1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of South Florida Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of South Florida FL · Large public institution · Overall rank #63 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-south-florida/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-south-florida/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-south-florida/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-south-florida/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-south-florida/similar/) ## Mobility in the 97th percentile nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for University of South Florida is a public university in Tampa, Florida, where the degree mix is led by Health Professions, Business, and Biological Sciences. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The factors the model measures add to expected earnings, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Pell students complete below the overall rate, and access is among the highest we track. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. ## USF at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 43.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 76.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $62,079 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $9,326 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $17,988 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $15,541 ## USF rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of South Florida is a public university in Tampa, Florida, enrolling 37,207 undergraduates. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, its composite standing sits near the top of the ranking (96th percentile). University of South Florida admits 43.2% of applicants, compared with a median of 78.1% among comparable institutions (same type and size). The first-year retention rate is 91.3%, above the peer median of 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 76.8%, which also exceeds the peer median of 65.0%. Because that rate counts only first-time, full-time students, it does not capture undergraduates who arrive as transfers. Transfers account for an estimated 35.2% of enrollees, and those students began their studies elsewhere. The profile is strongest on mobility, at the 97th percentile, and weakest on return, at the 37th percentile. Access and affordability cluster nearby at the 94th and 93rd percentiles, so three pillars sit close together while return sits far below. The gap between those three and return is the main feature of the institution's measured profile. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the University of South Florida #63 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's strongest pillar is mobility, in the 97th percentile, reflecting high rates of economic advancement for its graduates. Access and affordability also sit in the top decile, at the 94th and 93rd percentiles respectively. The return pillar is the weakest, landing in the 37th percentile. 29.4% of undergraduates at University of South Florida receive Pell Grants, a measure of financial access at this public university in Tampa, Florida. Azimuth ranks the university #84 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access pillar draws on the Pell share and the completion rate for those students. Pell recipients complete at 67.7%, which is 9.1 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the entering cohort. Azimuth ranks University of South Florida #41 for mobility. The mobility pillar combines the Pell share, the completion rate for Pell students, and the earnings picture. Graduates earn about $4,813 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits alongside the completion figures for Pell recipients to shape the mobility standing. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) USF rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #63 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 97 **Access & reach** National percentile: 94 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-south-florida/cost/)** National percentile: 93 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-south-florida/outcomes/)** National percentile: 37 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Human Services, General**#15** 2. Criminology**#20** 3. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#28** 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-south-florida/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / USF briefing ## [USF cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-south-florida/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Azimuth ranks the University of South Florida #105 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported sticker charges for out-of-state tuition at $16,565, required fees of $1,851, and on-campus food and housing at $14,824. The federal cost of attendance is $22,859. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) drops to $9,812, a reduction of $13,047 from the sticker total. This average net price is below the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,822. For families earning under $30,000, the average net price falls to $4,122. The University of South Florida publishes a cost of attendance of $22,859, with in-state tuition and fees of $6,410 and out-of-state tuition and fees of $17,324. After aid, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for families earning under $30,000 is $4,122, for families earning $48,001–$75,000 it is $9,326, and for families earning over $110,000 it is $18,497. Azimuth ranks the university #105 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Financial aid savings reduce the sticker price by $13,047, bringing the average net price across all aid recipients to $9,812. That figure is below the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size), with a gap of $5,822. Median federal student debt at completion is $17,988, with 71.4% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. That median is below the peer median of $20,076 for comparable institutions, with a gap of $2,088. The median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing stands at $15,541. If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment for a graduate with the median federal debt is $204. 