1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Toledo Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Toledo OH · Medium public institution · Overall rank #380 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-toledo/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-toledo/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-toledo/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-toledo/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-toledo/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of Toledo #380 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Toledo is a public university in Ohio where Business, Health Professions, and Engineering dominate the degree mix. Mobility is well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to the gap, while the unexplained remainder subtracts from it. The typical graduate also earns above the median at comparable schools. Pell students complete at a rate below the cohort as a whole, and access is around the average. What the lowest income band pays is well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, 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 in engineering, not nursing or business. ## University of Toledo at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 92.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 57.0% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $66,084 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $16,407 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,250 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $19,243 ## University of Toledo rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, enrolling 9,770 undergraduates. Its composite standing is in the upper third of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (74th percentile). An estimated 27.2% of the student body arrives as transfers, so the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) tracks only the first-time, full-time cohort and leaves out those who entered from other colleges. Among first-time, full-time students, 77.3% come back for a second year, against a median of 73.7% at comparable institutions (same type and size). 57.0% earn a degree within six years, against the 49.1% median for those peers. University of Toledo accepts 92.0% of those who apply, against a peer median of 85.9%. Mobility is the strongest pillar (79th percentile), while access is the weakest (51st percentile). Return and affordability fall in the middle (69th and 66th percentiles). The four dimensions are fairly tightly grouped, with mobility the highest and access the lowest. Azimuth evaluates University of Toledo on four pillars: return, access, mobility, and affordability. Mobility is the strongest, in the 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return sits at the 69th percentile and affordability at the 66th percentile. Access is the weakest pillar, at the 51st percentile. 27.5% of undergraduates at University of Toledo receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks the university #726 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 38.7%, 18.3 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (57.0%). Azimuth ranks University of Toledo #305 for mobility. Graduates earn about $7,810 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 Toledo rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #380 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 79 **Access & reach** National percentile: 51 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-toledo/cost/)** National percentile: 66 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-toledo/outcomes/)** National percentile: 69 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration**#11** 2. Legal Support Services**#12** 3. Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians**#16** 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-toledo/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / University of Toledo briefing ## [University of Toledo cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-toledo/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The University of Toledo publishes a cost of attendance of $26,512, but the average aid recipient pays considerably less. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $11,238 and required fees of $1,662 for the 2026-27 academic year, with on-campus food and housing at $16,861. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $17,249, which is $3,181 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Financial aid reduces the published cost by $9,263 on average. Azimuth ranks the university #480 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The University of Toledo publishes a cost of attendance of $26,512, and the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $17,249. For families earning under $30,000, the average net price is $13,524; for those in the $48,001–$75,000 band, it is $16,407; and for families earning over $110,000, it is $22,053. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $8,529. Azimuth ranks the university #480 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 35% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average offset of $9,263. The average net price sits above the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size), a gap of $3,181. 86.0% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans, and the median federal student debt at completion is $22,250. That figure is above the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions, by $1,021. For a graduate at the median four-year earnings, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $253 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who take out [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans borrow a median of $19,243. 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**$16,407** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of Toledo Federal borrowing reaches 86.0% of federal aid recipients at University of Toledo, and borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $22,250. That median is above the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size), a difference of $1,021. Parent borrowers are a separate population, with median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) debt of $19,243. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 53% of graduates borrowed from any source, with average cumulative debt of $25,588 per borrower. Of those graduates, 52% had federal loans averaging $19,917. Of those graduates, 11% had private loans averaging $29,534. The investment picture at University of Toledo pairs earnings that beat the model's expectation with borrowing that runs close to the peer median. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $66,084, at the 68th percentile. Graduates earn about $7,810 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome at the 78th percentile nationally. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from $44,098 in a downside case to $88,045 in an upside case, with $66,084 as the typical scenario. On the borrowing side, the median federal student debt at completion is $22,250, $1,021 above the $21,229 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $253 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 $19,243. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $253. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $22,250 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $19,243 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $253/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $244/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-toledo#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-toledo/cost/) 02 / University of Toledo briefing ## [University of Toledo career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-toledo/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) University of Toledo delivers earnings that exceed both the model's expectation and the median for comparable institutions. Four years after completion, completers earn a median of $66,084, which is above the peer median of $57,301—the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size)—by $8,783. Graduates earn about $7,810 more than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 78th percentile. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 69th 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 $10,239. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $2,429. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,657. The program mix adds to expected earnings, while the institution's own contribution is a small headwind. Four years after completion, graduates of University of Toledo earn a median of $66,084, which is above the peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size). The earnings cohort includes 3,359 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Graduates earn about $7,810 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the university in the 78th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a typical outcome of $66,084, with a downside scenario of $44,098 and an upside scenario reaching $88,045. An estimated 27.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The earnings picture is broad: the median sits above peers, and the model sees a premium beyond what similar students earn elsewhere. The spread between the downside and upside scenarios reflects the range of programs available, from engineering and health fields to business and interdisciplinary studies. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of University of Toledo who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $66,084, at the 68th percentile. That is $8,783 above the peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $7,810 more than the model expects for similar students, placing that gap at the 78th 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 $10,239. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $2,429. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,657. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $44,098 and an upside of $88,045. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #460 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings picture is shaped by a program mix that leans toward engineering and health professions. The model attributes most of the earnings advantage to the factors it measures, with the STEM component adding to that measured share. An estimated 27.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The return rank and the earnings that beat the model's expectation and the peer median point the same way. Earnings vary widely by program. The earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from a downside of $44,098 to an upside of $88,045, with the typical scenario at $66,084. At the top end, Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians completers earn a median of $98,529 four years after completion; the program awarded 27 degrees in one year. Electrical Engineering follows at $95,846, and Chemical Engineering at $94,065. Graduates at University of Toledo earn about $7,810 more than the model expects for similar students. The median federal student debt of $22,250 sits $1,021 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $253 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $19,243 in Parent PLUS loans. The published cost of attendance is $26,512. After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients is $17,249. That average is $3,181 above the $14,068 peer median, and aid covers about 35% of the published cost for the average aid recipient—an average, not a personal quote. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,239 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$2,429 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$7,810 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-toledo/outcomes/) 03 / University of Toledo briefing ## [University of Toledo acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-toledo/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of Toledo admits 92.0% of applicants, a rate that reflects broad access rather than narrow selectivity. That figure sits above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 10,571 applicants, 9,397 admitted students, and 1,723 enrolled first-year students. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 92.0% **25th percentile** 980 **Median** 1130 **75th percentile** 1245 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/university-of-toledo/admissions/) 04 / University of Toledo briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Toledo?](/school/university-of-toledo/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The five largest programs at University of Toledo span nursing, business, and engineering, and their earnings four years after completion show a clear split between technical and non-technical fields. Mechanical Engineering is the highest-earning of the large programs, with a median of $90,717 across 164 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #95 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Nursing, the largest single program at 277 degrees a year, reports a median of $77,241 and a national rank of #256. On the more moderate-earning side, Marketing graduates earn a median of $67,040 from 185 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #95 nationally. Business Administration and Management sits between the two ends, with median earnings of $67,516 and a national rank of #174. The university publishes earnings data for 39 bachelor's programs, 31 of which hold an Azimuth national rank. The largest, Nursing, awarded 277 degrees and shows a median of $77,241 four years after completion. Several programs are among the best nationally in their fields. