Questions Worth Answering.
Data Worth Understanding.

Primary Metric

Official campus identity

Population

UC system campuses

Record Grain

campus and directory revision

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare program offerings and pathways
• Compare access, completion, and affordability
• Compare research strengths without treating citations as teaching quality

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Official campus directory order; not a ranking or undergraduate eligibility list. Verification covers names and destination URLs only.

Primary Metric

Transfer entrants and linked graduate outcomes

Population

CCC entrants transferring to UC

Record Grain

sending college, receiving campus and cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare UC transfers by sending college and major
• Separate transfer volume from graduation outcomes
• Compare prerequisite access and total pathway cost

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Rural institution and pathway coverage

Population

Defined rural communities

Record Grain

institution, geography vintage and year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare travel, housing, and broadband constraints
• Map programs to regional employment
• Show small-cohort suppression and geographic limits

Census Data, Census County Business Patterns

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Program offered flag

Population

UC campuses

Record Grain

campus x CIP x credential

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version, credential level, catalog year

Catalog listings may lag current admission restrictions.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Reported campus characteristics

Population

CSU campuses

Record Grain

campus x reporting year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, campus ID, reporting year

Characteristic definitions differ between IPEDS and CSU dashboards.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Impaction flag and published criteria

Population

CSU applicants by major

Record Grain

campus x major x admission term

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, major code, admission term

Criteria text changes by term and must be read from the official page.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

College-to-district membership

Population

California community colleges

Record Grain

college x district

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, district ID, geography vintage

Service areas are not formal attendance boundaries.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Counts by funnel stage

Population

UC applicants

Record Grain

campus x entry type x year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, entry type, application year

Applicants apply to multiple campuses; stages are not unique persons.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Retention rate

Population

First-time full-time entrants

Record Grain

campus x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, cohort year, cohort definition

Part-time and transfer entrants may be excluded from the cohort.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Share graduating by year band

Population

UC first-time entrants

Record Grain

campus x cohort x year band

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, cohort year, year band

Transfers out are counted differently across dashboards.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Award count

Population

CCC award recipients

Record Grain

college x TOP code x year

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, TOP code version, academic year

One student may earn several awards in a year.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Share by residency status

Population

UC undergraduates

Record Grain

campus x year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, fall term, residency definition

Residency categories were redefined in some years.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Applications divided by enrollees

Population

CSU first-time applicants

Record Grain

campus x year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, application year

Multi-campus applications inflate numerators.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Section share by modality

Population

CCC course sections

Record Grain

college x term x modality

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, term, modality code

Modality codes changed during 2020 to 2022 terms.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Pell recipient share

Population

Undergraduates at public campuses

Record Grain

campus x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, award year

Share is access context, not an outcome measure.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Difference in completion rate

Population

CSU entering cohorts by reported group

Record Grain

campus x group x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, group definition, cohort year

Small groups may be suppressed or unstable.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Ratio and definition

Population

Public campuses

Record Grain

campus x definition x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, definition ID, year

Ratios are not class-size or teaching-quality measures.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Dual enrollment headcount

Population

High school students in CCC courses

Record Grain

college x term

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, term, special admit flag

Headcount excludes credit later accepted elsewhere.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Beds per enrolled student

Population

Public campuses with housing

Record Grain

campus x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, year

Capacity reporting does not show waitlists or eligibility.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Minimum and maximum published rate

Population

CSU campuses

Record Grain

campus x plan x year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, housing plan, academic year

Published rates exclude availability and meal plan rules.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Definition change flag

Population

CCC accountability measures

Record Grain

metric x report year

Conceptual Join Keys

metric ID, report year

Definition changes break trend comparisons.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Graduate headcount

Population

UC graduate students

Record Grain

campus x field x year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, field taxonomy version, fall term

Field taxonomies differ from CIP codes.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Credential completions

Population

Credential program completers

Record Grain

campus x credential type x year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, credential type, year

Completion is not employment as a teacher.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Noncredit share of headcount

