1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh WI · Medium public institution · Overall rank #594 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh #594 among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is a public university in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where Health Professions and Business lead the degree mix. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and affordability is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The factors the model measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — add to earnings, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Affordability is the strongest pillar, and the spread between the lowest and highest income bands is modest. Pell students complete at a rate above the cohort as a whole, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is near the median for comparable schools. A student drawn to Nursing or Business should know those are the largest programs, and among the higher-earning ones at the university. ## University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 86.5% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 46.1% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $59,730 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $11,601 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $21,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $13,500 ## University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is a public university in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, enrolling 6,877 undergraduates. Its composite standing in the Azimuth ranking sits in the middle of the field among nonprofit four-year institutions (60th percentile). The university admits 86.5% of applicants, a rate that runs close to the 85.9% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 69.3% 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 46.1%, compared to a peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 18.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year graduation rate tracks only the first-time full-time cohort. The four pillars are spread out. Affordability is the strongest, and mobility is not far behind. Return sits near the middle of the field, while access is the weakest of the four. The shape is a public university where affordability and mobility are the stronger pillars, while return sits near the middle and access is the weakest. Affordability is the clearest strength at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, though its overall profile is uneven across Azimuth’s four measures. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, affordability stands in the 79th percentile and mobility in the 73rd percentile. Return sits in the 48th percentile, while access is the weakest pillar at the 25th percentile. Strong affordability and mobility sit alongside lower access and middle-of-the-pack return. The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh fell between 18 and 25, and 16.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks the university #1,103 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 56.3%, which is 10.2 percentage points above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (46.1%). Azimuth ranks the university #392 for mobility. Graduates earn about $4,117 less than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #594 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 73 **Access & reach** National percentile: 25 **[Affordability](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/cost/)** National percentile: 79 **[Return on investment](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/outcomes/)** National percentile: 48 01 / University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh briefing ## [University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh cost & financial aid](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has a published cost of attendance of $19,652, with affordability its clearest strength in the Azimuth measures. Published in-state tuition and fees are $8,532, compared with $16,446 for out-of-state tuition and fees, and room and board are $9,410. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $14,305, a savings of $5,347 from the published cost. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068, making this average $237 above that benchmark. Azimuth puts the affordability pillar in the 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The overall price after aid remains close to the comparable-school median despite the school’s stronger affordability standing. The published cost of attendance at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is $19,652. Azimuth ranks the university #299 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 $9,236 for families earning under $30,000, $11,601 for those earning $48,001 to $75,000, and $19,223 for those earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $9,987. The average aid recipient saves $5,347 off the sticker price, leaving an average net price of $14,305 across all bands. That figure is $237 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). In-state tuition and fees are $8,532; out-of-state students pay $16,446. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $21,500 in federal student loans, $271 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions. 91.2% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $13,500 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 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**$11,601** 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-Oshkosh The debt picture begins with broad federal loan use: 91.2% of federal aid recipients borrow. For comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median federal debt is $21,229. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's median is above that benchmark by $271. In the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $13,500. The investment picture at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is anchored by affordability, its strongest pillar. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $59,730, placing the university at the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure is $2,429 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $4,117 less than the model expects for similar students, a result at the 39th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $48,817 in a downside case to $80,305 in an upside case, with $59,730 as the typical outcome. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $21,500 in federal student loans, which is $271 above the $21,229 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. Earnings and borrowing sit close to their peer medians. Parent borrowers have median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $13,500, a separate parent-borrower population from student borrowers. Median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 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** $21,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $13,500 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $244/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $172/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-oshkosh#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/cost/) 02 / University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh briefing ## [University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh career outcomes & earnings](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/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 $59,730. That is $2,429 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The median sits at the 50th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,117 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 39th percentile. Azimuth places the university at the 48th percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $4,645. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,762. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh posts a median of $59,730 four years after completion among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. The earnings cohort includes 2,696 completers. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, that median lands at the 50th percentile. Graduates earn about $4,117 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $48,817 on the downside to $80,305 on the upside, with typical earnings at $59,730. These scenarios are estimates from the program mix, not observed groups or percentiles. An estimated 28.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. That estimate reflects the fields students choose rather than observed graduate enrollment. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh shows a mixed return picture: federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $59,730 four years after completion, in the 50th percentile. That median is above the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $57,301, by $2,429. Graduates earn about $4,117 less than the model expects for similar students. [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 39th percentile. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 48th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $48,817 in the downside scenario to $80,305 in the upside scenario. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,645. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,762. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $266. Program earnings vary across the larger fields. Nursing, the largest program, awarded 290 degrees and had median earnings of $77,490 four years after completion; that is 0.87x the national median for its field. The larger programs therefore span substantially different earnings levels, alongside the school-level pattern of earnings above comparable institutions but below the model’s expectation. Earnings vary substantially by modeled scenario at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, from $48,817 in the downside case to $80,305 in the upside case. The scenarios are modeled from the program mix rather than observed groups. At University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the value picture is mixed: borrower debt is above the peer median, and the earnings model is less favorable. Graduates earn about $4,117 less than the model expects for similar students. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $21,500. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median of $21,229, placing the university above that level. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. For aid recipients, average net price, what they pay after grants and scholarships, is $14,305. It stands $237 above the peer median of $14,068. The return picture is mixed: costs and debt sit near comparable institutions, while modeled earnings fall short of expectations. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,645 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$8,762 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,117 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-oshkosh/outcomes/) 03 / University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh briefing ## [University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh acceptance rate & admissions](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh admitted 86.5% of applicants, placing its published admission outcome slightly above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Admissions **Admission rate** 86.5% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/admissions/) 04 / University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh briefing ## [What are the largest majors at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh?](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program choice matters here: earnings are much higher in several business-related fields than in prominent moderate-earning fields. Finance shows median earnings of $79,927 four years after completion, with 79 degrees awarded. Economics follows with median earnings of $79,267 and 51 degrees awarded. The contrast is clearest against two other large fields. Teacher Education records median earnings of $45,902 four years after completion and 111 degrees awarded. Psychology posts $51,721 with 85 degrees awarded. The higher figures in the business-related programs and the more moderate figures in education and psychology show how much the return picture varies by field. Program choice matters here because the largest fields show a wide spread in earnings four years after completion. Health Professions accounts for 19.4% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, narrowly ahead of Business at 19.3%. Among the largest programs, Nursing awarded 290 degrees and had median earnings of $77,490 four years after completion; Teacher Education awarded 111 degrees and had $45,902; Business Administration and Management awarded 91 degrees and had $79,228; Psychology awarded 85 degrees and had $51,721; and Finance awarded 79 degrees and had $79,927. The program-level figures range widely, so the intended field deserves close attention. The program mix at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is balanced between two large families: Health Professions accounts for 19.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and Business is right behind at 19.3%. Education is the third-largest family at 11.1%. The university has 23 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Nursing, at 290 degrees awarded, followed by Teacher Education with 111 and Business Administration and Management with 91. The highest-earning programs cluster in business fields. Finance graduates report the top median earnings at $79,927 four years after completion, from 79 degrees awarded. Economics is close behind at $79,267, with 51 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management, the third-largest program overall, earns a median of $79,228 and carries a benchmark ratio of 1.16x against the national median for its field. Nursing, the largest program, also lands among the top earners at $77,490, though its benchmark ratio of 0.87x sits below the national median for the field. The pattern is one of strength concentrated in business and health, with the largest programs also among the best-paid. Teacher Education and Psychology, two of the larger programs, earn medians of $45,902 and $51,721 respectively, well below the business cluster. STEM fields account for 8.4% of degrees awarded, while the earnings picture is concentrated in professional programs rather than technical ones. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 290 degrees awarded** $77,490 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 111 degrees awarded** $45,902 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 91 degrees awarded** $79,228 **Psychology, General 85 degrees awarded** $51,721 **Finance and Financial Management Services 79 degrees awarded** $79,927 **Marketing 76 degrees awarded** $69,383 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-oshkosh/majors/) 05 / University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh briefing ## How does University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh serve students from different backgrounds? Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort have a 56.3% six-year completion rate, above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 46.1% by 10.2 percentage points. Azimuth puts University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's mobility pillar in the 73rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,117 less than the model expects for similar students. [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 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Completion rates and below-expected earnings give a mixed mobility picture. At University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 86.5% of applicants are admitted and undergraduate enrollment is 6,877 undergraduates. 16.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 18.5%. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 25th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission rate, Pell share, and transfer estimate provide context for that standing for readers assessing routes into this public university. 06 / University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh briefing ## [What colleges are similar to University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh?](/school/university-of-wisconsin-oshkosh/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-oshkosh/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Admissions peerUniversity of Wisconsin-Green Bay88.6% admitted+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Measure | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,730 | $54,344\-$5,386 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | | Average annual net price | $14,305 | $13,369\-$936 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 88.6% | [Explore University of Wisconsin-Green Bay →](/school/university-of-wisconsin-green-bay/) Higher-admission alternativeUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee100.0% admitted+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Measure | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,730 | $62,480+$2,750 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | | Average annual net price | $14,305 | $15,014+$709 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 100.0% | [Explore University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee →](/school/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/) Nearby alternativeConcordia University-WisconsinNearby option · WI+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Measure | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Concordia University-Wisconsin | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,730 | $63,361+$3,631 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | | Average annual net price | $14,305 | $36,201+$21,896 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 78.2% | Higher-earnings alternativeOregon Institute of Technology$87,138 earnings+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Measure | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Oregon Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,730 | $87,138+$27,408 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | | Average annual net price | $14,305 | $15,706+$1,401 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 95.0% | [Explore Oregon Institute of Technology →](/school/oregon-institute-of-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Lehman College$3,148 average net price+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Measure | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | CUNY Lehman College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,730 | $63,353+$3,623 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | | Average annual net price | $14,305 | $3,148\-$11,157 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh · lower cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 56.6% | [Explore CUNY Lehman College →](/school/cuny-lehman-college/) Similar profileWright State University-Main CampusMatched across several measures+ Comparison with University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Measure | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Wright State University-Main Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,730 | $62,601+$2,871 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | | Average annual net price | $14,305 | $15,415+$1,110 vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh · higher cost | | Admission rate | 86.5% | 96.3% | [Explore Wright State University-Main Campus →](/school/wright-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-wisconsin-oshkosh/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/)