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration ranks #11 with 130 degrees awarded and a median of $63,190. Legal Support Services ranks #12 and is second in Ohio with a median of $48,605. Mechanical Engineering, the fourth-largest program, awarded 164 degrees and its completers earn a median of $90,717, the highest among the five largest programs. The University of Toledo awards bachelor's degrees across a wide set of fields, with 31 programs earning an Azimuth national rank and 39 carrying published four-year earnings data. The degree mix is led by the Business family, which accounts for 22.6% of degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 19.5% and Engineering at 16.5%. The largest single program is Nursing, at 277 degrees awarded, with Business Administration and Management next at 198 degrees awarded and Marketing close behind at 185 degrees awarded. The highest-ranked program is Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #2 in Ohio within its field. The program awards 130 degrees a year and its graduates earn a median of $63,190 four years after completion. Legal Support Services ranks #12 nationally and #2 in Ohio within its field. It awards 20 degrees a year, and graduates earn a median of $48,605. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians graduates earn $98,529, from 27 degrees awarded. Electrical Engineering follows at $95,846, with 47 degrees awarded. The pattern is a public university whose strongest programs by rank include health, engineering technology, legal support, and interdisciplinary studies, while the highest earnings cluster in engineering and technical fields. 32.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM, and the largest programs in nursing and business sit alongside a set of highly ranked but smaller programs. The highest-ranked program and the highest-earning program are not the same, and the earnings spread between the top and the bottom of the ranked list is wide. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 277 degrees awarded** $77,241 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 198 degrees awarded** $67,516 **Marketing 185 degrees awarded** $67,040 **Mechanical Engineering 164 degrees awarded** $90,717 **Finance and Financial Management Services 131 degrees awarded** $74,304 **Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration 130 degrees awarded** $63,190 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-toledo/majors/) 05 / University of Toledo briefing ## How does University of Toledo serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is the strongest pillar for University of Toledo. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 79th 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 57.0%, while Pell recipients complete at 38.7%, a figure that sits below the overall rate by 18.3 percentage points. Graduates earn about $7,810 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the [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—in the 78th percentile. A graduation rate above the peer median of 49.1%, the middle value for comparable institutions, and higher-than-expected earnings point the same way for this university. Access at University of Toledo is about average nationally. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 51st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university enrolls 9,770 undergraduates in Toledo, Ohio, and admits 92.0% of applicants to the entering class. Pell Grant recipients compose 27.5% of the undergraduate body, while an estimated 27.2% of enrolled undergraduates transfer in from other colleges. 06 / University of Toledo briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Toledo?](/school/university-of-toledo/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-toledo/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Toledo. Admissions peerMichigan State University84.8% admitted+ Comparison with University of Toledo | Measure | University of Toledo | Michigan State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $66,084 | $74,093+$8,009 vs University of Toledo | | Average annual net price | $17,249 | $19,680+$2,431 vs University of Toledo · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 84.8% | [Explore Michigan State University →](/school/michigan-state-university/) Nearby alternativeTiffin UniversityNearby option · OH+ Comparison with University of Toledo | Measure | University of Toledo | Tiffin University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $66,084 | $63,797\-$2,287 vs University of Toledo | | Average annual net price | $17,249 | $26,500+$9,251 vs University of Toledo · higher cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 80.1% | Higher-earnings alternativeUniversity of Massachusetts-Lowell$81,163 earnings+ Comparison with University of Toledo | Measure | University of Toledo | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $66,084 | $81,163+$15,079 vs University of Toledo | | Average annual net price | $17,249 | $17,163\-$86 vs University of Toledo · lower cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 83.0% | [Explore University of Massachusetts-Lowell →](/school/university-of-massachusetts-lowell/) Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of Michigan-Flint$7,007 average net price+ Comparison with University of Toledo | Measure | University of Toledo | University of Michigan-Flint | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $66,084 | $65,600\-$484 vs University of Toledo | | Average annual net price | $17,249 | $7,007\-$10,242 vs University of Toledo · lower cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 70.5% | [Explore University of Michigan-Flint →](/school/university-of-michigan-flint/) Similar profileNorth Dakota State University-Main CampusMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Toledo | Measure | University of Toledo | North Dakota State University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $66,084 | $67,679+$1,595 vs University of Toledo | | Average annual net price | $17,249 | $15,543\-$1,706 vs University of Toledo · lower cost | | Admission rate | 92.0% | 95.0% | [Explore North Dakota State University-Main Campus →](/school/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/university-of-toledo/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance 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/)