1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Worcester State University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Worcester State University MA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #500 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/worcester-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/worcester-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/worcester-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/worcester-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/worcester-state-university/similar/) ## Azimuth places it in the 66th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Worcester State University is a public university in Worcester, Massachusetts, where Health Professions, Psychology, and Business lead the degree mix. Affordability is well above average, the strongest pillar here. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to earnings, while the part it cannot explain subtracts. Aid covers a substantial share of the published cost for the average aid recipient, and what the typical aid recipient pays after aid sits below the median at comparable schools. But Pell students complete at a rate well below the cohort as a whole, and access is around the average. The admission rate is near the median for comparable schools. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that Nursing, a smaller one, is the best-paid. ## Worcester State University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 88.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 61.5% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $63,801 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $9,540 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $19,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $17,518 ## Worcester State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Worcester State University is a public university in Worcester, Massachusetts, enrolling 3,930 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the middle of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (66th percentile). The strongest pillar is affordability, at the 85th percentile, while access is the weakest of the four. The university admits 88.0% of applicants, a rate close to the 85.9% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Among full-time first-year students, 78.1% 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 cohort is 61.5%, well above the peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 29.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the graduation rate describes a specific group: the first-time, full-time students who start here. A large share of the student body took a different path. The four pillars sit in a narrow band. Affordability leads, with return and mobility near the middle of the field, and access just below it. The shape is a public university where the price is the clearest strength and the other measures cluster together. Affordability is the clearest positive in the profile, while access is the area that trails the other pillars. Azimuth places affordability in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, making it the strongest pillar. Return is in the 59th percentile, and mobility is in the 50th percentile. Access, the weakest pillar, is in the 49th percentile. The affordability result stands apart from an otherwise middle-range set of pillar results. For enrolled students who submitted SAT scores, the middle half ran from 1,026 to 1,283. 30.0% of all undergraduates are Pell recipients, the financial-access measure that, alongside those test scores, completes the admitted-student profile here. Azimuth ranks Worcester State University #751 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 31.1% within six years, 30.4 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (61.5%). That distance between the two rates is the central fact in the access pillar. Azimuth ranks the university #727 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,102 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that coincides with both the university's mobility standing and its place in that group. [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/) Worcester State University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #500 | | [Massachusetts](/rankings/best-colleges-in-massachusetts/) | #22 | | [Northeast](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-northeast/) | #131 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 50 **Access & reach** National percentile: 49 **[Affordability](/school/worcester-state-university/cost/)** National percentile: 85 **[Return on investment](/school/worcester-state-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 59 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions**#4** 2. Criminal Justice and Corrections**#15** 3. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other**#20** 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/worcester-state-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Worcester State University briefing ## [Worcester State University cost & financial aid](/school/worcester-state-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) For aid recipients, Worcester State University presents a lower-cost option than its comparable institutions after aid. Azimuth places the university's affordability pillar in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance is $22,874 (an average across living arrangements). In-state tuition and fees are $11,786, with room and board listed at $14,307. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $17,866. Average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,381. Average financial aid savings against the published cost are $9,493, and aid covers about 42% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median net price is $14,068; Worcester State sits below it by $687. The lower net price and affordability standing point the same way. The published cost of attendance at Worcester State University is $22,874 (an average across living arrangements), and average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)s for aid recipients differ by family-income band. The averages are $8,793 for the lowest band, $9,629 for the lower-middle band, $9,540 for the middle band, $13,658 for the upper-middle band, and $19,679 for the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest is $10,886. Azimuth ranks Worcester State University #218 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Aid covers about 42% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average savings of $9,493 against the sticker price. Across all aid recipients, the average net price is $13,381, which is $687 below the peer median of $14,068 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Published in-state tuition is $11,786, compared with out-of-state tuition of $17,866. The average price and the peer comparison both point toward lower costs for aid recipients. Federal loan borrowing is widespread, but the typical completed borrower carries less debt than the comparable-institution median. Borrowers who completed have median federal student loan debt of $19,500, and 88.9% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. It is $1,729 below the peer median debt of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $17,518. 