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**$9,326** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at USF The median federal student debt for borrowers who finish at University of South Florida is $17,988. Roughly 71.4% of federal aid recipients use federal loans. Compared with the $20,076 median at comparable institutions (same type and size), the university's median is below by $2,088. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) debt, a separate parent-borrower population, has a median of $15,541. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 32% of 5,714 bachelor's graduates who started as first-time students borrowed from any source, averaging $20,774 per borrower. Among those graduates, 31% held federal loans averaging $17,194, including 5% who carried private loans averaging $27,435. Earnings at University of South Florida sit below the peer median, while borrowing stays below it. The two figures pull in opposite directions for the investment picture. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $62,079. That is $3,531 below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $4,813 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 37th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from $47,261 in a downside case to $85,320 in an upside case, with a typical outcome of $62,079. On the borrowing side, the median federal student debt at completion is $17,988, which is $2,088 below the peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $204 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $15,541. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $204. [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** $17,988 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $15,541 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $204/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $197/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-south-florida#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-south-florida/cost/) 02 / USF briefing ## [USF career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-south-florida/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of South Florida #920 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,813 less than the model expects for similar students, a figure in the 37th percentile nationally. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $11,459. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $16,272. The STEM component adds $2,750 of the measured factors. Four years after completion, completers who are working and not enrolled show median earnings of $62,079, in the 57th percentile. Comparable institutions (same type and size) post a peer median of $65,610, so the university sits below by $3,531. Four years after graduating, University of South Florida completers earn a median of $62,079, a figure that places the university in the 57th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort numbers 9,905 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Graduates earn about $4,813 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios, which reflect the university's program mix, show a typical outcome of $62,079, a downside scenario of $47,261, and an upside scenario of $85,320. An estimated 33.4% of the university's graduates continue to graduate study, a figure derived from the program mix. Four years after completion, University of South Florida graduates earn a median of $62,079, in the 57th percentile. That is below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $3,531. Graduates earn about $4,813 less than the model expects for similar students, placing the university in the 37th percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $11,459. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $16,272. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,750. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of South Florida #920 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $47,261 and an upside of $85,320. The largest program, Biology, awarded 1,249 degrees and shows median earnings of $49,395 four years after completion, ranking #222 in its field in the Azimuth national rankings. The highest-earning program, Computer Engineering, reports median earnings of $109,054 from 52 degrees awarded. Nursing, with 497 degrees awarded, shows median earnings of $84,694. The earnings scenarios for University of South Florida span from a downside of $47,261 to an upside of $85,320, reflecting the range of outcomes associated with the university's program mix. The highest-earning programs shape the upside scenario. Computer Engineering completers earn a median of $109,054 four years after completion, while Electrical Engineering alumni earn $102,275. The largest program, Biology, shows median earnings of $49,395. The cost side at University of South Florida is a clear strength. The average net price—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $9,812, and that figure sits below the $15,634 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $5,822. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $17,988 in federal student loans. That is below the $20,076 peer median, and it corresponds to an estimated payment of $204 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $15,541. The return picture is mixed: graduates earn about $4,813 less than the model expects for similar students, and the median earnings four years after completion sit below the peer median. But the low net price and below-peer debt point the same way, and affordability is the stronger of the two pillars here. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$11,459 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$16,272 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,813 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-south-florida/outcomes/) 03 / USF briefing ## [USF acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-south-florida/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of South Florida admitted 43.2% of applicants, well below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 71,722 applicants, 29,196 admitted, and 6,730 enrolled first-year students. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 43.2% **25th percentile** 1160 **Median** 1250 **75th percentile** 1340 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/university-of-south-florida/admissions/) 04 / USF briefing ## [What are the largest majors at USF?](/school/university-of-south-florida/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The University of South Florida's highest-earning bachelor's programs are concentrated in engineering and computing. Computer Engineering leads at $109,054 four years after completion, with 52 degrees awarded. Electrical Engineering follows at $102,275 and 95 degrees awarded, and Chemical Engineering at $94,387 with 111 degrees awarded. Among the university's largest programs, Nursing reaches $84,694 and ranks #136 nationally in its field, on 497 degrees awarded. By contrast, Biology, the largest program by degrees awarded at 1,249, shows median earnings of $49,395 and an Azimuth national rank of #222. Health Sciences, with 1,044 degrees awarded, earns $56,452 and ranks #28 nationally. The university has 45 ranked bachelor's programs, with 53 reporting four-year earnings data. The five largest programs by degrees awarded are Biology (1,249 degrees awarded, ranked #222 nationally), Health Sciences (1,044 degrees awarded, ranked #28), Psychology (811 degrees awarded, ranked #185), Nursing (497 degrees awarded, ranked #136), and Criminology (427 degrees awarded, ranked #20). The programs with the highest four-year median earnings are Computer Engineering at $109,054, Electrical Engineering at $102,275, and Chemical Engineering at $94,387. The best nationally ranked programs include Human Services at #15, Criminology at #20, and Health Sciences at #28. The University of South Florida awards bachelor's degrees across 45 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 53 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is anchored by Health Professions, which accounts for 18.8% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 17.1% and Biological Sciences at 12.8%. The largest single programs are Biology at 1,249 degrees awarded, Health Sciences at 1,044, and Psychology at 811. The highest-ranked program is Human Services, which awards 110 degrees a year and ranks #1 in Florida within its field. Criminology ranks #20 nationally and #3 in Florida within its field, with median earnings of $53,883 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Computer Engineering, where graduates earn a median of $109,054 four years out, from 52 degrees awarded. Computer and Information Sciences combines scale and strong earnings, with 411 degrees awarded and a median of $90,953. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #75 nationally and #5 in Florida within its field. The pattern is one of strength spread across several fields rather than concentrated in a single area. The largest programs sit in health and biology, while the highest earnings come from engineering and computing. Overall, 26.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Biology, General 1,249 degrees awarded** $49,395 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 1,044 degrees awarded** $56,452 **Psychology, General 811 degrees awarded** $47,257 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 497 degrees awarded** $84,694 **Criminology 427 degrees awarded** $53,883 **Computer and Information Sciences, General 411 degrees awarded** $90,953 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-south-florida/majors/) 05 / USF briefing ## How does USF serve students from different backgrounds? Azimuth places the University of South Florida in the 97th percentile for mobility 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 76.8%, while Pell recipients complete at 67.7% — below the overall rate by 9.1 percentage points. Graduates earn about $4,813 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 37th percentile nationally. Azimuth places the access pillar of University of South Florida in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university admits 43.2% of applicants, well below the peer median of 78.1%, and enrolls 37,207 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 29.4% of the undergraduate body, and an estimated 35.2% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students. 06 / USF briefing ## [What colleges are similar to USF?](/school/university-of-south-florida/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-south-florida/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with USF. Admissions peerUniversity of Central Florida40.1% admitted+ Comparison with USF | Measure | USF | University of Central Florida | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,079 | $61,355\-$724 vs USF | | Average annual net price | $9,812 | $10,411+$599 vs USF · higher cost | | Admission rate | 43.2% | 40.1% | [Explore University of Central Florida →](/school/university-of-central-florida/) Higher-admission alternativeSaint Leo University78.4% admitted+ Comparison with USF | Measure | USF | Saint Leo University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,079 | $58,644\-$3,435 vs USF | | Average annual net price | $9,812 | $21,293+$11,481 vs USF · higher cost | | Admission rate | 43.2% | 78.4% | Nearby alternativeUniversity of Central FloridaNearby option · FL+ Comparison with USF | Measure | USF | University of Central Florida | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,079 | $61,355\-$724 vs USF | | Average annual net price | $9,812 | $10,411+$599 vs USF · higher cost | | Admission rate | 43.2% | 40.1% | [Explore University of Central Florida →](/school/university-of-central-florida/) Higher-earnings alternativeNew Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology$85,232 earnings+ Comparison with USF | Measure | USF | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,079 | $85,232+$23,153 vs USF | | Average annual net price | $9,812 | $9,873+$61 vs USF · higher cost | | Admission rate | 43.2% | 44.5% | [Explore New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology →](/school/new-mexico-institute-of-mining-and-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Lehman College$3,148 average net price+ Comparison with USF | Measure | USF | CUNY Lehman College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,079 | $63,353+$1,274 vs USF | | Average annual net price | $9,812 | $3,148\-$6,664 vs USF · lower cost | | Admission rate | 43.2% | 56.6% | [Explore CUNY Lehman College →](/school/cuny-lehman-college/) Similar profileFlorida International UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with USF | Measure | USF | Florida International University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,079 | $62,192+$113 vs USF | | Average annual net price | $9,812 | $9,288\-$524 vs USF · lower cost | | Admission rate | 43.2% | 54.7% | [Explore Florida International University →](/school/florida-international-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-south-florida/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/)