1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Wheaton College (Massachusetts) MA · Small private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #1169 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/admissions/)[Majors](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/similar/) ## Azimuth places Wheaton College (Massachusetts) in the 20th percentile overall. ### Who it’s a good fit for Wheaton College (Massachusetts) is a private nonprofit university in Norton, Massachusetts, where the degree mix leans toward the social sciences and the arts. Mobility is above average. Graduates earn above the median at comparable schools, and return is around the average. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, based on the program mix. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate above the overall six-year graduation rate. Affordability is below the levels seen at many peers, and what the lowest-income families pay sits well below the published cost. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions, and the degree mix is oriented toward the social sciences and visual and performing arts. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are not the largest. ## Wheaton College (Massachusetts) at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 67.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 72.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $57,982 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $28,299 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $26,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $58,410 ## Wheaton College (Massachusetts) rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) A private nonprofit university in Norton, Massachusetts, Wheaton College (Massachusetts) enrolls 1,773 undergraduates. The university sits in the lower fifth of nonprofit four-year institutions (20th percentile). At Wheaton College (Massachusetts), applicants are admitted at a rate of 67.7%, against a median of 75.7% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among first-year students who enrolled full time, 82.2% return for a second year, compared with a peer median of 74.2%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 72.8%, against a peer median of 54.9%. An estimated 5.0% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes the experience of the large majority who begin here as first-time, full-time students. Mobility is the strongest pillar (59th percentile), while affordability is the weakest (9th percentile). Return sits near the middle of the field (47th percentile) and access is closer to the bottom (18th percentile), so the four pillars are spread far apart. Mobility offers the strongest part of the profile, though affordability is a clear counterweight for families weighing cost. Azimuth places Wheaton College (Massachusetts)'s mobility pillar in the 59th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, return sits in the 47th percentile and access in the 18th percentile. Affordability is the weakest pillar, at the 9th percentile, so the mobility result and cost picture point in different directions. For the reported entering class, Wheaton College (Massachusetts) had an admission rate of 67.7%, describing the share of applicants admitted rather than an individual applicant’s chance. Among enrolled score submitters, the middle 50% of submitted SAT scores fell between 1,220 and 1,390. The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores fell between 29 and 33. Pell Grants reach 22.2% of undergraduates, a financial-access measure, and an estimated 5.0% of undergraduates enter as transfers or part-time students. These entry measures show both the reported admissions picture and the routes through which undergraduates arrive. The access picture pairs a compact undergraduate enrollment of 1,773 undergraduates with persistence beyond the first year. Azimuth ranks the university #1,202 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The scale behind that placement includes the Pell Grant share noted above and a first-year retention rate of 82.2%. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 72.8%, while the Pell recipients’ six-year completion rate is 76.7%, above the overall rate by 3.9 percentage points. The completion figures sit alongside a smaller undergraduate scale rather than a large enrollment base. Mobility is the stronger of the college’s access-and-outcomes pillars, despite its lower access placement. Azimuth ranks Wheaton College (Massachusetts) #602 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Its mobility standing sits with a narrower admission scale and the completion figures already cited, rather than with a large undergraduate enrollment. [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/) Wheaton College (Massachusetts) rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #1,169 | | [Massachusetts](/rankings/best-colleges-in-massachusetts/) | #46 | | [Northeast](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-northeast/) | #284 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 59 **Access & reach** National percentile: 18 **[Affordability](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/cost/)** National percentile: 9 **[Return on investment](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/outcomes/)** National percentile: 47 01 / Wheaton College (Massachusetts) briefing ## [Wheaton College (Massachusetts) cost & financial aid](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Wheaton College (Massachusetts) has an average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) of $29,822, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, and that price is above the peer median after aid. The published cost of attendance is $79,311, an average across living arrangements. On-campus tuition and fees are $63,960, and room and board are $16,200. For the average aid recipient, financial aid offsets $49,489 of the published price. At comparable institutions, meaning those in the same type and size, the peer median net price is $22,347, placing this college $7,475 above it. Azimuth ranks the college #1,281 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. A higher price after aid than at comparable colleges and that affordability placement point in the same direction. For families weighing Wheaton College (Massachusetts), the published cost of attendance is $79,311 (an average across living arrangements) before aid. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $20,076 in the lowest family-income band, $21,528 in the lower-middle band, $28,299 in the middle band, $28,639 in the upper-middle band, and $33,956 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $13,880. Azimuth ranks the university #1,281 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 62% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $49,489. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $29,822, which is $7,475 above the peer median of $22,347 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Published tuition and fees are $63,960, and room and board are $16,200. Federal borrowing is widespread here: 97.