1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Valdosta State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Valdosta State University GA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #306 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/valdosta-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/valdosta-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/valdosta-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/valdosta-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/valdosta-state-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places it in the 79th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Valdosta State University is a public university in Valdosta, Georgia, whose degree mix is led by Business and Health Professions. Access is among the highest we track, and mobility is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that gap to a remainder it does not explain, which subtracts, than to the factors it measures, which adds. Return is modestly below average. The net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it, and affordability is well above average. Pell students complete at a rate that is below the overall rate by a gap of more than ten points. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are much smaller: Nursing graduates earn well above the median in Business Administration and Management. ## Valdosta State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 72.3% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 42.4% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $56,067 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $11,877 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,779 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $19,136 ## Valdosta State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Valdosta State University enrolls 6,622 undergraduates as a public university in Valdosta, Georgia, and the university sits in the top quarter of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (79th percentile). Valdosta State University admits 72.3% of applicants, against a median of 85.9% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. First-year retention reaches 71.9%, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 42.4%, compared to a peer median of 49.1%; this figure counts only the first-time, full-time cohort. An estimated 38.8% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so many students here did not start at the university and are not counted in that graduation metric. Access is the strongest of the four pillars at the 91st percentile, followed by mobility and affordability, both in the upper quarter. Return is the weakest of the four, at the 29th percentile, and sits far below the other three, which are grouped tightly together. Access is the strongest part of the university’s profile, though return is its weakest pillar. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, access is in the 91st percentile and mobility is in the 80th percentile. Azimuth places affordability in the 78th percentile, while return stands in the 29th percentile. 52.3% of undergraduates at Valdosta State University receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Valdosta State University #136 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year completion rate for Pell recipients is 30.9%, which sits 11.5 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks the university #288 for mobility. Graduates earn about $4,665 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/) Valdosta State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #306 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 80 **Access & reach** National percentile: 91 **[Affordability](/school/valdosta-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 78 **[Return on investment](/school/valdosta-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 29 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Sociology and Anthropology**#2** 2. Health and Medical Administrative Services**#67** 3. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services**#104** 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/valdosta-state-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Valdosta State University briefing ## [Valdosta State University cost & financial aid](/school/valdosta-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at Valdosta State University is $20,801. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $4,488 and required fees of $1,636 for the 2025-26 academic year. On-campus food and housing were listed at $9,590. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients is $10,945, which is $3,123 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Aid covers about 47% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Azimuth ranks the university #313 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For families receiving aid, Valdosta State University starts with a published cost of attendance of $20,801, and the price left after grants and scholarships differs by income band. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $9,378 for the lowest-income family band, $9,541 for the lower-middle-income band, $11,877 for the middle-income band, $14,906 for the upper-middle-income band, and $15,905 for the highest-income band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $6,527. Azimuth ranks the university #313 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 47% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $9,856. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $10,945, compared with a peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $14,068. The university’s average is $3,123 below that peer figure, so its average price sits below the comparable-school midpoint. For borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $24,779, and 86.6% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have median federal debt of $21,229, with the university’s median $3,550 above that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $282 a month if repaid over ten years. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowers have median borrowing of $19,136. 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**$11,877** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Valdosta State University Borrowing is widespread at Valdosta State University: 86.6% of federal aid recipients take federal loans, and borrowers who complete have median federal student loan debt of $24,779. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median is $21,229, placing the university's median $3,550 above it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $19,136. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported that 62% of graduates borrowed from any source, including 61% with federal loans and 5% with private loans. The average cumulative amount per borrower was $25,634, with averages of $24,229 for federal borrowers and $23,706 for private borrowers. The return picture at Valdosta State University is restrained by earnings below the model’s expectation and debt above peers. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $56,067, which Azimuth places in the 36th 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: Graduates earn about $4,665 less than the model expects for similar students. This measure stands in the 38th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The downside, typical, and upside earnings scenarios are $39,355, $56,067, and $67,749. Median federal debt is $24,779, compared with $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size), leaving the university $3,550 above the peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $282 a month if repaid over ten years. Earnings below the model’s expectation and debt above peers point in the same direction. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $19,136. For student borrowers who completed, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $282 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** $24,779 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $19,136 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $282/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $243/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=valdosta-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/valdosta-state-university/cost/) 02 / Valdosta State University briefing ## [Valdosta State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/valdosta-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Access is the strongest pillar at Valdosta State University, but four years after completion, completers earn about $4,665 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what completers earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 38th 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 $4,485. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $9,150. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 29th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Median earnings four years after completion are $56,067, in the 36th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, with earnings $1,234 below it. The peer comparison and the model result point in the same direction. Valdosta State University has graduate earnings below the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, median earnings are $56,067 four years after completion, based on an earnings cohort of 1,650 completers. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 36th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios based on the program mix run from $39,355 on the downside to $67,749 on the upside, rather than describing observed groups. An estimated 27.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. [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, is also below the benchmark. Graduates earn about $4,665 less than the model expects for similar students. The earnings percentile and model comparison both point to a return picture that merits close attention. At Valdosta State University, return figures sit toward the lower end of nonprofit four-year institutions. Median earnings for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled are $56,067 four years after completion, in the 36th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, leaving the university $1,234 below that mark. [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, sit in the 38th percentile. Graduates earn about $4,665 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 $4,485. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $9,150. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $6. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 29th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The downside and upside scenarios, grounded in the program mix, are $39,355 and $67,749 four years after completion; they accompany earnings below the model expectation. Program results range across the larger and better-ranked offerings. Nursing has 76 degrees awarded and median earnings of $77,890 four years after completion, while [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #285 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, has 212 degrees awarded and median earnings of $56,047; Azimuth ranks it #288 nationally in its field. Sociology and Anthropology recorded 37 degrees awarded and $41,619 in median earnings, with an Azimuth national field rank of #2. These programs show that higher program earnings and stronger field ranks do not always appear in the largest program. Program choice marks a broad modeled earnings spread at the university. The downside earnings scenario is $39,355 and the upside scenario is $67,749; both are scenarios estimated from the program mix rather than observed groups of graduates. The affordability picture at Valdosta State University is mixed: net prices run below the peer median, but debt runs above it. The published cost of attendance is $20,801, and aid covers about 47% of that for the average aid recipient. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $10,945. That is $3,123 below the median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). The spread between the lowest and highest income bands is $6,527, with families earning under $30,000 averaging $9,378 and those earning over $110,000 averaging $15,905. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $24,779 in federal student loans, which is $3,550 above the peer median of $21,229. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $282 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $19,136 in Parent PLUS loans. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,485 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$9,150 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,665 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/valdosta-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Valdosta State University briefing ## [Valdosta State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/valdosta-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Valdosta State University admitted 72.3% of the reported applicant pool, below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). This means the reported admission outcome sits lower than the typical comparable institution's rate. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported 6,267 first-year applicants and 4,521 admitted applicants. The rate summarizes that reported pool, not an individual applicant's odds. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 72.3% **25th percentile** 930 **Median** 1000 **75th percentile** 1108 CDS 2024-25 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/valdosta-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Valdosta State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Valdosta State University?](/school/valdosta-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The highest-earning programs at Valdosta State University are in health and technology, but the largest programs by degrees awarded sit in business and the social sciences. Nursing leads with median earnings of $77,890 four years after completion, from 76 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #285 nationally within its field. Sociology and Anthropology awards 37 degrees and posts median earnings of $41,619, ranking #2 nationally within its field. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, awards 212 degrees and posts median earnings of $56,047, placing it #288 nationally within its field. At the more moderate end, Liberal Arts and General Studies reports $40,044 from 80 degrees awarded. Azimuth ranks it #188 nationally within its field. The spread between the top-earning and largest programs highlights the variation in four-year earnings across fields. Program rankings show several fields with distinct outcomes at Valdosta State University, which has 18 nationally ranked bachelor’s fields. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Sociology and Anthropology #2 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; 37 degrees were awarded, and median earnings four years after completion were $41,619. Azimuth ranks Health and Medical Administrative Services #67 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field; 39 degrees were awarded, with median earnings of $53,281 four years after completion. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services ranks #104 nationally in Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, awarded 39 degrees, and had median earnings of $55,426 four years after completion. The three ranked fields pair different award volumes with different earnings levels. The bachelor's degrees at Valdosta State University are anchored in Business, which accounts for 27.3% of degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 17.2% and Psychology at 6.9%. Across 26 programs with published four-year earnings data, 18 carry an Azimuth national rank. The largest program with published earnings is Business Administration and Management, at 212 degrees awarded, with Psychology second at 102 and Communication and Media Studies third at 90. The highest-ranked program is Sociology and Anthropology, which Azimuth places #1 in Georgia within its field, from 37 degrees awarded. Health and Medical Administrative Services ranks #67 nationally and #2 in Georgia within its field, with 39 degrees awarded. Its graduates earn a median of $53,281 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Nursing, where graduates earn a median of $77,890 four years after completion, from 76 degrees awarded. Computer and Information Sciences is the second-highest-earning, at $75,310 from 33 degrees awarded. The highest-ranked program is in social sciences and the second is in health. The two highest-ranked programs, Sociology and Anthropology and Health and Medical Administrative Services, both sit below the median earnings of the largest program, Business Administration and Management, at $56,047. 10.0% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields, so the earnings picture is shaped more by health and business programs than by technology. The highest-ranked programs and the highest-earning programs award fewer degrees than the largest three. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business Administration, Management and Operations 212 degrees awarded** $56,047 **Psychology, General 102 degrees awarded** $47,285 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 102 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Communication and Media Studies 90 degrees awarded** $47,880 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 85 degrees awarded** $46,593 **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 80 degrees awarded** $40,044 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/valdosta-state-university/majors/) 05 / Valdosta State University briefing ## How does Valdosta State University serve students from different backgrounds? Valdosta State University shows a solid mobility standing in Azimuth’s framework, though completion and modeled earnings raise cautions for families weighing outcomes. Azimuth puts its mobility pillar in the 80th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 42.4%; Pell recipients complete within six years at 30.9%, below the overall rate by 11.5 percentage points. Graduates earn about $4,665 less than the model expects for similar students, placing [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) in the 38th percentile. Access stands out through a 52.3% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. Valdosta State University enrolls 6,622 undergraduates, admits 72.3% of applicants, and has an estimated 38.8% share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 91st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell participation, transfer entry, and the admission rate describe several routes into the university. 06 / Valdosta State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Valdosta State University?](/school/valdosta-state-university/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/valdosta-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Valdosta State University. Admissions peerGeorgia Southwestern State University75.2% admitted+ Comparison with Valdosta State University | Measure | Valdosta State University | Georgia Southwestern State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,067 | $62,132+$6,065 vs Valdosta State University | | Average annual net price | $10,945 | $12,019+$1,074 vs Valdosta State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.3% | 75.2% | Higher-admission alternativeGeorgia Gwinnett College95.5% admitted+ Comparison with Valdosta State University | Measure | Valdosta State University | Georgia Gwinnett College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,067 | $56,872+$805 vs Valdosta State University | | Average annual net price | $10,945 | $15,844+$4,899 vs Valdosta State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.3% | 95.5% | [Explore Georgia Gwinnett College →](/school/georgia-gwinnett-college/) Nearby alternativeGeorgia Southwestern State UniversityNearby option · GA+ Comparison with Valdosta State University | Measure | Valdosta State University | Georgia Southwestern State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,067 | $62,132+$6,065 vs Valdosta State University | | Average annual net price | $10,945 | $12,019+$1,074 vs Valdosta State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.3% | 75.2% | Higher-earnings alternativeGeorgia Southwestern State University$62,132 earnings+ Comparison with Valdosta State University | Measure | Valdosta State University | Georgia Southwestern State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,067 | $62,132+$6,065 vs Valdosta State University | | Average annual net price | $10,945 | $12,019+$1,074 vs Valdosta State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.3% | 75.2% | Lower-cost alternativeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural College$6,842 average net price+ Comparison with Valdosta State University | Measure | Valdosta State University | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,067 | $53,386\-$2,681 vs Valdosta State University | | Average annual net price | $10,945 | $6,842\-$4,103 vs Valdosta State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 72.3% | 75.7% | Similar profileJacksonville State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Valdosta State University | Measure | Valdosta State University | Jacksonville State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $56,067 | $55,318\-$749 vs Valdosta State University | | Average annual net price | $10,945 | $14,279+$3,334 vs Valdosta State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 72.3% | 77.7% | [Explore Jacksonville State University →](/school/jacksonville-state-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/valdosta-state-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)