1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. West Chester University of Pennsylvania Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # West Chester University of Pennsylvania PA · Large public institution · Overall rank #404 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/)[Majors](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/) ## Azimuth places the university in the 73rd percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public university in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where Business, Health Professions, and Education lead the degree mix. Mobility is well above average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — and a subtraction to what it cannot explain. Pell recipients complete below the rate of the entering cohort as a whole, and affordability is modestly below average. The lowest and highest income bands both pay above the median at comparable schools. The admission rate is near the median for comparable institutions, 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 field is also the largest one. ## West Chester University of Pennsylvania at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 78.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 70.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $64,804 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $20,417 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $23,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $25,362 ## West Chester University of Pennsylvania rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public university in West Chester, Pennsylvania, enrolling 14,164 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (73rd percentile). The university admits 78.4% of applicants, a rate that runs close to the 78.1% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among full-time, bachelor's-seeking first-year students, 83.1% return for a second year, against a peer median of 83.1%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 70.5%, which sits above the 65.0% median for comparable institutions. An estimated 26.1% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, and the six-year rate describes the first-time full-time cohort only. The four pillars sit some distance apart. Mobility is the strongest, at the 83rd percentile, and access follows at the 74th percentile. Return sits near the middle of the field (60th percentile), while affordability is the weakest of the four, at the 40th percentile. This leaves a wide spread between the strongest and weakest pillars. Mobility is the clearest positive in this public university’s Azimuth profile, placing it in the 83rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, return stands in the 60th percentile and access in the 74th percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar, at the 40th percentile, so the strongest mobility result and the cost picture point in different directions. 25.4% of undergraduates at West Chester University of Pennsylvania receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks West Chester University of Pennsylvania #384 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 41.4%, 29.1 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (70.5%). Azimuth ranks the university #253 for mobility. Graduates earn about $6,973 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/) West Chester University of Pennsylvania rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #404 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 83 **Access & reach** National percentile: 74 **[Affordability](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)** National percentile: 40 **[Return on investment](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)** National percentile: 60 01 / West Chester University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [West Chester University of Pennsylvania cost & financial aid](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, West Chester University of Pennsylvania reported in-state sticker tuition of $7,994 and required fees of $3,470 for the 2026-27 academic year. Out-of-state sticker tuition was $19,986, and on-campus food and housing was $11,824. The published cost of attendance is $28,394, while the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $23,331. Average aid reduces the published cost by $5,063. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median net price of $15,634, leaving this university $7,697 above that figure. Azimuth places affordability in the 40th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The above-peer net price and lower affordability standing point in the same direction. West Chester University of Pennsylvania lists a published cost of attendance of $28,394, yet aid recipients from lower-income families pay far less. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $17,018 for families earning under $30,000, $20,417 for families earning $48,001-$75,000, and $27,160 for families earning over $110,000. The lowest and highest band averages differ by $10,142. For affordability, Azimuth ranks West Chester University of Pennsylvania #854 among nonprofit four-year institutions. For the average aid recipient, the overall average net price is $23,331, after $5,063 in financial-aid savings against the sticker price. Aid covers about 18% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $15,634; the public university sits $7,697 above that midpoint. Federal borrowing is widespread, with 93.6% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. Federal-loan borrowers who complete leave with median federal student loan debt of $23,500. The peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size) is $20,076, so the public university’s median is $3,424 above that figure. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $25,362. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $267 a month if repaid over ten years. 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**$20,417** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at West Chester University of Pennsylvania Federal borrowing is widespread at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where 93.6% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among federal-loan borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $23,500. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $20,076, placing the university $3,424 above it. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $25,362. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 71% of graduates borrowed from any source, averaging $41,196 in cumulative debt per borrower. That total includes graduates with federal loans: 69% of graduates, averaging $23,921 per federal borrower. It also includes graduates with private loans: 28% of graduates, averaging $45,924 per private borrower. Mobility is the clearest strength at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, but return figures are uneven. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $64,804 four years after completion; Azimuth places that figure in the 65th 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, tell a less favorable story. Graduates earn about $6,973 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that measure in the 28th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios run from $47,868 in a downside case to $92,608 in an upside case; the typical scenario matches the observed median. Median federal student loan debt is $23,500, $3,424 above the $20,076 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $267 a month if repaid over ten years. Lower-than-expected earnings alongside debt above the peer median make the return picture mixed. Family borrowing may include parent loans as well as student federal loans. Among [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) parent borrowers, median borrowing is $25,362. For the median federal student debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $267 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** $23,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $25,362 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $267/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $322/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=west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/) 02 / West Chester University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [West Chester University of Pennsylvania career outcomes & earnings](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) For federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, West Chester University of Pennsylvania has median earnings of $64,804 four years after completion. That places those earnings in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610, leaving the university $806 below it. Graduates earn about $6,973 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 28th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 60th 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 $8,389. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $15,362. The below-peer median and lower-than-expected earnings point in the same direction. West Chester University of Pennsylvania posts a median of $64,804 four years after completion among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Azimuth places that earnings level in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 185 completers. Graduates earn about $6,973 less than the model expects for similar students. The program-mix model sets the typical earnings scenario at the same level, with a downside scenario of $47,868 and an upside scenario of $92,608. An estimated 28.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The scenario range and below-expected earnings point to variation behind the institutional median. Return figures offer contrasting signals at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled had median earnings of $64,804 four years after completion, in the 65th percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), was $65,610, leaving the university $806 below that figure. Graduates earn about $6,973 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, is in the 28th percentile. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 60th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix run from $47,868 on the downside to $92,608 on the upside, with a typical scenario of $64,804. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $8,389. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $15,362. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $203. The peer and model comparisons both sit below their reference points. Published program earnings are confined to Nursing, which awarded 204 degrees in an academic year. Its median earnings were $98,013 four years after completion, or 1.10x the national median for its field. Across the wider degree mix, Business accounts for 25.7% of degrees awarded, Health Professions for 14.3%, and Education for 10.8%. The published field figure is above its national median, even as the schoolwide peer and model comparisons are below theirs. Earnings scenarios show a broad spread tied to the university's program mix, from $47,868 in the downside scenario to $92,608 in the upside scenario, with $64,804 as the typical scenario. These are scenarios rather than observed groups of graduates. Among published program figures, Nursing has median earnings of $98,013 four years after completion and 204 degrees awarded. That program result provides a concrete reference point within the modeled spread. For borrowers at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, debt runs above the comparable-institution midpoint, alongside earnings that fall short of the model’s expectation. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $23,500. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $20,076, and the university’s figure is above it by $3,424. The average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $23,331. That is above the peer median at comparable institutions by $7,697. Aid covers about 18% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $267 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $6,973 less than the model expects for similar students. Above-peer borrowing and pricing coincide with lower-than-expected earnings. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$8,389 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$15,362 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$6,973 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/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/) 03 / West Chester University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [West Chester University of Pennsylvania acceptance rate & admissions](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 18,009 first-year applicants, 13,657 admitted applicants, and 3,024 enrolled students. The federal admission rate is 78.4%, meaning the reported entering-class applicant pool received admission decisions at that rate. That sits close to the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 78.4% **25th percentile** 1110 **Median** 1170 **75th percentile** 1260 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/) 04 / West Chester University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [What are the largest majors at West Chester University of Pennsylvania?](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The reported program picture centers on Nursing, where median earnings are $98,013 four years after completion. The field awarded 204 degrees in the academic year covered, making it a large program as well as the available higher-earning field. Its median is 1.10x the national median for that field, a comparison that puts its earnings in context without treating program results as university-wide outcomes. The broader degree mix extends beyond that health field. Business accounts for 25.7% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, and Education accounts for 10.8%. Health Professions