Population

CCC students

Record Grain

college x year

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, academic year

Noncredit headcount definitions vary by report.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Online program availability

Population

CSU degree programs

Record Grain

program x modality

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, program code, modality

Online status may require in-person components.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program area availability

Population

CCC regional consortia

Record Grain

region x TOP code

Conceptual Join Keys

region ID, TOP code version

Availability is not seat capacity.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Transit stops within radius

Population

Public campuses

Record Grain

campus x transit stop

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, stop ID, feed version, geography vintage

Feed presence does not show frequency or reliability.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Federal Transit Administration

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Published childcare capacity

Population

Public campuses

Record Grain

campus x center

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, center ID, year

Capacity is published inconsistently and may exclude waitlists.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Reported veteran headcount

Population

Military-connected students

Record Grain

campus x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, year, status definition

Status definitions differ across reports.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

ACS estimates with margins of error

Population

Residents of service areas

Record Grain

college x tract x ACS vintage

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, tract GEOID, ACS vintage

Tract aggregation assumes a service area definition.

Census Data, Census County Business Patterns

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Undergraduate enrollment by published age band

Population

Public-campus undergraduates

Record Grain

campus, age band and reporting fall

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, age band, reporting fall

Age bands do not identify students who stopped out or returned.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Age bands do not identify students who stopped out or returned.

Primary Metric

Reported part-time completion numerator and cohort denominator

Population

Part-time entering cohorts with published outcomes

Record Grain

institution, entering cohort and attendance status

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, cohort year, attendance status

Do not substitute full-time first-time graduation rates for part-time outcomes.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Do not substitute full-time first-time graduation rates for part-time outcomes.

Primary Metric

Student-services expense per consistently defined FTE

Population

Public institutions with comparable accounting records

Record Grain

institution, fiscal year and accounting basis

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, fiscal year, FTE definition

Accounting differences and shared system expenses can invalidate comparisons.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Accounting differences and shared system expenses can invalidate comparisons.

Primary Metric

Enrollment change alongside instructional FTE change

Population

Public campuses with compatible staffing releases

Record Grain

institution and matched reporting interval

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, staff category, period

Staffing ratios do not measure class availability or teaching quality.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Staffing ratios do not measure class availability or teaching quality.

Primary Metric

Documented advising, library and support service windows

Population

Public-campus commuter-facing services

Record Grain

campus, service, term and day type

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, service type, term

Published hours require current checks and do not establish actual utilization.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Published hours require current checks and do not establish actual utilization.

Primary Metric

Income-band net price and completion

Population

California private nonprofit entrants

Record Grain

institution and matched cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Separate published tuition from income-band net price
• Compare completion within matched entering cohorts
• Check institutional grants and renewal conditions

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Part-time cohort completion coverage

Population

Reported part-time entrants

Record Grain

institution, cohort and attendance definition

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Check evening and weekend course availability
• Compare aid rules at different enrollment levels
• Identify completion measures that actually include part-time entrants

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Published online program requirements

Population

Online degree candidates

Record Grain

institution, program and credential

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Verify state authorization and required in-person work
• Compare fees and residency rules
• Separate program evidence from institution-wide averages

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Designation and student-outcome coverage

Population

Reported Hispanic-serving institutions

Record Grain

institution, designation cycle and cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Verify designation year separately from student composition
• Compare completion within matched sectors
• Assess support evidence without treating designation as a quality score

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

HBCU program and opportunity coverage

Population

HBCU degree candidates

Record Grain

institution, program and award cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare degree fields and income-band affordability
• Assess completion and graduate-pathway evidence
• Distinguish research mission and scale from student fit

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Adult-learner support and cohort coverage

Population

Reported adult and returning entrants

Record Grain

institution, attendance group and cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Check prior-learning credit and transfer limits
• Compare childcare, scheduling, and stop-out reentry
• Use outcome measures covering nontraditional entrants

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Institution characteristics

Population

California private institutions

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, OPEID, year

Branch campuses may be rolled up.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program availability

