DegreeMath

Methodology

DegreeMath uses a transparent, data-driven methodology. This page explains exactly how we calculate ROI scores, select schools, and present data.

Data Source

Our primary data source is the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. This dataset includes information on costs, earnings, debt, and outcomes for thousands of post-secondary institutions in the United States.

We focus on approximately 2,000 institutions that primarily award bachelor's degrees and are currently operating.

ROI Score

Our ROI Score measures the financial return of attending a school by comparing projected mid-career earnings against the total cost of a typical four-year degree. Inputs used to build the score include:

  • Median Earnings at 10 Years: The median annual earnings of former students 10 years after they first enrolled, as reported by the College Scorecard. Projected over a multi-year window to reflect mid-career value.
  • Average Net Price: The average annual net price for students receiving federal financial aid. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Applied across a typical four-year degree program.

Degree Value Score

The Degree Value Score normalizes the underlying ROI across all schools in our database so institutions can be compared on the same scale. Higher scores indicate stronger financial return relative to cost; lower scores indicate weaker return.

Limitations

Our methodology has important limitations that users should understand:

  • Earnings data reflects all graduates, not specific majors. A school's median earnings may be heavily influenced by its most popular programs.
  • The data includes students who transferred, so outcomes may reflect experiences at multiple institutions.
  • Earnings data is reported at the median, which can be skewed by outliers in either direction.
  • Net price varies significantly by family income. Our ROI calculation uses the overall average, which may not reflect your specific situation.
  • Past earnings are not guarantees of future outcomes. Economic conditions, industry changes, and individual choices all affect results.

What We Exclude

  • Schools that do not primarily award bachelor's degrees
  • Schools that are not currently operating
  • Schools with suppressed or missing earnings data

Editorial Process

School profile, state, comparison, and ranking pages are generated programmatically from the federal data described above. Long-form guides and glossary entries are researched and drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by the DegreeMath editorial team for accuracy, qualifying language, and balanced risk presentation before publication. Specific data sources are cited inline on each page where the claim is made. See our Editorial Guidelines for the full content standards and review process.

Update Frequency

We update our dataset when the Department of Education releases new College Scorecard data, typically once per year. The current dataset reflects the most recently available data vintage.

Feedback

If you have questions about our methodology or suggestions for improvement, please reach out through our Contact page.