Frequently asked questions
Where do these cost and outcome figures come from?
From the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Colleges report to the Department, which publishes the data. Every figure on this site is labelled with the period it covers.
Why is the earnings figure for students who entered so long ago?
Because earnings have to be measured years after students leave, and the federal data links tax records for specific entry cohorts. The ten-year figure currently describes students who entered around 2009–10, measured in 2022 dollars. We show the cohort year next to the number rather than hiding it.
Why is net price different from tuition?
Tuition is the sticker price. Net price is what students actually paid after grant and scholarship aid, averaged across everyone who received it. Net price is usually far lower than tuition — and it is the more useful number.
Why is net price shown by family income?
Because aid is need-based, so the average net price differs a lot depending on family income. A single average would be misleading for almost everyone. We show the five income bands the Department publishes.
Many schools show “Not reported”. Is that a zero?
No. It means the Department does not have that value for that school — often because too few students were involved for a reliable figure. We never display a missing value as zero, because zero would be a claim the data does not support.
Is this financial or admissions advice?
No. This site reports published federal data. It does not give financial, tax, or admissions advice, and past outcomes of other students do not predict your own.