Population

Private institutions

Record Grain

institution x CIP x credential

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version, credential

Completions data lag current offerings.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Published price minus average grant

Population

Aided first-time undergraduates

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, award year

Averages are not individual offers.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Completion rate distribution

Population

Private institution cohorts

Record Grain

institution x sector x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, sector code, cohort year

Cohort coverage differs by sector.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Status change events

Population

Private institutions

Record Grain

institution x event date

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, event date, status code

Closure dates and teach-out terms need official confirmation.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Work program availability

Population

Private institutions

Record Grain

institution x program type

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, program type

Program terms come from institutional pages.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Share of completions by field

Population

Specialized institutions

Record Grain

institution x CIP

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version, year

Field concentration is not program quality.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Exclusively online share

Population

Private institution students

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, fall term

Distance education definitions changed in reporting.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Net price by income band

Population

Aided first-time undergraduates

Record Grain

institution x income band x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, income band, award year

Net price excludes unaided and continuing students.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Transfer-in share

Population

Entering undergraduates

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, fall term

Intake is not transfer completion.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Endowment per FTE

Population

Private institutions

Record Grain

institution x fiscal year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, fiscal year

Endowment is context, not an aid promise.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Accreditation action events

Population

Private institutions

Record Grain

institution x accreditor x action date

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, accreditor ID, action date

Action labels require accreditor definitions.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Graduate-only flag and fields

Population

Graduate-only institutions

Record Grain

institution x field

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version

Professional schools may report under parent institutions.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Full-time instructional share

Population

Instructional staff

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, year

Staff categories do not indicate teaching load.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Published closure dates and named teach-out arrangements

Population

Institutions with official closure notices

Record Grain

institution, notice revision and program

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, notice date, program

A named destination is not proof that every credit or financial obligation transfers.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A named destination is not proof that every credit or financial obligation transfers.

Primary Metric

Available, suppressed and missing income-band cells

Population

Private institutions in an identified release

Record Grain

institution, income band and release

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, income band, release year

Missing cells cannot be treated as zero cost or affordability evidence.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Missing cells cannot be treated as zero cost or affordability evidence.

Primary Metric

Cohort count and year-to-year rate variation

Population

Private institutions with published cohort counts

Record Grain

institution, cohort and outcome window

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, entering cohort, outcome definition

Small-cohort variation does not establish institutional improvement or decline.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Small-cohort variation does not establish institutional improvement or decline.

Primary Metric

Aid-recipient count divided by matching eligible population

Population

Private undergraduate aid reporting populations

Record Grain

institution, aid type and academic year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, aid program, population definition

Recipient averages do not describe every student's expected award.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Recipient averages do not describe every student's expected award.

Primary Metric

Documented program status and effective term

Population

Officially announced private-college program changes

Record Grain

institution, program and notice revision

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, program identifier, effective term

Absence of a notice does not establish that admissions remain open.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Absence of a notice does not establish that admissions remain open.

Primary Metric

Published nursing approval and exam measures

Population

Reported nursing-program cohorts

Record Grain

program, examination and year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare board-reported exam results by program and year
• Check prerequisites, clinical placements, and approval
• Separate admission competition from licensing success

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Engineering program accreditation and offerings

Population

Engineering degree candidates

Record Grain

institution, program and accreditation cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare accreditation at the program level
• Map majors to occupations using a documented crosswalk
• Compare field-level outcomes and their missingness

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

CS field-level earnings and debt

Population

Covered computer-science completers

Record Grain

institution, CIP, credential and cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare curriculum access and major-entry restrictions
• Compare field-of-study earnings with cohort caveats
• Keep research impact, teaching evidence, and career outcomes separate

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Teacher-preparation credential requirements

Population

Prospective credential candidates

Record Grain

program, credential and jurisdiction

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Verify commission-approved programs and credential type
• Check clinical or student-teaching requirements
• Compare regional demand without guaranteeing placement

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Certificate completion and occupation links

