Methodology

How we analyze pathways and outcomes

Every Pathways & Outcomes publication should feel recognizable: same evidence standards, same honesty about limits, same commitment to public data.

Organizing question

What pathways create opportunity?

We compare postsecondary pathways: four-year college, community and technical college, apprenticeship, certification, and workforce training, using public outcome data wherever possible.

What makes a report “Pathways & Outcomes”

Major reports include these elements when data allows. Data briefs may focus on one dimension but always cite sources and note limits.

Cost

Net price and total expense, not sticker price alone.

Debt

At graduation, by program or institution where available.

Earnings

Post-completion wages with time horizon stated explicitly.

Completion

Graduation, transfer, or credential attainment rates.

Mobility

Economic mobility signals where data supports them.

Methodology

Sources, cohort, time window, and calculations.

Limitations are never optional on flagship reports; we state what the data cannot prove.

What we claim (and what we don't)

We investigate questions; we do not prove popular narratives. Our publications share findings: data-backed understanding that may draw on theory, not immutable facts.

  • Say: “The evidence suggests…”, “The data indicate…”, “Our analysis found…”
  • Don't say: “We prove…”, “We disproved…”, or present opinion as fact
  • Always name cohort, geography, time horizon, and what the data cannot show

Full voice and positioning: our approach.

Evidence standards

Whenever possible, our work relies on government and public datasets, public records, academic research, and original analysis with published methodology.

  • Claims are supported by evidence; where evidence is limited, we say so
  • We do not rely on assumptions, ideology, anecdotes alone, or advocacy positions
  • Charts and rankings must accurately represent data and identify sources
  • We follow the data even when findings are uncomfortable; see our Code of Ethics

What we publish with every analysis

Data sources

Every dataset identified: version, coverage period, geography, and known limitations.

Analytical methods

Calculations, aggregations, and comparisons, including missing data and outlier handling.

Definitions & assumptions

Key terms defined (e.g., completion, net price, median earnings) with assumptions that affect interpretation.

Limitations

What the data cannot tell us and where uncertainty remains.

Reading Utah school profiles with your student

Our Utah school profiles combine federal cost and completion data with, for public colleges, state and Census records on graduate jobs and pay. A few terms recur:

  • Typical pay: median earnings for students who started at that school, measured about six years after entry (not for every major).
  • Net price: what families actually paid per year after grants and scholarships, by income band.
  • Finish on time: share of students who completed within 150% of normal time (for example, six years for a four-year degree).
  • Share employed in Utah: of graduates tracked in Utah payroll records, what percent had a job in-state about one year after finishing. This is not a job placement rate for every student.
  • Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO): Census study linking college records to jobs nationwide; complements Utah-only state data.

Profiles are school-wide averages. Always compare specific programs, visit campus, and talk with financial aid before deciding.

Primary data sources (Utah Year 1)

Corrections & updates

When we find factual errors, we correct them promptly and note significant corrections on the affected page. Report errors to corrections@pathwaysandoutcomes.org. Revised analysis uses the same URL with an updated date unless the release constitutes a new annual edition.

Charts follow locked palette and accessibility rules documented in our internal brand standards. For editorial scope and independence, see Editorial Policy.

We follow the data wherever it leads.