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Wright State University-Main Campus Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Wright State University-Main Campus OH · Medium public institution · Overall rank #377 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/admissions/)[Majors](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Wright State University-Main Campus #377 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Wright State University-Main Campus is a public university in Dayton, Ohio, where the degree mix is led by Business and Health Professions, and mobility is well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds to expected earnings, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Return is above average. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate slightly above the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is well above average. Families at the bottom of the income scale pay well below the published cost, while those at the top pay closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student choosing Wright State should know that the largest programs are not the best-paid ones. ## Wright State University-Main Campus at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 96.3% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 41.7% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $62,601 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $14,501 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,750 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $14,381 ## Wright State University-Main Campus rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Wright State University-Main Campus is a public university in Dayton, Ohio, enrolling 6,762 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits above the midpoint of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (74th percentile), a position in the upper portion of the field. Wright State University-Main Campus admits 96.3% of those who apply; the median among comparable institutions of the same type and size is 85.9%. 67.9% of first-time, full-time students continue into a second year, while the peer median is 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that cohort is 41.7%, compared with 49.1% among peers. Because that rate counts only first-time, full-time students, it does not capture students who arrive by other paths. An estimated 29.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students. Mobility is the strongest of the four pillars (76th percentile), while access is the weakest (57th percentile). Return and affordability sit between them (64th and 73rd percentiles). The four sit relatively close together, a balanced shape with mobility slightly ahead. Wright State University-Main Campus's strongest pillar is mobility, where it sits in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability follows in the 73rd percentile, and the return pillar lands in the 64th percentile. Access is the weakest pillar, in the 57th percentile, though all four pillars sit above the median for nonprofit four-year institutions. 34.5% of undergraduates at Wright State University-Main Campus receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Wright State University-Main Campus #632 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at a rate of 42.8%, which is 1.1 percentage points above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (41.7%). Azimuth ranks the university #349 for mobility. Completers earn about $6,923 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Wright State University-Main Campus rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #377 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 76 **Access & reach** National percentile: 57 **[Affordability](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/cost/)** National percentile: 73 **[Return on investment](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/)** National percentile: 64 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Criminology**#46** 2. Human Resources Management and Services**#54** 3. Business/Commerce, General**#58** 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/wright-state-university-main-campus/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Wright State University-Main Campus briefing ## [Wright State University-Main Campus cost & financial aid](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) at Wright State University-Main Campus is $15,415, what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—a savings of $8,958 against the published cost of attendance of $24,373. In-state tuition and fees are $11,522 and room and board is $11,250; out-of-state tuition and fees are $21,222. That average net price sits above the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,347. Azimuth ranks the university #385 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance at Wright State University-Main Campus is $24,373. Azimuth ranks the university #385 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $11,952 in the lowest family-income band, $11,631 in the lower-middle band, $14,501 in the middle band, $18,734 in the upper-middle band, and $20,720 in the highest band. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $8,768. Aid covers about 37% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price across all bands to $15,415. That is $1,347 above the peer median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $22,750 in federal student loans, $1,521 above the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions. 87.2% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $14,381 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $259 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$14,501** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Wright State University-Main Campus Most undergraduates at Wright State University-Main Campus take out federal loans; the borrower share is 87.2%. That compares with a median of $21,229 for comparable institutions (same type and size); the university is above that figure by $1,521. For parents who borrow through [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/), the median debt is $14,381. Graduates of Wright State University-Main Campus earn about $6,923 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median earnings four years after completion reach $62,601, in the 59th percentile nationally, and sit above the peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Earnings scenarios from the university's program mix show a typical outcome that matches the observed median, with a downside scenario of $42,622 and an upside scenario of $85,461. On the borrowing side, the median federal student debt at completion is $22,750, which is above the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $259 a month if repaid over ten years. Earnings that beat the model and sit above the peer median point in the same direction, though the median debt also runs slightly above the peer figure. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $14,381. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $259. [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** $22,750 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $14,381 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $259/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $183/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=wright-state-university-main-campus#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/cost/) 02 / Wright State University-Main Campus briefing ## [Wright State University-Main Campus career outcomes & earnings](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $62,601, in the 59th percentile. That is $5,300 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $6,923 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 76th percentile, and Azimuth places the university at the 64th percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures adds $7,669. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $746. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,499. Graduates of Wright State University-Main Campus earn about $6,923 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that ranks in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completion, the median earnings of its graduates reach $62,601, which is above the peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size). The earnings cohort includes 3,017 completers. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a downside scenario of $42,622 and an upside scenario reaching $85,461. An estimated 29.0% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The university's strongest pillar is mobility, where [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it in the 76th percentile. The combination of higher-than-expected earnings and a substantial completers group points to an institution where the typical graduate's outcome exceeds what the model predicts for students with similar backgrounds. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Wright State University-Main Campus who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $62,601. That figure is $5,300 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $6,923 more than the model expects for similar students, placing that gap at the 76th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,669. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $746. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,499. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #536 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix show a downside of $42,622 and an upside of $85,461, with the typical scenario at $62,601. The earnings picture is shaped by a program mix where the largest fields are not the highest-paying ones. The model attributes most of the earnings advantage to the fields students choose and the local labor market rather than to what it cannot explain. An estimated 29.0% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. That means the four-year earnings snapshot captures most graduates at a point when they are working. The return pillar sits at the 64th percentile, with earnings above the peer median and above the model's expectation. The attribution split shows the measured factors carrying nearly all of the advantage. The earnings scenarios at Wright State University-Main Campus span from a downside of $42,622 to an upside of $85,461 four years after completion. That range reflects the variation across the university's 35 programs with published earnings data. The highest-earning programs illustrate the upper end of that spread: Computer Engineering completers earn a median of $97,659, Computer and Information Sciences graduates reach $92,006, and Electrical Engineering completers earn $89,391. These engineering and computing fields sit well above the university-wide median, while programs in the social sciences and education anchor the lower end of the range. Graduates of Wright State University-Main Campus earn about $6,923 more than the model expects for similar students, and the university's affordability pillar sits at the 73rd percentile nationally. The return picture is mixed: earnings beat the model but the median sits above the peer median. The published cost of attendance is $24,373, but the average net price—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $15,415. That average is above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,347. Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $22,750 in federal student loans, which is above the peer median of $21,229 by $1,521. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $259 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $14,381. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$7,669 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$746 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$6,923 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/wright-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) 03 / Wright State University-Main Campus briefing ## [Wright State University-Main Campus acceptance rate & admissions](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Wright State University-Main Campus admits 96.3% of applicants, a rate that keeps the door open to nearly everyone who applies. The median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size) is lower. Admissions **Admission rate** 96.3% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/admissions/) 04 / Wright State University-Main Campus briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Wright State University-Main Campus?](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Earnings differ widely by field at Wright State University-Main Campus. Computer and Information Sciences leads the largest programs with a median of $92,006 four years after completion, 68 degrees awarded, and an Azimuth national rank of #105. Mechanical Engineering follows at $82,795 on 96 degrees awarded, ranked #217 nationally. Among the largest programs, Nursing awards 173 degrees, reports $77,289, and ranks #275 nationally, while Psychology awards 142 degrees at $46,507, ranked #256 nationally. The gap between the computing and engineering figures and the psychology median illustrates