How We Calculate Our Metrics

The typical annual pay for someone entering this field with little to no experience (roughly the 10th–25th percentile of earners).

How it's calculated: Estimated from national wage data patterns for entry-level roles in the occupation. Actual starting pay varies widely by region, employer size, and local cost of living.

The midpoint annual salary — half of workers in this career earn more, half earn less. This is usually the most representative single number for 'typical' pay.

How it's calculated: Based on national median wage patterns for the occupation. It is not an average (means get skewed by very high earners), which is why the median is used.

What the highest-paid people in this field make (roughly the top 10% of earners), often reflecting senior roles, high-demand specializations, or major metro markets.

How it's calculated: Estimated from the upper percentile of the wage distribution. Reaching this level typically requires years of experience, leadership, or niche expertise.

The projected change in the total number of jobs in this field over about the next ten years. A positive number means the field is expanding; negative means it is shrinking.

How it's calculated: Reflects long-term occupational outlook patterns (comparable to Bureau of Labor Statistics 10-year projections). Growth doesn't guarantee openings in your area, but it signals overall direction.

How realistically a qualified person can actually get hired in this field — the balance between how many paid positions open up and how many people are competing for them. Shown as a 0–100 score with a label from Very Available to Extremely Low.

How it's calculated: Weighted primarily by the volume of annual openings, then adjusted for competition, credential barriers, and geographic concentration. High-volume fields (100,000+ openings/yr) score high even when competitive; tiny, oversubscribed fields (acting, pro sports) score low. See the scale below.

The estimated number of job openings that become available each year — from both newly created positions and people leaving or retiring from existing ones.

How it's calculated: Estimated annual US openings for the occupation. This is often a better obtainability signal than total employment, because it captures turnover — a large stable field still hires heavily as people move on.

The approximate total number of people currently employed in this occupation across the country. A measure of how large and established the field is.

How it's calculated: Estimated total US employment for the occupation. Larger fields tend to have more openings, more geographic spread, and more entry paths.

A plain-language read on how hard employers are currently working to hire for this role — from Moderate up to Extreme. Distinct from availability: demand is about employer need, availability is about your odds of getting hired.

How it's calculated: A qualitative assessment combining growth, openings, and known labor shortages. High demand often (but not always) means better availability.

An estimate of how much this career's core tasks could be automated or reshaped by AI over the coming years — from Low to Extreme.

How it's calculated: A qualitative assessment of which tasks are automatable versus those requiring human judgment, physical presence, or interpersonal skill. High risk doesn't mean the job disappears — it usually means the role changes and adapts.

A 1-to-5 rating (shown as dots) of how manageable this career typically is alongside personal life — accounting for hours, scheduling flexibility, and how often work spills into off-hours. More dots is better.

How it's calculated: A qualitative rating based on typical hours, on-call expectations, seasonal intensity, and remote flexibility for the field. Individual roles and employers vary widely.

A 1-to-5 rating of how fulfilled people in this field tend to report feeling, reflecting factors like sense of purpose, autonomy, recognition, and day-to-day enjoyment. More dots is better.

How it's calculated: A qualitative rating drawn from general patterns in workplace satisfaction surveys and the nature of the work. Personal fit matters far more than any average.

A 1-to-5 rating of how demanding this career tends to be — deadlines, high-stakes decisions, physical demands, or emotional load. Here, more dots means more stress (the reverse of the other ratings).

How it's calculated: A qualitative rating based on typical pressure, consequences of errors, and physical or emotional demands in the field. Stress tolerance is personal — a high rating isn't necessarily a dealbreaker.

A 1-to-5 rating of how much room there is to advance — through promotions, specialization, raises, or leadership — over the course of a career in this field. More dots is better.

How it's calculated: A qualitative rating based on typical advancement ladders, salary progression, and opportunities to specialize or lead within the occupation.

An estimate of how much of this work can be done remotely — from fully on-site roles to fully remote-friendly ones. Often shown as a percentage or descriptive level.