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**$9,540** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Worcester State University Federal borrowing is widespread at Worcester State University, with 88.9% of federal aid recipients taking federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $19,500. That median is $1,729 below the peer median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size). For the separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $17,518. For an investment decision, above-expected earnings sit alongside debt below the comparable-college benchmark at Worcester State University. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $63,801 four years after completion, placing the university in the 62nd 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, are in the 66th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,102 more than the model expects for similar students. The earnings scenarios run from $50,178 in the downside case to $79,315 in the upside case, with the typical scenario at the observed median. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $19,500, $1,729 below the peer median of $21,229, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. Above-expected earnings and lower peer-relative debt point in the same direction. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $17,518. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 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** $19,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $17,518 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $222/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $223/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=worcester-state-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/worcester-state-university/cost/) 02 / Worcester State University briefing ## [Worcester State University career outcomes & earnings](/school/worcester-state-university/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, Worcester State University shows earnings above both its modeled expectation and comparable peers. Graduates earn about $3,102 more than the model expects for similar students. 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, sits in the 66th percentile. Azimuth puts return in the 59th 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 $5,007. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,905. Four years after completion, the median is $63,801, in the 62nd percentile. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, and the university's figure is $6,500 above it. Earnings above the model's expectation and peer median point in the same direction. Worcester State University posts median earnings of $63,801 four years after completion for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, offering a schoolwide view of early graduate pay. Azimuth places that earnings measure in the 62nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort includes 1,424 completers, and the typical modeled scenario based on program mix is $63,801, not an observed graduate group. An estimated 32.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. Graduates earn about $3,102 more than the model expects for similar students. The schoolwide earnings figure and the model comparison point in the same direction. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $63,801. That is $6,500 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Worcester State University #595 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,102 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the earnings gap at the 66th 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 $5,007. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,905. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $734. The program mix includes health professions, psychology, business, criminal justice, nursing and biology. Earnings scenarios estimated from that mix run from a downside of $50,178 to an upside of $79,315. An estimated 32.1% of graduates continue to graduate study rather than entering the workforce immediately, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios show a broad range in earnings across Worcester State’s program mix, from $50,178 in the downside scenario to $79,315 in the upside scenario. These are scenarios rather than observed groups of graduates. Published program medians help show the range: Nursing reports $92,133, Computer and Information Sciences reports $92,068, and Biotechnology reports $90,565 four years after completion. The program figures make the modeled spread more concrete. Worcester State University combines costs below those at comparable institutions with higher-than-expected earnings. For aid recipients, the average net price, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $13,381. That is below the $14,068 peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), by $687. Among borrowers who completed, median federal student loan debt is $19,500, below the peer median of $21,229 by $1,729. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. Graduates earn about $3,102 more than the model expects for similar students. Costs and debt below peer figures point in the same direction as the model’s earnings finding. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,007 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$1,905 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$3,102 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/worcester-state-university/outcomes/) 03 / Worcester State University briefing ## [Worcester State University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/worcester-state-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Worcester State University admits 88.0% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The figure summarizes the reported outcome across that applicant pool, rather than setting an individual applicant’s odds. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 88.0% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1026 **Reported average** 1150 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1283 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/worcester-state-university/admissions/) 04 / Worcester State University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Worcester State University?](/school/worcester-state-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) At Worcester State University, the top-ranked programs show a moderate earnings picture that differs by field four years after completion. Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences recorded median earnings of $54,245 from 21 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #20 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions posted $63,505 with 67 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Criminal Justice had median earnings of $65,588 across 97 degrees awarded; Azimuth ranks it #15 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. These figures separate the higher-earning fields from the more moderate one. At Worcester State University, the nationally ranked program picture rests on 15 bachelor's fields whose earnings differ by field. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions #4 nationally in its field among nonprofit four-year institutions. Criminal Justice ranks #15 nationally in Azimuth, with 97 degrees awarded and median earnings of $65,588 four years after completion. The ranked fields offer distinct combinations of program scale, placement, and earnings. The degree mix at Worcester State University is led by Health Professions, which accounts for 19.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed closely by Psychology at 16.0% and Business at 15.6%. The university has 15 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 22 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single program is Psychology, at 176 degrees awarded, with Business Administration and Management close behind at 172 degrees awarded and Criminal Justice third at 97 degrees awarded. The highest-ranked program is Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #1 in Massachusetts within its field. Its median earnings are $63,505 four years after completion, with a benchmark ratio of 1.22x against the national median for the field. Psychology, the largest program, ranks #64 nationally and #5 in Massachusetts within its field, with median earnings of $57,244. The highest-earning program is Nursing, at $92,133 from 71 degrees awarded, while Computer and Information Sciences follows at $92,068 from a smaller cohort of 42 degrees awarded. The pattern here is one of strength spread across professional and health-related fields rather than concentrated in a single department. Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions carries the highest state rank, while Nursing and Computer and Information Sciences deliver the highest payoffs. The largest programs in Psychology and Business sit in the middle of the earnings range, and 14.5% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Psychology, General 176 degrees awarded** $57,244 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 172 degrees awarded** $66,405 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 97 degrees awarded** $65,588 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 71 degrees awarded** $92,133 **Biology, General 68 degrees awarded** $68,459 **Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions 67 degrees awarded** $63,505 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/worcester-state-university/majors/) 05 / Worcester State University briefing ## How does Worcester State University serve students from different backgrounds? Worcester State University presents a mixed mobility picture: graduates earn about $3,102 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, fall in the 66th percentile, with Azimuth’s comparison covering nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 50th percentile. The first-time full-time cohort has a 61.5% [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/); Pell recipients complete within six years at 31.1%, below the overall rate by 30.4 percentage points. Above-expected earnings coexist with a wide completion difference between these cohorts. Admission is relatively open at Worcester State University, with an 88.0% admission rate and 3,930 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients account for 30.0% of undergraduates, and an estimated 29.5% of entrants transfer in. Azimuth places the access pillar in the 49th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The enrollment mix and admission rate describe a public university with several entry routes, though its access standing is near the middle of nonprofit four-year institutions. 06 / Worcester State University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Worcester State University?](/school/worcester-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/worcester-state-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Worcester State University. Admissions peerFitchburg State University86.9% admitted+ Comparison with Worcester State University | Measure | Worcester State University | Fitchburg State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,801 | $63,994+$193 vs Worcester State University | | Average annual net price | $13,381 | $14,262+$881 vs Worcester State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.0% | 86.9% | Higher-admission alternativeAmerican International College99.6% admitted+ Comparison with Worcester State University | Measure | Worcester State University | American International College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,801 | $71,565+$7,764 vs Worcester State University | | Average annual net price | $13,381 | $23,274+$9,893 vs Worcester State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.0% | 99.6% | Nearby alternativeFitchburg State UniversityNearby option · MA+ Comparison with Worcester State University | Measure | Worcester State University | Fitchburg State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,801 | $63,994+$193 vs Worcester State University | | Average annual net price | $13,381 | $14,262+$881 vs Worcester State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.0% | 86.9% | Higher-earnings alternativeThe University of Texas at Arlington$79,176 earnings+ Comparison with Worcester State University | Measure | Worcester State University | The University of Texas at Arlington | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,801 | $79,176+$15,375 vs Worcester State University | | Average annual net price | $13,381 | $13,951+$570 vs Worcester State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.0% | 79.9% | [Explore The University of Texas at Arlington →](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington/) Lower-cost alternativeRhode Island College$9,478 average net price+ Comparison with Worcester State University | Measure | Worcester State University | Rhode Island College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,801 | $59,430\-$4,371 vs Worcester State University | | Average annual net price | $13,381 | $9,478\-$3,903 vs Worcester State University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 88.0% | 91.8% | [Explore Rhode Island College →](/school/rhode-island-college/) Similar profileSUNY College at GeneseoMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Worcester State University | Measure | Worcester State University | SUNY College at Geneseo | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,801 | $63,560\-$241 vs Worcester State University | | Average annual net price | $13,381 | $18,211+$4,830 vs Worcester State University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 88.0% | 66.5% | [Explore SUNY College at Geneseo →](/school/suny-college-at-geneseo/) 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/worcester-state-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 27, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 27, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)