Methodology
Understanding our data sources, calculations, and limitations. All information is derived from trusted U.S. government databases.
Data Sources
All data comes from publicly available U.S. government sources
U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
Institution and field-of-study outcomes including earnings, debt, and completion rates.
Visit Source →HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
County and ZIP code-level rental cost estimates for housing calculations.
Visit Source →BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP)
Regional cost-of-living adjustments for post-graduation earnings.
Visit Source →EIA Residential Electricity Prices
State-level electricity rates for utility cost estimates.
Visit Source →Current Data Versions
Dataset versions currently in use
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KPI Definitions
True Yearly Cost
Total annual cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, utilities, food, transportation, books, and miscellaneous expenses. This represents the actual out-of-pocket cost per year.
Expected Debt at Graduation
Projected total federal student loan debt at graduation, calculated as: (Yearly Cost - Aid - Cash Contribution) × Program Years, with interest accrued during school.
Earnings Projections
Median earnings for graduates of the selected program at 1, 3, and 5 years post-graduation, sourced from College Scorecard. May be adjusted for regional cost-of-living differences.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Ratio of lifetime earnings increase to total educational investment. Calculated as: (Cumulative Earnings - Baseline Earnings) / (Total Cost + Opportunity Cost).
Payback Period
Estimated number of years to fully repay student loan debt based on a standard 10-year repayment plan with the specified APR.
Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI)
Ratio of total student debt to first-year gross income. A DTI below 30% is generally considered manageable; above 50% may indicate financial stress.
Graduation Rate
Percentage of students who complete their degree within 150% of normal time (e.g., 6 years for a 4-year program). Sourced from institution-level College Scorecard data.
Comfort Index
Proprietary score (0-100) estimating financial comfort post-graduation, considering debt burden, earnings potential, and living costs. Higher scores indicate greater financial security.
Key Assumptions
Program Duration
Bachelor's degree: 4 years; Associate's: 2 years; Certificate: 1 year; Master's: 2 years; Doctorate: 5 years.
Default Budgets
When not specified: Food ($400/month), Utilities ($150/month), Transportation ($100/month), Books ($1,200/year), Miscellaneous ($200/month).
Loan Terms
Default federal student loan APR: 5.29%. Standard 10-year repayment plan. Interest accrues during school.
Tax Rate
Default effective tax rate: 15%. This is applied to post-graduation income for net earnings calculations.
Known Limitations
Privacy Suppression
College Scorecard suppresses earnings and debt data for small programs (typically <30 students). Institution-level aggregates may be used as fallbacks.
Earnings Coverage
Earnings data only captures students who filed FAFSA and are matched to IRS tax records. Does not include students who immediately pursued graduate school or informal employment.
Debt Reporting
Only federal student loans are included. Private loans, parent PLUS loans, and family contributions are not captured in the data.
Housing Costs
HUD Fair Market Rents are estimates based on survey data, not actual rents. Rural areas may have limited ZIP-level coverage.
Regional Granularity
Regional price parities are available at state and metro area levels only. Earnings adjustments may not capture hyper-local cost differences.
Data Lag
College Scorecard data typically lags by 1-2 years. Recent program changes or tuition updates may not be reflected.
Disclaimer
This tool provides educational estimates based on historical data and statistical averages. Actual costs, earnings, and outcomes will vary based on individual circumstances, economic conditions, career choices, and many other factors. These projections should not be considered financial advice. Always conduct thorough research and consult with financial advisors before making educational investment decisions.