How it's calculated: Based on how much of the core work requires physical presence (equipment, patients, hands-on tasks) versus tasks that can be done from anywhere. Remote availability is also shifting quickly across many fields.

The typical number of hours per week someone in this role works — useful for gauging whether a field leans toward standard, lighter, or longer-than-average schedules.

How it's calculated: An estimate of typical full-time hours for the occupation. Actual hours vary by employer, seniority, industry, and whether overtime or on-call duty is common.

The 0–100 availability score maps to these labels:

Rating	Score	What it means
Very Available	85–100	Abundant openings; employers often struggle to fill roles.
Available	70–84	Plenty of openings; a qualified applicant can realistically get hired.
Competitive	50–69	Solid opportunities but real competition for roles.
Low	30–49	Limited positions relative to interest; getting in takes persistence.
Very Low	15–29	Few paid roles against many hopefuls; highly selective.
Extremely Low	0–14	A tiny number of paid positions; only a small fraction ever break in.

The percentage of applicants who are offered admission. A lower rate means a more selective school. This is one of the clearest signals of how competitive admission is.

How it's calculated: Estimated admitted students divided by total applicants for a recent year. Selectivity varies by program within a school — some majors are far harder to enter than the overall rate suggests.

The percentage of students who complete their degree, typically measured within six years of starting. Higher rates often reflect stronger student support and resources.

How it's calculated: Estimated share of entering students who graduate within the standard tracking window. It reflects institutional support, affordability, and student preparedness combined.

The published annual cost of instruction, before financial aid. Public universities usually charge less for in-state residents; private schools generally charge one rate for everyone.

How it's calculated: Estimated published sticker price per year. Most students pay less than this after aid — see Average Financial Aid. Figures change annually, so always confirm with the school.

The estimated annual cost of on-campus housing and a meal plan — a major part of the true cost of attendance beyond tuition.

How it's calculated: Estimated typical annual housing plus meal-plan cost. Off-campus living, location, and lifestyle can shift this significantly.

The typical aid package a student receives — grants, scholarships, and need-based support. This is why the price most families actually pay (the "net price") is often well below the sticker tuition.

How it's calculated: Estimated average aid awarded per aided student. Your individual package depends on family finances, merit, and the school's resources.

The typical middle range of standardized test scores for admitted students (usually the 25th–75th percentile). A useful gauge of where your scores stand relative to admitted applicants.

How it's calculated: Estimated middle-50% score range of recently admitted students. Many schools are now test-optional, so these ranges describe those who submitted scores.

The typical high-school grade point average of admitted students — a signal of the academic level the school expects.

How it's calculated: Estimated average GPA of admitted students, usually on a 4.0 scale. Weighted vs. unweighted scales and grade inflation mean this is a rough guide, not a cutoff.

How many students there are per faculty member. A lower ratio (e.g. 10:1) suggests smaller classes and more access to professors than a higher one (e.g. 25:1).

How it's calculated: Estimated total students divided by total faculty. It's an average — actual class sizes vary between large intro lectures and small seminars.

The size of the student body. Larger schools often mean more program variety and activities; smaller schools often mean a tighter community and more individual attention.

How it's calculated: Estimated total enrollment, with undergraduates shown separately where relevant. Size shapes everything from class availability to campus culture.

The typical early-career salary of graduates from this school. A rough outcome signal — though it's heavily influenced by which majors a school is known for.

How it's calculated: Estimated median early-career earnings of graduates. Schools strong in high-paying fields (engineering, business) will skew higher regardless of teaching quality.

The total value of the school's invested financial assets. A larger endowment can translate into more financial aid, better facilities, and more resources per student.

How it's calculated: Estimated total endowment value. Bigger isn't always better for students — what matters is how much is spent per student, not the headline number.

Key dates (early and regular decision) and the cost to apply. Early deadlines often fall in November; regular deadlines commonly in January. Many schools waive fees for students with financial need.

How it's calculated: Estimated typical deadlines and application fee for the school. These change yearly — always confirm exact dates on the university's official admissions page.