1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Southern Maine Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Southern Maine ME · Medium public institution · Overall rank #509 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-southern-maine/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-southern-maine/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-southern-maine/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-southern-maine/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-southern-maine/similar/) ## A composite Azimuth profile with affordability at its center. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Southern Maine is a public university in Portland whose degree mix is led by Health Professions and Business, with affordability, its strongest pillar, well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes the gap to factors it measures—field of study, enrollment and the local labor market—which add to earnings, while a remainder it does not explain subtracts from earnings. Affordability is well above average, and the net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell students finish above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the social sciences should go in knowing that the largest departments are not the best-paid ones. ## University of Southern Maine at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 79.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 40.4% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $60,816 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,550 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $19,060 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $17,050 ## University of Southern Maine rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) The University of Southern Maine is a public university in Portland, Maine, enrolling 4,222 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. The four pillars are not tightly grouped: affordability is the strongest, while return is the weakest. The university admits 79.2% of applicants, making it somewhat more selective than the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 73.9% 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 40.4%, compared to a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 43.6% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate, which tracks only first-time, full-time students, does not reflect the experience of the transfer population. At this public university, affordability stands apart from the other three pillars. Access and mobility sit in the middle of the field, while return trails them. The gap between the strongest and weakest pillars is wide, and affordability and return sit far apart. Affordability is the clearest strength at University of Southern Maine, with Azimuth placing that pillar in the 84th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That result gives cost a stronger showing here than the school’s other pillars. Azimuth places mobility in the 58th percentile and access in the 52nd percentile. Return is the weakest pillar, in the 49th percentile. Affordability and mobility provide the stronger parts of an otherwise mixed pillar profile. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 990 and 1,250. For the ACT, the middle 50% of submitted scores ranged from 24 to 28. 28.3% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks University of Southern Maine #709 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at a rate of 47.4%, which is 7.0 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. For mobility, Azimuth ranks the university #614 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,642 more 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 Southern Maine rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #509 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 58 **Access & reach** National percentile: 52 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-southern-maine/cost/)** National percentile: 84 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-southern-maine/outcomes/)** National percentile: 49 01 / University of Southern Maine briefing ## [University of Southern Maine cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-southern-maine/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At University of Southern Maine, the published cost of attendance is $23,717, but aid recipients face a much lower average price. In-state tuition and fees are $11,284, out-of-state tuition and fees are $27,944, and room and board are $12,280. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,596, with average financial aid savings of $10,121 against the published cost. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $14,068. The university’s average net price is $472 below that benchmark. Azimuth ranks University of Southern Maine #225 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. A lower-than-peer net price and that affordability standing point in the same direction for aid recipients. The published cost of attendance at University of Southern Maine is $23,717, and aid changes the picture across family-income bands. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $9,999 for families in the lowest-income band, $10,847 for the lower-middle-income band, $12,550 for the middle-income band, $16,750 for the upper-middle-income band, and $19,180 for the highest-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,181. Azimuth places the affordability pillar in the 84th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, aid covers about 43% of the published cost and offsets $10,121 against the sticker price. Among first-time, full-time aid recipients, average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,596. That figure is $472 below the peer median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition and fees are $11,284, while out-of-state tuition and fees are $27,944. The lower average net price relative to comparable institutions sits alongside a residency-based tuition difference. Borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $19,060 at completion, and 81.5% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. The median is $2,169 below the peer median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $17,050. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$12,550** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of Southern Maine Federal loans reach 81.5% of federal aid recipients, making borrowing a central part of the cost picture at University of Southern Maine. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt was $19,060. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median was $21,229; the university's figure is below that level by $2,169. For the separate population of [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers, median borrowing was $17,050. At University of Southern Maine, [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and borrowing both look more favorable than the earnings percentile alone. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $60,816 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,642 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings beyond expectations, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, stands in the 61st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios range from $44,937 in the downside case to $77,985 in the upside case, with $60,816 as the typical scenario. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $19,060, below the $21,229 median at comparable institutions by $2,169. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 a month if repaid over ten years. Above-expected earnings and below-peer debt point in the same direction. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, has a median of $17,050. Median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 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** $19,060 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $17,050 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $217/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $217/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-southern-maine#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-southern-maine/cost/) 02 / University of Southern Maine briefing ## [University of Southern Maine career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-southern-maine/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) The return picture is mixed: graduates earn about $1,642 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places this earnings-beyond-expectations result, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, in the 61st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 49th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,351. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $4,709. Four years after completion, median earnings are $60,816, in the 54th percentile. That is $3,515 above the peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size), so the peer comparison and model result point in the same direction. University of Southern Maine graduates have median earnings of $60,816 four years after completion, among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort covers 1,530 completers. Graduates earn about $1,642 more than the model expects for similar students. This is [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. Azimuth puts that measure in the 61st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The typical earnings scenario matches the observed median, with a downside scenario of $44,937 and an upside scenario of $77,985. An estimated 30.0% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. At University of Southern Maine, median earnings are $60,816 four years after completion, placing the university in the 54th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with the university $3,515 above it. Graduates earn about $1,642 more than the model expects for similar students. That earnings-beyond-expectations measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 61st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,351. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $4,709. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $176. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $44,937 in the downside scenario to $77,985 in the upside scenario. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 49th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing is the largest program, with 158 degrees awarded and median earnings of $75,465 four years after completion; that is 0.85x of the national median for its field. Mechanical Engineering awarded 24 degrees and has median earnings of $88,515, or 0.96x of its field’s national median. Business Administration and Management awarded 115 degrees, with $65,230 in median earnings and a 0.96x field benchmark ratio. Social Sciences awarded 74 degrees and has median earnings of $45,523, equal to 0.80x of its field’s national median. These program figures vary across both earnings levels and their field benchmarks. Program choice marks a wide range in modeled earnings at University of Southern Maine. The downside earnings scenario is $44,937, the typical scenario is $60,816, and the upside scenario is $77,985, all modeled from the program mix rather than observed groups. At the higher end, Mechanical Engineering completers earn a median of $88,515 four years after completion, Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management completers earn $79,352, and Nursing completers earn $75,465. Those fields show why the modeled range extends well beyond the typical scenario. Affordability is the clearest financial strength at University of Southern Maine, where aid recipients have an average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, of $13,596. That figure is below the $14,068 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $472. For borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $19,060, which is below the $21,229 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,169. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $217 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent PLUS borrowers are a separate population, with median borrowing of $17,050. Graduates earn about $1,642 more than the model expects for similar students. Lower average net price and debt below the comparable-institution median point in the same direction, alongside higher-than-expected earnings. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,351 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$4,709 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$1,642 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-southern-maine/outcomes/) 03 / University of Southern Maine briefing ## [University of Southern Maine acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-southern-maine/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) At University of Southern Maine, 79.2% of applicants to the reported entering class were admitted, indicating that admission offers reached a substantial share of that year's pool. The rate is below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The admission rate describes the reported pool's outcome, rather than a forecast for an individual application. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 79.2% **Approximate lower endpoint** 990 **Reported average** 1116 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1250 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-southern-maine/admissions/) 04 / University of Southern Maine briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Southern Maine?](/school/university-of-southern-maine/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Mechanical Engineering marks the high end of the program picture at University of Southern Maine: its median earnings are $88,515 four years after completion, with 24 degrees awarded. Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management also sits at the higher-earning end, posting $79,352 from 9 degrees awarded. These smaller programs show the upper range within the fields presented here. Nursing combines a higher earnings figure of $75,465 with 158 degrees awarded, making it the largest program in this group. By contrast, Social Sciences posts $45,523 four years after completion and awarded 74 degrees. The contrast between these fields shows that program choice is closely tied to the earnings figures shown here. Published program earnings show how outcomes differ by field, with each median measured four years after completion. The bachelor's degrees at University of Southern Maine are anchored in health and business, with Health Professions accounting for 22.9% of degrees awarded and Business for 17.0%. Social Sciences follows at 13.4%. Across 24 programs with published four-year earnings, the largest by degrees awarded is Nursing, at 158 degrees a year, followed by Business Administration and Management with 115 and Allied Health Professions with 78. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Mechanical Engineering graduates earn a median of $88,515 four years after completion, from 24 degrees awarded. Nursing, the largest program, is also among the best-paid, with a median of $75,465. Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management and Finance follow, with medians of $79,352 and $73,068 from 9 and 16 degrees awarded, respectively. Each of these top-earning fields sits below the national median for its field, with benchmarks from 0.96x to 0.85x. The pattern is a regional public university whose largest programs are in health and business, and the highest pay is in engineering and technology. 11.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. A student drawn to the social sciences should know that Social Sciences reports a median of $45,523 four years out, and Communication and Media Studies reports $53,033. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 158 degrees awarded** $75,465 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 115 degrees awarded** $65,230 **Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions 78 degrees awarded** $57,790 **Social Sciences, Other 74 degrees awarded** $45,523 **Communication and Media Studies 64 degrees awarded** $53,033 **Psychology, General 56 degrees awarded** $45,529 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-southern-maine/majors/) 05 / University of Southern Maine briefing ## How does University of Southern Maine serve students from different backgrounds? For the first-time full-time cohort, Pell recipients have a 47.4% six-year completion rate, above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 40.4% by 7.0 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 58th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,642 more than the model expects for similar students. That [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 61st percentile. Higher Pell recipient completion and above-expected earnings point in the same direction. An admission rate of 79.2% gives applicants a clear starting point on access at University of Southern Maine. The public university enrolls 4,222 undergraduates, with 28.3% receiving Pell Grants, a financial-access measure. An estimated 43.6% share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group also describes part of the undergraduate population. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 52nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Admission, Pell Grant participation, and transfer entry describe several routes into this undergraduate community. 06 / University of Southern Maine briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Southern Maine?](/school/university-of-southern-maine/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-southern-maine/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Southern Maine. Admissions peerRivier University82.6% admitted+ Comparison with University of Southern Maine | Measure | University of Southern Maine | Rivier University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,816 | $79,087+$18,271 vs University of Southern Maine | | Average annual net price | $13,596 | $28,082+$14,486 vs University of Southern Maine · higher cost | | Admission rate | 79.2% | 82.6% | Higher-admission alternativeSalem State University95.9% admitted+ Comparison with University of Southern Maine | Measure | University of Southern Maine | Salem State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,816 | $62,605+$1,789 vs University of Southern Maine | | Average annual net price | $13,596 | $15,996+$2,400 vs University of Southern Maine · higher cost | | Admission rate | 79.2% | 95.9% | [Explore Salem State University →](/school/salem-state-university/) Nearby alternativeUniversity of New EnglandNearby option · ME+ Comparison with University of Southern Maine | Measure | University of Southern Maine | University of New England | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,816 | $71,281+$10,465 vs University of Southern Maine | | Average annual net price | $13,596 | $38,107+$24,511 vs University of Southern Maine · higher cost | | Admission rate | 79.2% | 91.6% | Higher-earnings alternativeHoly Family University$82,892 earnings+ Comparison with University of Southern Maine | Measure | University of Southern Maine | Holy Family University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,816 | $82,892+$22,076 vs University of Southern Maine | | Average annual net price | $13,596 | $13,143\-$453 vs University of Southern Maine · lower cost | | Admission rate | 79.2% | 71.0% | [Explore Holy Family University →](/school/holy-family-university/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Lehman College$3,148 average net price+ Comparison with University of Southern Maine | Measure | University of Southern Maine | CUNY Lehman College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,816 | $63,353+$2,537 vs University of Southern Maine | | Average annual net price | $13,596 | $3,148\-$10,448 vs University of Southern Maine · lower cost | | Admission rate | 79.2% | 56.6% | [Explore CUNY Lehman College →](/school/cuny-lehman-college/) Similar profileSalem State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Southern Maine | Measure | University of Southern Maine | Salem State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,816 | $62,605+$1,789 vs University of Southern Maine | | Average annual net price | $13,596 | $15,996+$2,400 vs University of Southern Maine · higher cost | | Admission rate | 79.2% | 95.9% | [Explore Salem State University →](/school/salem-state-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-southern-maine/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)