About GradeToGrad

All tuition, earnings, graduation rates, admissions data, and enrollment figures on GradeToGrad come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard — the federal government's official database of higher education outcomes. This is the most reliable, comprehensive source of college data available.

Our database includes 6,000+ accredited institutions across all 50 states and U.S. territories, updated regularly from the College Scorecard API.

When we write college guides and reviews, we follow a consistent methodology:

1. Start with federal data. Every fact about tuition, earnings, and outcomes comes from the College Scorecard database. We never invent or estimate statistics.
2. Verify with current sources. For city and state guides, we cross-reference federal data with school websites, state education agency reports, and recent news to ensure accuracy.
3. Include state-specific context. Financial aid programs, transfer agreements, and licensing requirements vary by state. We research and verify these for each guide.
4. Present alternatives honestly. We always compare options at different price points and highlight when a cheaper alternative (like community college) offers comparable outcomes.
5. Update regularly. Our data refreshes with each College Scorecard update, and editorial content is reviewed and updated throughout the year.

GradeToGrad is editorially independent. We are not paid by any college or university to feature or recommend them. Our rankings are based on publicly available federal data, not institutional relationships.

When we review for-profit institutions, we present the data honestly — including when community colleges offer similar programs at lower cost with better outcomes. We believe students deserve this transparency.

We believe in transparency about what our data can and cannot tell you:

• College Scorecard data has a 1-2 year lag — the most recent data reflects outcomes from prior years. Tuition may have changed since the last update.
• Earnings data reflects federal aid recipients — median earnings are based on students who received federal financial aid, which may not represent all graduates.
• Some fields are unavailable — smaller schools may not report certain data points, shown as "N/A" in our profiles.
• Individual outcomes vary — median earnings and graduation rates are averages. Your experience will depend on your major, effort, and circumstances.