Admissions **Admission rate** 76.9% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/university-of-north-dakota/admissions/) 04 / University of North Dakota briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of North Dakota?](/school/university-of-north-dakota/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The largest program at University of North Dakota is also one of the best-paid. Air Transportation awards 298 degrees a year, and its graduates earn a median of $104,472 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #1 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Engineering programs dominate the upper end of the earnings range. Electrical Engineering graduates earn $106,162, from 39 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks the program #79 nationally. Mechanical Engineering is larger, at 77 degrees a year, with median earnings of $89,704 and a national rank of #160. At the more moderate end, Psychology awards 117 degrees a year and its graduates earn $55,333. Azimuth ranks it #108 nationally. The contrast between the largest program and the more moderately earning fields shows the range of outcomes that depend on field of study. University of North Dakota has 19 nationally ranked bachelor's programs, and the largest of them is also the top-ranked. Air Transportation awards 298 degrees a year and ranks #1 nationally and #1 in North Dakota. Its completers earn a median of $104,472 four years after completion. Liberal Arts and General Studies is the second-best nationally ranked program, at #12 nationally and #1 in North Dakota, with 101 degrees awarded and median earnings of $71,538 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Electrical Engineering, with 39 degrees awarded, ranks #79 nationally and shows median earnings of $106,162 four years after completion. So the best-paid field and the biggest one are not the same. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Air Transportation 298 degrees awarded** $104,472 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 123 degrees awarded** $79,624 **Psychology, General 117 degrees awarded** $55,333 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 101 degrees awarded** $71,538 **Mechanical Engineering 77 degrees awarded** $89,704 **Biology, General 75 degrees awarded** $50,191 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-dakota/majors/) 05 / University of North Dakota briefing ## How does University of North Dakota serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is the university's strongest Azimuth pillar, with a 76th percentile placement 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 60.5%, while Pell recipients complete at 45.3%, below the overall rate by 15.2 percentage points. Graduates earn about $2,616 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places this earnings-beyond-expectations measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, in the 45th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. In Grand Forks, University of North Dakota enrolls 9,981 undergraduates and admits 76.9% of applicants. 17.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, a financial-access measure, and an estimated 33.1% arrive as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places its access pillar in the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The enrollment mix and admission rate provide context for that access placement. 06 / University of North Dakota briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of North Dakota?](/school/university-of-north-dakota/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-dakota/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of North Dakota. Admissions peerAshland University76.4% admitted+ Comparison with University of North Dakota | Measure | University of North Dakota | Ashland University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $69,563 | $59,855\-$9,708 vs University of North Dakota | | Average annual net price | $18,551 | $21,988+$3,437 vs University of North Dakota · higher cost | | Admission rate | 76.9% | 76.4% | [Explore Ashland University →](/school/ashland-university/) Higher-admission alternativeNorth Dakota State University-Main Campus95.0% admitted+ Comparison with University of North Dakota | Measure | University of North Dakota | North Dakota State University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $69,563 | $67,679\-$1,884 vs University of North Dakota | | Average annual net price | $18,551 | $15,543\-$3,008 vs University of North Dakota · lower cost | | Admission rate | 76.9% | 95.0% | [Explore North Dakota State University-Main Campus →](/school/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus/) Nearby alternativeNorth Dakota State University-Main CampusNearby option · ND+ Comparison with University of North Dakota | Measure | University of North Dakota | North Dakota State University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $69,563 | $67,679\-$1,884 vs University of North Dakota | | Average annual net price | $18,551 | $15,543\-$3,008 vs University of North Dakota · lower cost | | Admission rate | 76.9% | 95.0% | [Explore North Dakota State University-Main Campus →](/school/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus/) Higher-earnings alternativeSouth Dakota School of Mines and Technology$87,878 earnings+ Comparison with University of North Dakota | Measure | University of North Dakota | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $69,563 | $87,878+$18,315 vs University of North Dakota | | Average annual net price | $18,551 | $20,183+$1,632 vs University of North Dakota · higher cost | | Admission rate | 76.9% | 79.9% | Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of Minnesota-Crookston$12,212 average net price+ Comparison with University of North Dakota | Measure | University of North Dakota | University of Minnesota-Crookston | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $69,563 | $62,786\-$6,777 vs University of North Dakota | | Average annual net price | $18,551 | $12,212\-$6,339 vs University of North Dakota · lower cost | | Admission rate | 76.9% | 87.9% | Similar profileNorth Dakota State University-Main CampusMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of North Dakota | Measure | University of North Dakota | North Dakota State University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $69,563 | $67,679\-$1,884 vs University of North Dakota | | Average annual net price | $18,551 | $15,543\-$3,008 vs University of North Dakota · lower cost | | Admission rate | 76.9% | 95.0% | [Explore North Dakota State University-Main Campus →](/school/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus/) 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-dakota/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)