1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus PA · Large public institution · Overall rank #485 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus #485 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus is a public university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Business, Engineering, and Health Professions lead the degree mix. Mobility is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures and a subtraction to the remainder it cannot explain. Pell recipients complete well below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. At the same time, the lowest income band pays a fraction of the published cost, while the highest band pays nearly the full amount. The admission rate sits 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 best-paid ones are not the largest. ## University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 58.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 85.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $73,701 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $23,192 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,250 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $35,031 ## University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) A public university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus enrolls 20,370 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (67th percentile). It admits 58.1% of applicants, compared with a peer median — the middle value for comparable institutions of the same type and size — of 78.1%. Of students who start full time, 92.0% return for a second year, against a peer median of 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 85.5%, against a peer median of 65.0%. That figure covers only the first-time, full-time cohort, so it does not capture students who arrive as transfers. An estimated 16.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students. At University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus, the four pillars sit far apart. Mobility is the strongest, at the 85th percentile, while affordability is the weakest, at the 15th percentile. Return and access sit between them, at the 70th and 67th percentiles, creating a profile where outcomes for low-income students are a strength but the net price is a counterweight. University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus shows its greatest strength in economic mobility, where it sits in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability is the weakest pillar, in the 15th percentile, reflecting an average net price—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—that is high relative to comparable institutions. The access pillar follows in the 67th percentile, and the return pillar in the 70th percentile. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus fell between 1,280 and 1,460. 14.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks the university #485 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 64.1%, 21.4 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (85.5%). Azimuth ranks the university #221 for mobility. Graduates earn about $4,649 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 Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #485 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 85 **Access & reach** National percentile: 67 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/cost/)** National percentile: 15 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/outcomes/)** National percentile: 70 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions**#2** 2. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration**#5** 3. Biological and Physical Sciences**#6** 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-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus briefing ## [University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus is $38,105. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $21,594 and required fees of $2,152 for the 2026-27 academic year. On-campus food and housing add another $15,430. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $30,434, which is $14,800 above the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Financial aid reduces the published cost by $7,671 on average. Azimuth ranks the university #1,197 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The net price sits well above the peer median, and the affordability pillar is the weakest of the four at the 15th percentile. The University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus publishes a cost of attendance of $38,105. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients actually pay—is $14,709 for families earning under $30,000, $23,192 for the middle band of $48,001–$75,000, and $36,008 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $21,299, a difference of averages. Azimuth ranks the university #1,197 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 20% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, leaving an average net price of $30,434 across all aid recipients. That figure sits above the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $14,800. The average aid recipient sees $7,671 in savings against the sticker price. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, the median federal student debt is $24,250. That median is above the peer median of $20,076 for comparable institutions by $4,174, and 94.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. For parents, the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $35,031. If repaid over ten years, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$23,192** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus At University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus, federal borrowing reaches 94.7% of federal aid recipients, and borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $24,250. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $20,076, placing the university above by $4,174. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers are a separate parent-borrower population, with median borrowing of $35,031. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 57% of graduates borrowed from any source, with an average cumulative amount of $40,791 per borrower. Among all graduates, 56% held federal loans averaging $21,198. Private loans averaged $57,594 among the 19% of graduates who held them, some of whom may also have held federal loans. Median earnings four years after completion are $73,701 among federally aided graduates of University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus who are working and not enrolled. That lands at the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That is $8,091 above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $4,649 less than the model expects for similar students. That gap sits at the 38th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a downside of $52,383, an upside of $98,988, and a typical outcome of $73,701. Borrowers who finish hold a median of $24,250 in federal loans, $4,174 above the $20,076 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. The return outlook is mixed: earnings exceed the peer median yet trail the model, and debt runs higher than peers. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $35,031. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $276. [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** $24,250 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $35,031 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $276/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $445/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-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/cost/) 02 / University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus briefing ## [University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/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 $73,701, in the 82nd percentile. That is $8,091 above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $4,649 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 38th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,292. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,941. Azimuth places the return pillar at the 70th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus delivers a mixed earnings picture. The median earnings four years after completion reach $73,701, which sits above the peer median of $65,610 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Yet graduates earn about $4,649 less than the model expects for similar students, placing the university in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort includes 7,048 completers. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a typical outcome of $73,701, with a downside scenario of $52,383 and an upside scenario reaching $98,988. An estimated 35.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The return picture is mixed: the median earnings beat the peer median, but graduates fall short of what the model expects for similar students. The wide spread between the downside and upside scenarios reflects the variation in outcomes across the university's many programs. University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus posts a median of $73,701 four years after completion, $8,091 above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #440 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,649 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 38th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,292. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,941. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,603. The program mix tilts toward health, business, and engineering, and the earnings scenarios reflect that range: a downside estimate of $52,383 and an upside of $98,988. An estimated 35.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios at the university span from a downside of $52,383 to an upside of $98,988 four years after completion, with the typical scenario at $73,701. That range shows the variation in earnings across the university's 51 programs with published data. The highest-earning programs illustrate the upper end of the spread. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration completers earn a median of $121,958, Computer Engineering graduates reach $110,417, and Computer Science graduates earn $108,680. Affordability is the weakest of the four pillars for University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus, at the 15th percentile. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $30,434. That is $14,800 above the peer median of $15,634 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $24,250 in federal student loans. The peer median is $20,076, and the university's figure is $4,174 above it. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $35,031 in Parent PLUS loans. The earnings picture is mixed: graduates earn a median of $73,701 four years after completion, but they earn about $4,649 less than the model expects for similar students. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$8,292 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$12,941 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,649 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-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/outcomes/) 03 / University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus briefing ## [University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus admitted 58.1% of applicants, a rate that sits well below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 64,724 applicants, 38,477 admitted students, and 5,876 enrolled first-year students. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 58.1% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1280 **Reported average** 1370 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1460 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-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/admissions/) 04 / University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus?](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The highest-earning programs at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus are concentrated in health sciences and engineering. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration leads at $121,958 four years after completion, with 93 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #5 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Computer Engineering follows at $110,417, with 99 degrees awarded and a national rank of #61. Computer Science is the larger of the two, at 203 degrees awarded and $108,680, and Azimuth places it #87 nationally. At the more moderate end, Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies reports $57,012 across 230 degrees awarded. Azimuth ranks it #9 nationally within its field. The contrast between the higher-earning and moderate-earning fields is wide. The university publishes earnings data for 51 bachelor's programs, 41 of which hold an Azimuth national rank. The largest program with published earnings, Nursing, awarded 309 degrees and shows a median of $83,313 four years after completion. It ranks #192 nationally and #11 in Pennsylvania. Finance is the highest-earning large program: it awarded 244 degrees, ranks #44 nationally, and its completers earn a median of $95,087. Two programs sit near the top of their fields. Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions ranks #2 nationally with 143 degrees awarded and a median of $75,950. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration ranks #5 nationally, awarded 93 degrees, and reports a median of $121,958. The program mix is broad: Business accounts for 13.7% of degrees awarded, Engineering for 12.3%, and Health Professions for 11.9%. University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus awards bachelor's degrees across 41 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 51 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is led by Business, which accounts for 13.7% of degrees awarded, followed by Engineering at 12.3% and Health Professions at 11.9%. The largest programs with published earnings are Nursing at 309 degrees awarded, Biology at 280, and Finance at 244. The highest-ranked program is Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, which awards 143 degrees a year and ranks #1 in Pennsylvania within its field. Graduates earn a median of $75,950 four years after completion, a benchmark ratio of 1.36x against the national median for its field. The highest-earning program is Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, where graduates earn $121,958 four years out. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #5 nationally and #1 in Pennsylvania, from 93 degrees awarded a year. Finance, the third-largest program with published earnings, earns $95,087 four years after completion and ranks #44 nationally within its field. Strength is spread across the program mix rather than concentrated in one area. The largest programs span health, science, and business, and several of the highest-ranked programs—including Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at #9 nationally and Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology at #9—sit outside the highest-earning fields. Four-year earnings for fields that commonly precede graduate study may understate later trajectories. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Research and Experimental Psychology 474 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 309 degrees awarded** $83,313 **Biology, General 280 degrees awarded** $62,744 **Finance and Financial Management Services 244 degrees awarded** $95,087 **Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies 230 degrees awarded** $57,012 **Marketing 224 degrees awarded** $75,461 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-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/majors/) 05 / University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus briefing ## How does University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus serve students from different backgrounds? The University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus earns its strongest pillar in mobility, where Azimuth places it in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 85.5%, while Pell recipients complete at a rate of 64.1%, which sits below the overall rate by 21.4 percentage points. On the earnings side, graduates earn about $4,649 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 38th percentile nationally. The University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus enrolls 20,370 undergraduates and admits 58.1% of applicants, a rate below the 78.1% peer median for comparable institutions. An estimated 16.5% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students, and 14.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 67th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. 06 / University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus?](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/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-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus. Admissions peerProvidence College50.9% admitted+ Comparison with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Measure | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Providence College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,701 | $83,143+$9,442 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | | Average annual net price | $30,434 | $48,523+$18,089 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 58.1% | 50.9% | Higher-admission alternativeRobert Morris University89.9% admitted+ Comparison with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Measure | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Robert Morris University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,701 | $70,755\-$2,946 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | | Average annual net price | $30,434 | $23,003\-$7,431 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 58.1% | 89.9% | Nearby alternativeRobert Morris UniversityNearby option · PA+ Comparison with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Measure | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Robert Morris University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,701 | $70,755\-$2,946 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | | Average annual net price | $30,434 | $23,003\-$7,431 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 58.1% | 89.9% | Higher-earnings alternativeAlbany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences$113,282 earnings+ Comparison with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Measure | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,701 | $113,282+$39,581 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | | Average annual net price | $30,434 | $29,882\-$552 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 58.1% | 52.7% | [Explore Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences →](/school/albany-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/) Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of Akron Main Campus$13,946 average net price+ Comparison with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Measure | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | University of Akron Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,701 | $62,809\-$10,892 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | | Average annual net price | $30,434 | $13,946\-$16,488 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 58.1% | 59.7% | [Explore University of Akron Main Campus →](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/) Similar profileUniversity at BuffaloMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Measure | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | University at Buffalo | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $73,701 | $71,430\-$2,271 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | | Average annual net price | $30,434 | $20,995\-$9,439 vs University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 58.1% | 74.2% | [Explore University at Buffalo →](/school/university-at-buffalo/) 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-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)