1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Villanova University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Villanova University PA · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #263 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/villanova-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/villanova-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/villanova-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/villanova-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/villanova-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places Villanova University in the 82nd percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for Villanova University is a private nonprofit university in Villanova, Pennsylvania, where Business leads the degree mix and return is among the highest we track. The single largest program, Finance, is also the highest-earning one. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — than to what it cannot explain. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, so the four-year figure captures the bulk of the earnings picture. The price case turns on income. Aid recipients in the lowest band pay well below the published cost, while those at the top pay much closer to it. Pell students complete at a rate below the overall cohort, and affordability is below the levels seen at many peers. The admission rate is well below the median for comparable institutions, and the degree mix is concentrated in business and social sciences. ## Villanova University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 27.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 91.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $104,228 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $20,923 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $25,874 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $40,000 ## Villanova University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Villanova University is a private nonprofit university in Villanova, Pennsylvania, enrolling 6,938 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (82nd percentile). The shape is a return-led institution where the affordability pillar is the weakest of the four, with access and mobility sitting between them. The university admits 27.0% of applicants, a rate well below the 71.2% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 95.1% return for a second year and 91.9% finish within six years. Both figures run above the peer medians of 83.4% and 68.8%. An estimated 6.5% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes the experience of the large majority who begin here. Return is the strongest pillar, while affordability is the weakest. The other two pillars sit between them, with mobility above access. The four pillars sit far apart here, with the strongest and weakest separated by nearly the full range of the ranking. Return is the clear strength at Villanova University, while affordability is the central cost concern. Azimuth places return in the 98th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, with mobility at the 71st percentile and access at the 59th percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar, at the 3rd percentile. Strong return and solid mobility sit beside a markedly weaker affordability picture. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 1,395 and 1,510. For the ACT, the middle 50% of submitted scores fell between 32 and 34. Pell recipients make up 12.0% of undergraduates. Azimuth ranks Villanova University #599 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 82.9%, 9.0 percentage points below the rate for the cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks the university #420 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,956 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Villanova University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #263 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 71 **Access & reach** National percentile: 59 **[Affordability](/school/villanova-university/cost/)** National percentile: 3 **[Return on investment](/school/villanova-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 98 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics**#3** 2. Business/Managerial Economics**#4** 3. Real Estate**#4** 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/villanova-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Villanova University briefing ## [Villanova University cost & financial aid](/school/villanova-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, Villanova University remains a comparatively expensive option after grants and scholarships: its average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $43,756. Average net price means what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, rather than the published charge. The university lists a published cost of attendance of $84,793 (an average across living arrangements). Tuition and fees are $67,776, and room and board are $17,694. Average financial aid savings come to $41,037 against that published cost. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $27,371; Villanova's figure is above that benchmark by $16,385. Azimuth places the university in the 3rd percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer comparison and affordability position both point to a high after-aid cost. The published cost of attendance at Villanova University is $84,793 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #1,375 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $17,823, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $20,923, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $58,741. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $40,918. Aid covers about 48% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price across all bands to $43,756. That is $16,385 above the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $25,874 in federal student loans, $1,675 above the $24,199 peer median. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $294 a month. Parents who borrow through the federal [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $40,000. 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**$20,923** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Villanova University Federal borrowing is widespread at Villanova University, with 96.7% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. For borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $25,874. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $24,199, placing Villanova's median $1,675 above that figure. Parent borrowers are a separate population, with median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing of $40,000. The slightly higher debt median and broad federal borrowing make debt a central part of the cost picture. At Villanova University, median earnings reach $104,228 four years after completion. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,956 more 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, falls in the 92nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings scenarios range from $72,214 in the downside scenario to $127,636 in the upside scenario, with $104,228 in the typical scenario. Median federal student debt at completion is $25,874, above the $24,199 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $294 a month if repaid over ten years. High earnings measures sit alongside debt that is above the peer median. [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is separate from student borrowing; its median for parent borrowers is $40,000. Separately, median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $294 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** $25,874 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $40,000 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $294/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $508/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=villanova-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/villanova-university/cost/) 02 / Villanova University briefing ## [Villanova University career outcomes & earnings](/school/villanova-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return is a standout part of the picture at Villanova University: Azimuth places its return pillar in the 98th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,956 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) in the 92nd percentile nationally. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $11,490. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $4,466. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn median earnings of $104,228, in the 97th percentile. That is $35,978 above the peer median of $68,250, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Above-expected earnings and a median well above comparable institutions point in the same direction. Villanova University has a high earnings median among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Four years after completion, median earnings are $104,228, based on an earnings cohort of 2,385 completers. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,956 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios range from $72,214 in the downside case to $127,636 in the upside case, both four years after completion. An estimated 29.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The high earnings median and higher-than-expected earnings point in the same direction. Villanova University shows a high return profile: federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $104,228 four years after completion, in the 97th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $68,250, leaving the university above it by $35,978. Graduates earn about $15,956 more 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 92nd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $11,490. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $4,466. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $3,315. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $72,214 in the downside scenario to $127,636 in the upside scenario. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the return pillar #27 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Finance is the largest program, with 231 degrees awarded, median earnings of $131,996 four years after completion, and an Azimuth national rank of #9 in its field. Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics has a median that is 1.73x the national median for its field. The large-program pattern combines substantial degree counts with earnings levels that vary by field. The earnings range is broad: earnings scenarios put the downside at $72,214 and the upside at $127,636 four years after completion. These scenarios describe possible outcomes from the program mix, rather than observed groups. At Villanova University, higher-than-expected earnings coexist with borrowing and aid-recipient costs above those at comparable institutions. Graduates earn about $15,956 more than the model expects for similar students. For federal-loan borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $25,874, compared with $24,199 at comparable institutions (same type and size); it is above that peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $294 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowers have median Parent PLUS debt of $40,000. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $43,756, above the $27,371 peer median by $16,385. The comparison is mixed: above-peer costs sit alongside higher-than-expected earnings. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$11,490 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$4,466 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$15,956 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/villanova-university/outcomes/) 03 / Villanova University briefing ## [Villanova University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/villanova-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Villanova University admits 27.0% of applicants, a rate far below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, the university reported 23,253 first-year applicants and 6,273 admitted students. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 27.0% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1395 **Reported average** 1460 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1510 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/villanova-university/admissions/) 04 / Villanova University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Villanova University?](/school/villanova-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At Villanova University, program earnings range from high-earning business fields to more moderate communication outcomes. Finance awarded 231 degrees and had median earnings of $131,996 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the field #9 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Management Science awarded 140 degrees, with median earnings of $109,642; Azimuth ranks it #12 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing awarded 220 degrees and posted median earnings of $99,540 four years after completion, alongside an Azimuth national rank of #73 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Communication and Media Studies awarded 155 degrees and had median earnings of $81,497, with Azimuth ranking the field #6 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The contrast shows that national field standing and earnings do not move in lockstep across these programs. Business accounts for 31.5% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, giving the program mix a pronounced business presence. Villanova University has 24 ranked programs and published earnings data for 27 fields. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics #3 in its field. It awarded 28 degrees and its completers earned a median of $94,964 four years after completion. Real Estate ranks #4, with 41 degrees awarded and median earnings of $131,911. Communication and Media Studies ranks #6, with 155 degrees awarded and median earnings of $81,497. Business is the dominant program family at Villanova University, accounting for 31.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Social Sciences and Engineering following at 13.2% and 12.0%. The university has 24 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 27 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single programs are Finance at 231 degrees awarded, Nursing at 220, and Communication and Media Studies at 155. Finance, the largest program, is also the highest-earning at $131,996. It carries a benchmark ratio of 1.58x against the national median for its field. Real Estate is another strong performer, with 41 degrees awarded and earnings of $131,911; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #4 nationally and #1 in Pennsylvania within its field. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in business and related fields, where the largest programs also post the highest earnings and strongest national ranks. 30.0% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Finance and Financial Management Services 231 degrees awarded** $131,996 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 220 degrees awarded** $99,540 **Communication and Media Studies 155 degrees awarded** $81,497 **Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 140 degrees awarded** $109,642 **Economics 124 degrees awarded** $100,288 **Accounting and Related Services 109 degrees awarded** $120,207 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/villanova-university/majors/) 05 / Villanova University briefing ## How does Villanova University serve students from different backgrounds? Graduates earn about $15,956 more than the model expects for similar students. This [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, sits in the 92nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places Villanova University’s mobility pillar in the 71st percentile. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 91.9%, compared with 82.9% for Pell recipients, below the overall rate by 9.0 percentage points. High completion and higher-than-expected earnings point in the same direction. Access at Villanova University combines an undergraduate enrollment of 6,938 with admission of 27.0% of applicants. Pell Grant recipients make up 12.0% of undergraduates, and an estimated 6.5% arrive as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 59th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures describe both the scale of enrollment and the routes into it. 06 / Villanova University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Villanova University?](/school/villanova-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/villanova-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Villanova University. Admissions peerLehigh University25.9% admitted+ Comparison with Villanova University | Measure | Villanova University | Lehigh University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $104,228 | $101,748\-$2,480 vs Villanova University | | Average annual net price | $43,756 | $36,931\-$6,825 vs Villanova University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 27.0% | 25.9% | [Explore Lehigh University →](/school/lehigh-university/) Higher-admission alternativeDrexel University79.4% admitted+ Comparison with Villanova University | Measure | Villanova University | Drexel University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $104,228 | $91,041\-$13,187 vs Villanova University | | Average annual net price | $43,756 | $38,509\-$5,247 vs Villanova University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 27.0% | 79.4% | [Explore Drexel University →](/school/drexel-university/) Nearby alternativeLehigh UniversityNearby option · PA+ Comparison with Villanova University | Measure | Villanova University | Lehigh University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $104,228 | $101,748\-$2,480 vs Villanova University | | Average annual net price | $43,756 | $36,931\-$6,825 vs Villanova University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 27.0% | 25.9% | [Explore Lehigh University →](/school/lehigh-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeBabson College$117,794 earnings+ Comparison with Villanova University | Measure | Villanova University | Babson College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $104,228 | $117,794+$13,566 vs Villanova University | | Average annual net price | $43,756 | $40,514\-$3,242 vs Villanova University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 27.0% | 17.1% | [Explore Babson College →](/school/babson-college/) Lower-cost alternativePrinceton University$6,128 average net price+ Comparison with Villanova University | Measure | Villanova University | Princeton University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $104,228 | $108,590+$4,362 vs Villanova University | | Average annual net price | $43,756 | $6,128\-$37,628 vs Villanova University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 27.0% | 4.6% | [Explore Princeton University →](/school/princeton-university/) Similar profileTufts UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Villanova University | Measure | Villanova University | Tufts University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $104,228 | $97,474\-$6,754 vs Villanova University | | Average annual net price | $43,756 | $39,998\-$3,758 vs Villanova University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 27.0% | 11.5% | [Explore Tufts University →](/school/tufts-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/villanova-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/)