represents 14.3% of degrees awarded, so the available earnings figure describes one prominent part of the university’s offerings rather than every field. Business accounts for 25.7% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, making it the largest program family; Health Professions accounts for 14.3%, and Education for 10.8%. That mix gives the school a broad academic center rather than a degree output concentrated solely in health fields. Among the published program outcomes, Nursing stands out with 204 degrees awarded in one academic year and median earnings of $98,013 four years after completion. The available program result is far above the school-level typical scenario, showing that earnings can differ sharply by field even when the overall program mix is led by Business. West Chester University of Pennsylvania awards bachelor's degrees across a program mix led by Business, which accounts for 25.7% of degrees awarded. Health Professions is next at 14.3%, followed by Education at 10.8%. The university has 1 program with published four-year earnings data. The largest program with published earnings is Nursing, at 204 degrees awarded a year. It is also the highest-earning program, with graduates reporting a median of $98,013 four years after completion. That figure is 1.10x the national median for the field. The program mix is concentrated in professional fields, with Business and Health Professions together awarding two-fifths of all bachelor's degrees. STEM fields account for 8.8% of degrees awarded. The earnings picture is anchored by a single large program, and the four-year median for Nursing sits above the national benchmark for its field. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 288 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Business Administration, Management and Operations 240 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations 239 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Psychology, General 226 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 205 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 204 degrees awarded** $98,013 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/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) 05 / West Chester University of Pennsylvania briefing ## How does West Chester University of Pennsylvania serve students from different backgrounds? Mobility is the university’s strongest measured pillar, and its first-time full-time cohort has a [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 70.5%. Pell recipients in that cohort complete within six years at 41.4%, below the overall rate by 29.1 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 83rd 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, is less favorable: Graduates earn about $6,973 less than the model expects for similar students. This measure sits in the 28th percentile. Strong completion and lower-than-expected earnings make the mobility picture mixed. Entry is relatively open at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where the admission rate is 78.4%. The public university enrolls 14,164 undergraduates, with an estimated 26.1% entering as transfers or part-time students. Pell Grant recipients make up 25.4% of undergraduates. Azimuth assigns the access pillar a 74th percentile position among nonprofit four-year institutions. The admission rate, Pell participation, and transfer estimate describe access across more than one route into the university. 06 / West Chester University of Pennsylvania briefing ## [What colleges are similar to West Chester University of Pennsylvania?](/school/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/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/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Admissions peerElizabethtown College77.9% admitted+ Comparison with West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Measure | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Elizabethtown College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,804 | $66,236+$1,432 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $23,331 | $26,598+$3,267 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania · higher cost | | Admission rate | 78.4% | 77.9% | Higher-admission alternativeSaint Peter's University90.3% admitted+ Comparison with West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Measure | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Saint Peter's University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,804 | $64,352\-$452 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $23,331 | $12,199\-$11,132 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 78.4% | 90.3% | [Explore Saint Peter's University →](/school/saint-peters-university/) Nearby alternativeTemple UniversityNearby option · PA+ Comparison with West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Measure | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Temple University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,804 | $67,232+$2,428 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $23,331 | $28,198+$4,867 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania · higher cost | | Admission rate | 78.4% | 80.4% | [Explore Temple University →](/school/temple-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeCapitol Technology University$104,028 earnings+ Comparison with West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Measure | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Capitol Technology University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,804 | $104,028+$39,224 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $23,331 | $22,102\-$1,229 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 78.4% | 74.4% | [Explore Capitol Technology University →](/school/capitol-technology-university/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Measure | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,804 | $62,833\-$1,971 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $23,331 | $3,103\-$20,228 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 78.4% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileCUNY New York City College of TechnologyMatched across several measures+ Comparison with West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Measure | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | CUNY New York City College of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $64,804 | $64,145\-$659 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania | | Average annual net price | $23,331 | $5,127\-$18,204 vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania · lower cost | | Admission rate | 78.4% | 80.3% | [Explore CUNY New York City College of Technology →](/school/cuny-new-york-city-college-of-technology/) 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/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 30, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 30, 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/)