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $26,000, compared with $25,000 at comparable institutions (same type and size), leaving Wheaton $1,000 above that figure. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing for parent borrowers is $58,410. 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**$28,299** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Wheaton College (Massachusetts) At Wheaton College (Massachusetts), federal borrowing is widespread: 97.3% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt at completion is $26,000. Comparable institutions (same type and size) have a peer median federal debt of $25,000; the university's median is $1,000 above that figure. For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $58,410. For borrowers, Wheaton College (Massachusetts) pairs an estimated monthly payment of $295 with earnings that sit near those of comparable institutions. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn median $57,982 four years after completion. Azimuth places those earnings in the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $55,915, with Wheaton’s figure $2,067 above it. The program-mix earnings scenarios span $44,650 in the downside case, $57,982 in the typical case, and $76,319 in the upside case. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $26,000, $1,000 above the $25,000 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Parent borrowing is a separate part of the cost picture at Wheaton College (Massachusetts): the median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) amount for parent borrowers is $58,410. For student borrowers, median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 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** $26,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $58,410 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $295/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $742/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=wheaton-college-massachusetts#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/cost/) 02 / Wheaton College (Massachusetts) briefing ## [Wheaton College (Massachusetts) career outcomes & earnings](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Wheaton College (Massachusetts) has a return picture that sits near the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions, with earnings just ahead of comparable institutions. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $57,982 four years after completion, placing their earnings in the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places the university’s return pillar in the 47th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $55,915; Wheaton stands $2,067 above it. Near-middle standing and a modest edge over peers point in the same direction. At Wheaton College (Massachusetts), the earnings picture centers on a median of $57,982 four years after completion for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Azimuth places this result in the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 342 completers. The typical scenario, based on the program mix, matches that observed median. The downside earnings scenario is $44,650, and the upside scenario is $76,319, both modeled for four years after completion rather than observed groups of graduates. An estimated 39.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. The modeled earnings range and graduate-study estimate describe different possible paths after completion. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $57,982. That is $2,067 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That places the institution's median earnings in the 43rd percentile. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Wheaton College (Massachusetts) #777 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings scenarios, grounded in the college's program mix, show a range from a downside of $44,650 to an upside of $76,319, with the typical scenario at $57,982. An estimated 39.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The return picture is mixed: earnings sit just above the median for comparable institutions, but the return pillar's rank and percentile are modest. The program mix is the main story on the earnings side. The largest programs span a wide earnings range, and the college's highest-earning program is also one of its largest. A student's field of study aligns with different points in the scenario range, which stretches from the mid-forty-thousands to the mid-seventy-thousands. At Wheaton College (Massachusetts), earnings scenarios show a broad range: $44,650 in the downside scenario and $76,319 in the upside scenario, both four years after completion. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. Program medians also differ. Business Administration and Management reports $78,769, Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies reports $64,701, and Neuroscience reports $61,194, each four years after completion. Those program results align with the wide modeled range. Wheaton College (Massachusetts) has a cost picture that warrants close attention: both average net price and borrower debt sit above comparable benchmarks. Among completing federal-loan borrowers, median federal student loan debt is $26,000. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $25,000, placing the university above that figure by $1,000. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $295 a month if repaid over ten years. Average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $29,822. It is above the peer median by $7,475. Across the reported family-income bands, average net price is $20,076 in the lowest band, $21,528 in the next, $28,299 in the middle, $28,639 in the next-highest, and $33,956 in the highest. Aid covers about 62% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Above-peer prices and borrowing point in the same direction. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/outcomes/) 03 / Wheaton College (Massachusetts) briefing ## [Wheaton College (Massachusetts) acceptance rate & admissions](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Wheaton College (Massachusetts) admitted 67.7% of applicants in the reported entering class. That rate was lower than the median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size), so its recent applicant-pool outcome sat below that reference point. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 67.7% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1220 **Reported average** 1308 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1390 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/wheaton-college-massachusetts/admissions/) 04 / Wheaton College (Massachusetts) briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Wheaton College (Massachusetts)?](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Program-level earnings at Wheaton College (Massachusetts) differ across both larger fields and smaller degree cohorts, making field choice central to the return picture. Business Administration and Management sits at the higher end, with median earnings of $78,769 four years after completion and 52 degrees awarded. Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies also posts higher earnings of $64,701 across 16 degrees awarded. More moderate figures appear in Psychology, at $54,483 with 53 degrees awarded, and Biology, at $43,012 with 31 degrees awarded. The contrast between these fields shows that the school-level earnings figure can mask substantial variation by program. The largest fields at Wheaton College (Massachusetts) point to different early-career earnings, so the field matters as much as the schoolwide picture. Psychology is the largest listed field, with 53 degrees awarded and median earnings of $54,483 four years after completion. Business Administration and Management follows with 52 degrees awarded and median earnings of $78,769 four years after completion. The larger fields span a noticeably uneven earnings picture. Wheaton College (Massachusetts) distributes its bachelor's degrees across social science, arts, and biological science fields instead of concentrating them in a single family. Social Sciences makes up 14.8% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Visual & Performing Arts at 13.6% and Biological Sciences at 12.2%. Published four-year earnings data cover 10 programs. The largest program, Psychology, awarded 53 degrees; Business Administration and Management awarded 52, and Biology awarded 31. The early earnings leaders span business, interdisciplinary studies, and science rather than one narrow academic lane. Business Administration and Management, also one of the largest programs, is the highest-earning program. Its median earnings four years after completion are $78,769, with a benchmark ratio of 1.15x against the national median for its field. The pattern is spread across several pathways, though early earnings differ within the college's largest fields. Psychology had median earnings of $54,483 four years after completion and a benchmark ratio of 1.07x against the national median for its field. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Psychology, General 53 degrees awarded** $54,483 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 52 degrees awarded** $78,769 **Biology, General 31 degrees awarded** $43,012 **Film/Video and Photographic Arts 30 degrees awarded** $54,106 **English Language and Literature, General 27 degrees awarded** $59,381 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 23 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report 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/wheaton-college-massachusetts/majors/) 05 / Wheaton College (Massachusetts) briefing ## How does Wheaton College (Massachusetts) serve students from different backgrounds? Completion is the stronger part of the picture at Wheaton College (Massachusetts), where the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 72.8%. Pell recipients in that cohort complete within six years at 76.7%, above the overall rate by 3.9 percentage points. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 59th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Higher Pell completion and the overall graduation rate point in the same direction. At Wheaton College (Massachusetts), access measures point to a smaller undergraduate entry base alongside a modest Pell Grant presence. The admission rate is 67.7%, and undergraduate enrollment is 1,773 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 22.2% of undergraduates, while an estimated 5.0% enter as transfers or part-time students. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 18th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. 06 / Wheaton College (Massachusetts) briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Wheaton College (Massachusetts)?](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/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/wheaton-college-massachusetts/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Wheaton College (Massachusetts). Admissions peerSimmons University70.0% admitted+ Comparison with Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Measure | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Simmons University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,982 | $73,823+$15,841 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | | Average annual net price | $29,822 | $25,265\-$4,557 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.7% | 70.0% | Higher-admission alternativeLasell University81.2% admitted+ Comparison with Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Measure | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Lasell University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,982 | $58,411+$429 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | | Average annual net price | $29,822 | $27,511\-$2,311 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.7% | 81.2% | Nearby alternativeSmith CollegeNearby option · MA+ Comparison with Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Measure | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Smith College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,982 | $57,618\-$364 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | | Average annual net price | $29,822 | $27,579\-$2,243 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.7% | 21.0% | Higher-earnings alternativeRegis College$84,660 earnings+ Comparison with Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Measure | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Regis College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,982 | $84,660+$26,678 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | | Average annual net price | $29,822 | $27,477\-$2,345 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.7% | 69.8% | Lower-cost alternativeRhode Island College$9,478 average net price+ Comparison with Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Measure | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Rhode Island College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,982 | $59,430+$1,448 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | | Average annual net price | $29,822 | $9,478\-$20,344 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.7% | 91.8% | [Explore Rhode Island College →](/school/rhode-island-college/) Similar profileNazareth UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Measure | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Nazareth University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $57,982 | $57,472\-$510 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | | Average annual net price | $29,822 | $29,357\-$465 vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · lower cost | | Admission rate | 67.7% | 74.7% | [Explore Nazareth University →](/school/nazareth-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/wheaton-college-massachusetts/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)