Population

Community-college certificate completers

Record Grain

program, credential, occupation and cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Map TOP or CIP programs to SOC occupations
• Compare wages, annual openings, and training time
• Check licensure and stackable credit applicability

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Program availability and license link

Population

Allied health programs

Record Grain

institution x CIP x credential

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version, license type

License requirements vary by state board.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Annual pass rate

Population

First-time exam candidates

Record Grain

program x year

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, exam year, board

Small cohorts produce volatile rates.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Accreditation and license eligibility

Population

Social work programs

Record Grain

program x credential

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP, accreditor ID, license type

Eligibility rules are board-specific.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Published cost and bar pass rate

Population

Law school graduates

Record Grain

school x year

Conceptual Join Keys

school ID, year, jurisdiction

Disclosures are self-reported and not causal.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Program and prerequisite list

Population

Pharmacy programs

Record Grain

program x prerequisite

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP, catalog year

Prerequisites change by catalog year.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Certificate-to-occupation link

Population

Trades programs

Record Grain

program x occupation

Conceptual Join Keys

TOP or CIP, SOC version, apprenticeship program ID

Links are documented crosswalks, not placement.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program availability

Population

Cybersecurity programs

Record Grain

institution x CIP x credential

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version, credential

CIP coding of security programs is inconsistent.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Prerequisite requirement

Population

Data and statistics programs

Record Grain

program x prerequisite

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP, catalog year

Requirements come from catalog text.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program location and county farm context

Population

Agriculture programs

Record Grain

institution x CIP x county

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP, county FIPS, census year

Program presence is not regional employer demand.

USDA NASS, USDA ERS

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program-to-occupation link

Population

Energy technician programs

Record Grain

program x occupation

Conceptual Join Keys

CIP version, SOC version, crosswalk version

Crosswalk is many-to-many.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Route requirements

Population

Early childhood candidates

Record Grain

route x requirement

Conceptual Join Keys

credential type, issuing body, effective date

Permit levels and renewal rules change.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Approved program count

Population

Emergency medical training programs

Record Grain

program x county

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, county FIPS, approval date

Approval status must be read from the authority list.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program availability and length

Population

Hospitality programs

Record Grain

program x credential

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP, credential

Industry certifications are separate from credentials.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program-to-occupation link

Population

Logistics programs

Record Grain

program x occupation x region

Conceptual Join Keys

CIP, SOC, region, crosswalk version

Occupation links are not hiring evidence.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Annual completions

Population

Program completers

Record Grain

institution x CIP x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version, year

CIP revisions break series.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Required units

Population

Degree and certificate programs

Record Grain

program

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, program code, catalog year

Unit systems differ between quarter and semester.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Documented stacking link

Population

Stackable credentials

Record Grain

credential pair

Conceptual Join Keys

program code, parent program code, catalog year

Stacking claims need catalog verification.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Accreditation status

Population

Accredited programs

Record Grain

program x accreditor

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, program code, accreditor ID, status date

Status dates may lag accreditor decisions.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program-to-occupation link

Population

Manufacturing programs

Record Grain

program x occupation x region

Conceptual Join Keys

CIP, SOC, region, crosswalk version

Regional employer demand needs separate evidence.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program count by field

Population

Environmental programs

Record Grain

institution x CIP

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version

Field boundaries are fuzzy across CIP codes.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Pass counts and denominators by tester category

Population

Published licensing-exam cohorts

Record Grain

program, exam, cohort and attempt category

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, exam type, cohort

Attempt-based and person-based pass rates must remain separate.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Attempt-based and person-based pass rates must remain separate.

Primary Metric

Published placement responsibility and required clinical hours

Population

Programs with official clinical requirement documents

Record Grain

program, credential and catalog year

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, credential, catalog year

Published requirements do not prove placement availability or admission eligibility.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Published requirements do not prove placement availability or admission eligibility.

Primary Metric

Observed completion-time distribution and population definition

Population

Program completers with public outcome reporting

Record Grain

program, completion cohort and attendance basis

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, cohort, attendance basis

Advertised course length cannot replace observed completion time.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Advertised course length cannot replace observed completion time.

