Our methodology starts with the local university_rates MySQL database, which is built from College Scorecard and IPEDS-derived fields. The goal is to compare university acceptance rate, tuition, net price and student outcomes with clear labels and no invented values.
Because federal education data is reported at different times and with different suppression rules, not every school has every metric. That is why acceptance rate may be available for fewer schools than tuition or net price. Missing values are explained in context instead of being treated as rankings or quality judgments.
Data Fields We Use
- Admissions data appears only when the federal dataset contains a reported admissions value.
- Cost data appears only when the dataset contains tuition, attendance cost or net price values.
- Student outcome data appears only when completion, earnings, repayment or enrollment fields are available.
- Rankings, deadlines, phone numbers and FAFSA codes are not invented.
Update Schedule and Verification
Data is sourced from the College Scorecard annual release, typically published in October each year. The current dataset reflects the 2026 local import available on Acceptance Rates. Readers should always verify current tuition, admissions, aid and program details directly with the institution before applying or enrolling.
How Missing Data Is Handled
If a value is missing, the public page explains that the value is not reported in the relevant federal field. Broad-access or open-enrollment institutions may not report a selective admissions rate, and some outcomes can be suppressed or unavailable. Open-enrollment and vocational institutions often do not publish selective admissions rates; this is expected and does not indicate a data error.
Data Coverage Summary
| Metric | Schools with data | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Total schools | 6,321 | All institutions in the local database. |
| Acceptance rate | 1,932 | Admissions selectivity where reported. |
| Tuition | 3,686 | Published tuition fields where available. |
| Net price | 5,064 | Average cost after grants and scholarships. |
| Earnings outcomes | 5,183 | Outcome data used for long-term value context. |
Definitions of the Four Pillars
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate is generally admitted applicants divided by total applicants. It is a selectivity signal, not a guarantee of admission or a ranking of school quality.
Tuition
Tuition is the published instructional charge reported by the school or federal dataset. It is different from the broader cost of attendance and does not include every aid adjustment.
Net Price
Net price estimates average cost after grants and scholarships. It is often more useful than sticker price when families compare affordability.
Student Outcomes
Student outcomes can include completion rates, 10-year median earnings, enrollment context and repayment-related fields. These values should be compared across similar school types and verified with official school sources.
For full definitions of every metric used on this site, see our Glossary.