how much outcomes vary by field. Wright State University-Main Campus has 26 bachelor's programs that carry an Azimuth national rank. Its best-ranked field is Criminology, placed at #46 nationally and #3 in Ohio. The program awarded 29 degrees and reports a median of $46,939 four years after completion. Computer and Information Sciences ranks #105 nationally and #3 in Ohio, with 68 degrees awarded. Its completers earn a median of $92,006 four years after completion. The Mechanical Engineering program ranks #217 nationally, with 96 degrees awarded and a median of $82,795 four years after completion. Nursing is the university's largest field, with 173 degrees awarded, a national rank of #275, and a median of $77,289 four years after completion. The bachelor's degree mix at Wright State University-Main Campus is broad, with Business accounting for 23.5% of degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 13.0% and Engineering at 12.3%. Across 35 programs with published four-year earnings data, 26 hold an Azimuth national rank. The largest program is Nursing, at 173 degrees awarded, with Psychology close behind at 142 degrees awarded and Business Administration and Management at 108 degrees awarded. The highest-ranked program is Criminology, with 29 degrees awarded and a state rank of #3 in Ohio. Human Resources Management and Services ranks #54 nationally within its field and #4 in Ohio, and its graduates earn a median of $65,293 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Computer Engineering, where graduates earn a median of $97,659 four years after completion, with 29 degrees awarded. Mechanical Engineering, a larger program at 96 degrees awarded, follows with median earnings of $82,795. The pattern is one of strength spread across several fields rather than concentrated in a single area. The largest programs in health and business sit alongside a cluster of engineering and computing programs that post the highest earnings, while a smaller program in Criminology is the highest-ranked. 25.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 173 degrees awarded** $77,289 **Psychology, General 142 degrees awarded** $46,507 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 108 degrees awarded** $60,039 **Mechanical Engineering 96 degrees awarded** $82,795 **Computer and Information Sciences, General 68 degrees awarded** $92,006 **Accounting and Related Services 66 degrees awarded** $73,024 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/wright-state-university-main-campus/majors/) 05 / Wright State University-Main Campus briefing ## How does Wright State University-Main Campus serve students from different backgrounds? Wright State University-Main Campus's mobility pillar lands in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort complete at a rate of 42.8%, which sits above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 41.7% by 1.1 percentage points. Four years after completion, graduates earn about $6,923 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure in the 76th percentile. Wright State University-Main Campus enrolls 6,762 undergraduates, and an estimated 29.5% of them arrive as transfers or part-time students. The public university admits 96.3% of applicants, a rate that exceeds the peer median of 85.9%, the middle value for comparable institutions. 34.5% of the undergraduate body receives Pell Grants, a standard measure of financial access. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university's access pillar falls in the 57th percentile. 06 / Wright State University-Main Campus briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Wright State University-Main Campus?](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/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/wright-state-university-main-campus/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Wright State University-Main Campus. Admissions peerWilmington College92.4% admitted+ Comparison with Wright State University-Main Campus | Measure | Wright State University-Main Campus | Wilmington College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,601 | $52,364\-$10,237 vs Wright State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $15,415 | $24,153+$8,738 vs Wright State University-Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 96.3% | 92.4% | [Explore Wilmington College →](/school/wilmington-college/) Nearby alternativeOhio Dominican UniversityNearby option · OH+ Comparison with Wright State University-Main Campus | Measure | Wright State University-Main Campus | Ohio Dominican University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,601 | $61,640\-$961 vs Wright State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $15,415 | $20,079+$4,664 vs Wright State University-Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 96.3% | 94.2% | Higher-earnings alternativeOregon Institute of Technology$87,138 earnings+ Comparison with Wright State University-Main Campus | Measure | Wright State University-Main Campus | Oregon Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,601 | $87,138+$24,537 vs Wright State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $15,415 | $15,706+$291 vs Wright State University-Main Campus · higher cost | | Admission rate | 96.3% | 95.0% | [Explore Oregon Institute of Technology →](/school/oregon-institute-of-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeIndiana University-East$8,134 average net price+ Comparison with Wright State University-Main Campus | Measure | Wright State University-Main Campus | Indiana University-East | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,601 | $58,030\-$4,571 vs Wright State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $15,415 | $8,134\-$7,281 vs Wright State University-Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 96.3% | 67.2% | [Explore Indiana University-East →](/school/indiana-university-east/) Similar profileUniversity of Missouri-Kansas CityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Wright State University-Main Campus | Measure | Wright State University-Main Campus | University of Missouri-Kansas City | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $62,601 | $65,925+$3,324 vs Wright State University-Main Campus | | Average annual net price | $15,415 | $13,310\-$2,105 vs Wright State University-Main Campus · lower cost | | Admission rate | 96.3% | 72.2% | [Explore University of Missouri-Kansas City →](/school/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/) 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/wright-state-university-main-campus/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/)