University Rankings Table
# School 1st Yr Salary 4th Yr Salary Growth % Net Cost ECR Yr Debt Pmt DTI % Fed Loan % Any Loan % Retention % Grad Rate % Pell % SAT ACT Admit %

Methodology

We built a data-driven college ranking system that answers one question: Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students relative to what they cost? No reputation surveys, no subjective opinions — just federal data from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. The IVI (Irnerius Value Index).

Rankings and comparisons are based on the following 11 scored metrics:
1st Year Salary higher = better

Median earnings one year after completion among Title IV financial aid recipients (students who received federal grants or loans). This is not all graduates — it captures the federally tracked population, though is representative of the school population.

4th Year Salary higher = better

Median earnings four years after completion, same Title IV recipient population. Provides a longer-horizon earnings picture.

Salary Growth % higher = better

Percentage increase from 1st year to 4th year median salary. Measures earnings trajectory and career momentum beyond the starting point.

Net Cost lower = better

Average annual net price after all grant and scholarship aid is applied. Represents what families actually pay out of pocket. For public/state schools, this is the in state cost for students.

Earnings-to-Cost Ratio (ECR) higher = better

1st year median salary divided by net cost. A pure return-on-investment measure — how many dollars of early-career earnings each dollar of cost produces.

Debt-to-Income % (DTI) lower = better

Annual federal student loan payments (monthly payment × 12) as a percentage of 1st year median salary. Based solely on federal loan debt, not private borrowing. Measures how burdensome federal debt service is relative to early earnings.

Federal Loan Rate lower = better

Percentage of students who took out federal student loans. A lower rate suggests the school is more affordable or that students rely less on federal borrowing to attend.

Any Loan Rate lower = better

Percentage of students who borrowed from any source — federal, private, or institutional. The gap between this and the Federal Loan Rate serves as a proxy for how much students turn to non-federal (often higher-interest) borrowing.

Retention Rate higher = better

Percentage of full-time students who return for their second year. A foundational measure of student satisfaction and institutional support.

Graduation Rate higher = better

Percentage of first-time, full-time students who complete their degree within six years (150% of normal time). The standard federal benchmark for on-time completion.

Pell Grant Rate higher = better

Percentage of the most recent incoming class receiving federal Pell Grants, which are awarded to students with the highest demonstrated financial need. A measure of the school's commitment to economic accessibility and socioeconomic diversity.

Notes
Peer groups reset every time. Adjusting the parameters changes the comparison set and with it, every score, rank, and composite score.
Online-only schools are excluded. The rankings focus on institutions with physical campuses.
Missing data is shown as "—" and that metric is not scored for that school. This is common for open-admissions institutions that don't require SAT/ACT scores.
Small pools (fewer than 3 schools) are unreliable, we use a meaningful peer group to be statistically valid.
National rankings compress the middle. With hundreds of schools in the pool, most cluster near average so standout performance matters more at scale.

All underlying data comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. No institutional self-reporting, no surveys, no ad revenue influence.

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