1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Wisconsin-La Crosse WI · Medium public institution · Overall rank #514 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/similar/) ## Azimuth’s 65th overall percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is a public university in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where Business and Biological Sciences lead the degree mix. Mobility is well above average, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to expected earnings, while the part it attributes to a remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Students who arrive with Pell Grants finish within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays close to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the highest-earning fields, like Computer and Information Sciences, award far fewer degrees. ## University of Wisconsin-La Crosse at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 75.5% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 71.0% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $60,184 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $10,608 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $16,958 ## University of Wisconsin-La Crosse rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of Wisconsin-La Crosse enrolls 9,277 undergraduates as a public university in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Its place in the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions falls in the middle of the field (65th percentile). 75.5% of applicants to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse receive an offer, a rate below the 85.9% peer median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. 86.5% of the first-time, full-time cohort returns after the first year, well above the 73.7% peer median. 71.0% complete within six years, against a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 11.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes only the first-time, full-time group and not the full student body. The four pillars are spread across a wide range. Mobility is the strongest (85th percentile), while access is the weakest (36th percentile). Affordability (70th percentile) and return (45th percentile) fall between those two. The result is a split profile: strong completion and mobility alongside weaker access and return. Mobility is the clearest part of the public university’s Azimuth profile, at the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return stands at the 45th percentile, access at the 36th percentile, and affordability at the 70th percentile. That makes affordability a second relative strength, while access is the weakest pillar and mobility remains the standout. Enrolled students who submitted ACT scores posted a middle 50% range from 22 to 27. 14.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, the financial-access measure used at this institution. Azimuth ranks University of Wisconsin-La Crosse #943 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access pillar uses both the share of students receiving federal Pell Grants and the completion rate among those students. Pell recipients finish at 67.0%, a rate that sits 4.0 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (71.0%). Azimuth ranks the university #228 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,157 less than the model expects for similar students. That earnings result enters the mobility calculation alongside the access measures. [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 Wisconsin-La Crosse rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #514 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 85 **Access & reach** National percentile: 36 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/cost/)** National percentile: 70 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/outcomes/)** National percentile: 45 01 / University of Wisconsin-La Crosse briefing ## [University of Wisconsin-La Crosse cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, the published annual budget is $19,593, and aid recipients pay an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, of $16,210. That average is $2,142 above the $14,068 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition and fees are $10,070, with room and board at $8,702; out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,517. Financial aid offsets $3,383 from the sticker price on average for recipients. Azimuth places the university's affordability pillar in the 70th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Its above-peer average price and stronger affordability standing point in different directions. The published cost of attendance at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is $19,593. Azimuth ranks the university #424 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $8,224 for families earning under $30,000, $10,608 for families earning $48,001 to $75,000, and $18,991 for families earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $10,767. Aid covers about 17% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The average net price across all aid recipients is $16,210, which is $2,142 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $22,500 in federal student loans, $1,271 above the $21,229 peer median. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $16,958. If repaid over ten years, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$10,608** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Federal borrowing reaches 92.7% of federal aid recipients at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, so debt is a common part of the cost picture for this public university. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $22,500. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $21,229; the university's median is $1,271 above it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $16,958. The investment picture is mixed: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse graduates have median earnings of $60,184 four years after completion. Azimuth places those earnings in the 52nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,157 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) in the 19th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings scenarios range from $49,608 in the downside scenario to $76,922 in the upside scenario, with $60,184 as the typical scenario. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $22,500, which is $1,271 above the $21,229 peer median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowing warrants its own look: median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $16,958 for parent borrowers, a separate population from student federal-loan borrowers. For student borrowers with median federal debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $22,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $16,958 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $256/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $215/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-wisconsin-la-crosse#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/cost/) 02 / University of Wisconsin-La Crosse briefing ## [University of Wisconsin-La Crosse career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $60,184, at the 52nd percentile. That is $2,883 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $10,157 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 19th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $10,173. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $20,330. Azimuth places the return pillar at the 45th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings picture is mixed at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $60,184 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 52nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 2,270 completers. A typical earnings scenario based on the program mix is $60,184. An estimated 33.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, offer a less favorable model-based reading. Graduates earn about $10,157 less than the model expects for similar students. The middle-range earnings percentile and lower-than-expected model result point to a mixed return picture. The institutional figures offer two different reference points for return. At University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $60,184 four years after completion, in the 52nd percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301; the university’s figure is $2,883 above it. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, sits in the 19th percentile. Graduates earn about $10,157 less than the model expects for similar students. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,173. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $20,330. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,300. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $49,608 on the downside to $76,922 on the upside. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #809 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison and the model expectation do not give the same reading. Computer and Information Sciences has the highest listed program earnings, with 46 degrees awarded and median earnings of $93,633 four years after completion. Among the largest programs, Biology awarded 247 degrees, with median earnings of $67,446 four years after completion. These figures show different earnings levels across programs that range from a small high-earning field to a larger biology program. Program choice marks a broad modeled earnings range at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The downside earnings scenario is $49,608, and the upside scenario is $76,922 four years after completion; these are scenarios based on the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. Among higher-earning fields, Computer and Information Sciences has median earnings of $93,633 four years after completion, followed by Physics at $80,594 and Management Information Systems and Services at $80,552. Those field results help explain the distance between the earnings scenarios. The value question at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse turns on whether a moderate debt load is manageable against earnings that fall short of the model's expectation. Graduates earn about $10,157 less than the model expects for similar students, and the return pillar sits at the 45th percentile nationally. Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $22,500 in federal student loans. That is $1,271 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, the debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $16,958 in Parent PLUS loans. The published cost of attendance is $19,593, and aid covers about 17% of that for the average aid recipient. After grants and scholarships, the lowest income band pays an average net price of $8,224, while the highest band pays $18,991—a spread of $10,767. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,173 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$20,330 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$10,157 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-wisconsin-la-crosse/outcomes/) 03 / University of Wisconsin-La Crosse briefing ## [University of Wisconsin-La Crosse acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Admission to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse had a 75.5% outcome for the reported applicant pool. That rate is below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Admissions **Admission rate** 75.5% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/admissions/) 04 / University of Wisconsin-La Crosse briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse?](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program earnings at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse span higher-earning technical and business fields alongside more moderate outcomes in a large human-sciences field four years after completion. Computer and Information Sciences has median earnings of $93,633 and 46 degrees awarded. Physics follows at $80,594 across 12 degrees awarded, while Accounting records $78,296 with 77 degrees awarded. At a more moderate earnings level, Psychology posts $55,173 and 190 degrees awarded. The contrast shows that four-year earnings differ considerably by field, including among programs with substantial degree counts. The highest published program earnings are concentrated in computing, physics, and business-related fields, while Business accounts for 25.3% of bachelor’s degrees awarded. Published earnings cover 30 bachelor’s fields, showing a wide range across the university’s larger and higher-earning options. Four years after completion, Computer and Information Sciences had median earnings of $93,633 with 46 degrees awarded; Physics, $80,594 and 12 degrees awarded; Management Information Systems and Services, $80,552 and 19 degrees awarded; Accounting, $78,296 and 77 degrees awarded; and Finance, $76,227 and 192 degrees awarded. The program-level picture varies substantially from field to field. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse awards bachelor's degrees across 30 programs with published four-year earnings data. Business is the largest program family, accounting for 25.3% of degrees awarded. Biological Sciences follows at 14.8%, and Parks, Recreation & Fitness at 9.8%. Biology is the largest single program at 247 degrees awarded, with Finance next at 192 and Kinesiology and Physical Education at 190. The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Computer and Information Sciences graduates earn a median of $93,633 four years after completion, from 46 degrees awarded a year. Among the larger programs, Finance graduates earn $76,227, and Biology graduates earn $67,446. The pattern is one of breadth rather than concentration. The largest programs span the sciences, business, and health-related fields. The highest earnings come from a program that awards fewer than fifty degrees a year. 17.9% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. A student drawn to the largest departments should know that the best-paid outcomes sit in a much smaller corner of the catalog. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Biology, General 247 degrees awarded** $67,446 **Finance and Financial Management Services 192 degrees awarded** $76,227 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 190 degrees awarded** $58,233 **Psychology, General 190 degrees awarded** $55,173 **Marketing 133 degrees awarded** $61,191 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 118 degrees awarded** $46,328 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-wisconsin-la-crosse/majors/) 05 / University of Wisconsin-La Crosse briefing ## How does University of Wisconsin-La Crosse serve students from different backgrounds? Completion is the clearest strength at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: the first-time full-time cohort has a 71.0% [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/). Pell recipients in that cohort complete within six years at 67.0%, below the overall rate by 4.0 percentage points. Azimuth puts the mobility pillar in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. [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, falls in the 19th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,157 less than the model expects for similar students. Strong completion and mobility standing sit alongside lower-than-expected modeled earnings. For a public university of 9,277 undergraduates, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse shows a relatively limited access profile. Its admission rate is 75.5%, with Pell Grant recipients representing 14.4% of undergraduates and an estimated 11.5% arriving as transfers or part-time students. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth assigns the access pillar to the 36th percentile. The enrollment mix and admission rate place access below the university's stronger mobility standing. 06 / University of Wisconsin-La Crosse briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse?](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/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-wisconsin-la-crosse/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Admissions peerUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire82.3% admitted+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Measure | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,184 | $60,838+$654 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | | Average annual net price | $16,210 | $16,550+$340 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.5% | 82.3% | [Explore University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire →](/school/university-of-wisconsin-eau-claire/) Higher-admission alternativeUniversity of Dubuque88.6% admitted+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Measure | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | University of Dubuque | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,184 | $59,598\-$586 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | | Average annual net price | $16,210 | $23,386+$7,176 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.5% | 88.6% | Nearby alternativeUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireNearby option · WI+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Measure | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,184 | $60,838+$654 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | | Average annual net price | $16,210 | $16,550+$340 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.5% | 82.3% | [Explore University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire →](/school/university-of-wisconsin-eau-claire/) Higher-earnings alternativeMissouri University of Science and Technology$93,514 earnings+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Measure | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Missouri University of Science and Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,184 | $93,514+$33,330 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | | Average annual net price | $16,210 | $16,298+$88 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.5% | 72.6% | [Explore Missouri University of Science and Technology →](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeTrinity International University-Illinois$2,835 average net price+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Measure | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Trinity International University-Illinois | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,184 | $51,985\-$8,199 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | | Average annual net price | $16,210 | $2,835\-$13,375 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · lower cost | | Admission rate | 75.5% | 100.0% | Similar profileUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Measure | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,184 | $60,838+$654 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | | Average annual net price | $16,210 | $16,550+$340 vs University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · higher cost | | Admission rate | 75.5% | 82.3% | [Explore University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire →](/school/university-of-wisconsin-eau-claire/) 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-wisconsin-la-crosse/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/)