1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Virginia State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Virginia State University VA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #315 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/virginia-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/virginia-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/virginia-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/virginia-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/virginia-state-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Virginia State University #315 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Virginia State University is a public university in Petersburg, Virginia, where the largest degree families are Business and Security & Protective Services. Access is among the highest we track, and the admission rate is above the median at comparable schools. Graduates earn about what the model predicts for students like them, and the typical graduate earns below the median at comparable schools. Return is below the levels seen at many peers. The model attributes a subtraction to the factors it measures and an addition to the remainder it cannot explain. Pell recipients complete at the same rate as the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is well above average. The lowest income band pays well under the published cost, and the spread between the lowest and highest bands is modest. 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. ## Virginia State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 88.6% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 39.4% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $51,739 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $19,463 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $26,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $22,181 ## Virginia State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Virginia State University is a public university in Petersburg, Virginia, enrolling 5,074 undergraduates. The university sits in the upper portion of the Azimuth composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and mobility score highest, and return is the weakest of the four pillars. The university admits 88.6% of applicants, a rate near the 85.9% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Of students who start full time, 69.4% return for a second year, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that first-time, full-time cohort is 39.4%, below the peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 15.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the graduation rate excludes those students. The six-year rate counts only those who start here full time and does not capture the outcomes of students who transfer in. The four pillars sit far apart. Access is the strongest, at the 95th percentile, and mobility follows at the 84th percentile. Return is the weakest, at the 22nd percentile, and affordability sits between them at the 58th percentile. Virginia State University is a public university that [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #315 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. Access is the strongest pillar, at the 95th percentile, and mobility is also strong at the 84th percentile. Return is the weakest of the four, at the 22nd percentile. Affordability sits between the two, at the 58th percentile. 72.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Those students complete at 39.5%, 0.1 percentage points above the rate for the cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks Virginia State University #67 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Pell completion rate running even with the overall rate is a key part of that standing. Azimuth ranks the university #230 for mobility. Graduates earn about $94 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. [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/) Virginia State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #315 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 84 **Access & reach** National percentile: 95 **[Affordability](/school/virginia-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 58 **[Return on investment](/school/virginia-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 22 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas**#108** 2. Social Work**#166** 3. Criminal Justice and Corrections**#184** 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/virginia-state-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Virginia State University briefing ## [Virginia State University cost & financial aid](/school/virginia-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Attending Virginia State University starts with a published budget of $27,661. That total includes $10,043 in tuition and fees for Virginia residents and $13,355 for housing and meals. Out-of-state students see tuition and fees of $22,650. After grants and scholarships, the average aid recipient pays $15,840. Aid covers about 43% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $11,821 off the sticker price. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) sits $1,772 above the $14,068 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #590 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 58th percentile. The published cost of attendance at Virginia State University is $27,661. Azimuth ranks the university #590 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 $13,220, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $19,463, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $25,508. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $12,288. The average aid recipient sees $11,821 in savings against the published sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $15,840, which is $1,772 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). In-state tuition and fees are $10,043, and out-of-state tuition and fees are $22,650. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $26,500 in federal student loans, $5,271 above the $21,229 peer median. 93.4% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $22,181 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $301 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**$19,463** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Virginia State University Nearly every undergraduate at Virginia State University borrows: 93.4% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among those who complete, the median federal student debt is $26,500. That median is $5,271 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $22,181 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. The return picture at Virginia State University is mixed. Graduates earn about $94 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level, a result at the 55th percentile. The raw earnings median four years after completion is $51,739. That figure is $5,562 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). It places at the 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, show a range from a downside of $39,511 to an upside of $73,380, with a typical scenario of $51,739. On the cost side, borrowers who finish carry a median of $26,500 in federal loans, which is $5,271 above the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $301 a month if repaid over ten years. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $22,181. For student borrowers, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $301 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** $26,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $22,181 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $301/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $282/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=virginia-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/virginia-state-university/cost/) 02 / Virginia State University briefing ## [Virginia State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/virginia-state-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn $51,739 four years after completing a degree. That figure stands at the 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university is $5,562 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Return stands at the 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $94 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. That result falls at the 55th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) subtracts $119. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $213. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,262. Among 910 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, the median four years after finishing a degree at Virginia State University is $51,739. That earnings level sits at the 22nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median reflects all completers in the cohort, not one field of study. Completers earn about $94 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. That result sits at the 55th percentile. The downside earnings scenario is $39,511, the typical scenario is $51,739, and the upside scenario is $73,380. Based on the program mix, an estimated 27.9% of graduates continue to graduate study. The median earnings for federally aided graduates of Virginia State University who are working and not enrolled four years after completion is $51,739, at the 22nd percentile nationally. That median is $5,562 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #1,145 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $94 more than the model expects for similar students, effectively at the expected level. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) sit at the 55th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) subtracts $119. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $213. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,262. The program mix spans business, security and protective services, psychology, teacher education, communication and media studies, and smaller technology and management fields that award fewer degrees. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, show a wide range: the downside scenario reaches $39,511, while the upside scenario reaches $73,380. An estimated 27.9% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the program mix. Program choice shapes a wide range of outcomes at Virginia State University. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $39,511 on the downside to $73,380 on the upside. At the higher end, Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians graduates earn a median of $80,902 four years after completion, from 16 degrees awarded. Management Information Systems and Services follows at $72,734, and Accounting at $72,375. These program figures sit well above the university-wide median. The published cost of attendance at Virginia State University is $27,661, and aid covers about 43% of that for the average aid recipient. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $15,840. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $26,500 in federal student loans, which is $5,271 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $301 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $22,181 in Parent PLUS loans. The return picture is mixed: earnings sit below the peer median and are effectively at the level the model expects, while the debt load runs above the peer median. A student's program choice matters a great deal here, because the highest-earning programs pay substantially more than the university-wide figure. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** \-$119 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$213 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$94 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/virginia-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Virginia State University briefing ## [Virginia State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/virginia-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Virginia State University admits 88.6% of applicants, a rate that sits close to the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The university is broadly accessible by the numbers, and the admission rate alone does not signal a narrow gate. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 88.6% **25th percentile** 838 **Median** 920 **75th percentile** 1010 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/virginia-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Virginia State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Virginia State University?](/school/virginia-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The highest-earning programs at Virginia State University are in technical and business fields, while the largest programs by degrees awarded sit in the social sciences and education. Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians leads with median earnings of $80,902 four years after completion, from 16 degrees awarded. Marketing, a larger program at 23 degrees awarded, reports $53,709. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #211 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The largest program, Criminal Justice, awards 72 degrees a year and posts median earnings of $48,624. Azimuth ranks it #184 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Psychology, the second largest at 67 degrees awarded, reports $37,861 and a national rank of #342. Business accounts for 18.8% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Security & Protective Services at 12.0% and Psychology at 11.2%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 10 programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The largest program is Criminal Justice, with 72 degrees awarded and median earnings of $48,624 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks it #184 nationally and #5 in Virginia. The highest-earning program is Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, with median earnings of $80,902 from 16 degrees awarded. Management Information Systems and Services follows at $72,734, and Accounting at $72,375. Virginia State University awards bachelor's degrees across 10 ranked programs, with earnings data available for 17 fields. The largest program family is Business, accounting for 18.8% of degrees awarded, followed by Security & Protective Services at 12.0% and Psychology at 11.2%. The three largest single programs are Criminal Justice with 72 degrees awarded, Psychology with 67, and Subject-Area Teacher Education with 54. The highest-ranked program is Subject-Area Teacher Education, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #5 in Virginia within its field. Social Work is also strong, ranking #166 nationally and #5 in Virginia within its field, with 24 degrees awarded and median earnings of $49,615. The highest-earning program is a much smaller one. Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians graduates earn $80,902, from 16 degrees awarded a year. Management Information Systems and Services follows at $72,734, also with 16 degrees awarded. The largest programs are not the best-paid ones: Criminal Justice, the biggest by degrees, earns $48,624, and Psychology earns $37,861. The pattern is a university where the strongest rankings sit in education and social work, while the highest earnings come from a small technology program. 17.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings for fields where graduate study is common may understate later trajectories. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Criminal Justice and Corrections 72 degrees awarded** $48,624 **Psychology, General 67 degrees awarded** $37,861 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 54 degrees awarded** $48,362 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 52 degrees awarded** $49,764 **Communication and Media Studies 40 degrees awarded** $40,896 **Sociology 31 degrees awarded** $40,432 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/virginia-state-university/majors/) 05 / Virginia State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Virginia State University?](/school/virginia-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/virginia-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Virginia State University. Admissions peerNorfolk State University87.8% admitted+ Comparison with Virginia State University | Measure | Virginia State University | Norfolk State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,739 | $52,371+$632 vs Virginia State University | | Average annual net price | $15,840 | $15,282\-$558 vs Virginia State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.6% | 87.8% | [Explore Norfolk State University →](/school/norfolk-state-university/) Higher-admission alternativeLiberty University99.0% admitted+ Comparison with Virginia State University | Measure | Virginia State University | Liberty University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,739 | $57,700+$5,961 vs Virginia State University | | Average annual net price | $15,840 | $29,357+$13,517 vs Virginia State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.6% | 99.0% | [Explore Liberty University →](/school/liberty-university/) Nearby alternativeNorfolk State UniversityNearby option · VA+ Comparison with Virginia State University | Measure | Virginia State University | Norfolk State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,739 | $52,371+$632 vs Virginia State University | | Average annual net price | $15,840 | $15,282\-$558 vs Virginia State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.6% | 87.8% | [Explore Norfolk State University →](/school/norfolk-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeOld Dominion University$64,472 earnings+ Comparison with Virginia State University | Measure | Virginia State University | Old Dominion University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,739 | $64,472+$12,733 vs Virginia State University | | Average annual net price | $15,840 | $14,638\-$1,202 vs Virginia State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.6% | 90.4% | [Explore Old Dominion University →](/school/old-dominion-university/) Lower-cost alternativeElizabeth City State University$6,364 average net price+ Comparison with Virginia State University | Measure | Virginia State University | Elizabeth City State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,739 | $50,194\-$1,545 vs Virginia State University | | Average annual net price | $15,840 | $6,364\-$9,476 vs Virginia State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.6% | 64.2% | Similar profileNorfolk State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Virginia State University | Measure | Virginia State University | Norfolk State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $51,739 | $52,371+$632 vs Virginia State University | | Average annual net price | $15,840 | $15,282\-$558 vs Virginia State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.6% | 87.8% | [Explore Norfolk State University →](/school/norfolk-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/virginia-state-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance 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/)