Primary Metric

Published exam, licensing, equipment and placement fees

Population

Credential pathways with itemized official fees

Record Grain

program, cost component and price year

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, component, effective year

Missing fees remain unknown and cannot be silently set to zero.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Missing fees remain unknown and cannot be silently set to zero.

Primary Metric

Documented prerequisite, residency and license eligibility conditions

Population

Programs preparing learners for regulated occupations

Record Grain

program, jurisdiction and rule revision

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, jurisdiction, rule effective date

Program completion is not proof that an individual qualifies for licensure.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Program completion is not proof that an individual qualifies for licensure.

Primary Metric

Reported income-band net price

Population

Defined federal-aid undergraduate population

Record Grain

institution, income band and reporting year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare net price for the same aid population
• Identify housing and insurance differences
• Keep grant aid separate from loans and work-study

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Published resident cost before aid

Population

Entering California-resident undergraduates

Record Grain

campus, cohort, housing and year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Normalize mandatory fees and academic periods
• Separate billed charges from living allowances
• Compare entering-cohort tuition guarantees

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Nonresident cost and qualified aid

Population

Nonresident undergraduate entrants

Record Grain

campus, eligibility population and year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Separate nonresident supplements from base tuition
• Check eligibility for institutional grants
• Compare four-year exposure without inventing future prices

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Published graduate tuition and living allowance

Population

Specified graduate program entrants

Record Grain

program, credential, residency and year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Separate funded offers from advertised stipends
• Compare duration, fees, and insurance obligations
• Distinguish professional and research degrees

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

California aid eligibility and renewal rules

Population

Defined eligible applicant groups

Record Grain

program, award year and eligibility clause

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Map program-specific eligibility and deadlines
• Separate entitlement, competitive, and institutional awards
• Keep eligibility screening distinct from an award determination

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Federal aid program conditions

Population

Defined federal-aid applicants

Record Grain

program, award year and enrollment level

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare grant, loan, and work-study structures
• Trace each rule to the applicable award year
• Identify repayment and completion obligations

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Published merit criteria and renewal

Population

Applicants covered by institutional award rules

Record Grain

award, entry cohort and renewal year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare renewable versus first-year amounts
• Check stacking, deadlines, and GPA conditions
• Show published criteria without promising selection

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Institutional need-grant definitions

Population

Specified institutional grant populations

Record Grain

institution, need definition and award cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Separate need-met claims from income-band net price
• Compare loans within advertised aid packages
• Check treatment of housing and nonresident costs

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Transfer scholarship terms and deadlines

Population

Transfer applicants under stated award rules

Record Grain

award, sending status and cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Check sending-college and major restrictions
• Compare renewal and enrollment rules
• Separate guaranteed eligibility from competitive selection

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Promise-program coverage and conditions

Population

Defined local promise-program entrants

Record Grain

program, residency and award cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Identify fees, books, housing, and transport exclusions
• Compare continuing eligibility and unit requirements
• Check overlap with state and federal grants

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

First-generation opportunity definitions

Population

Applicants under each publisher definition

Record Grain

opportunity, definition and cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare program-specific first-generation definitions
• Check citizenship, geography, and major restrictions
• Track selection uncertainty and renewal obligations

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Returning-adult scholarship eligibility

Population

Applicants under stated age and enrollment rules

Record Grain

award, eligibility group and cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Check age, gap, and enrollment definitions
• Compare part-time eligibility and dependent-care support
• Separate current opportunities from expired listings

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Graduate funding duration and components

Population

Applicants covered by published fellowship terms

Record Grain

program, funding package and award year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare stipend, fees, benefits, and duration
• Check service and citizenship obligations
• Track internal nomination deadlines separately

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Official deadline and time-zone status

Population

Published scholarship opportunities

Record Grain

opportunity and application cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Distinguish priority, final, and nomination deadlines
• Record time zone and award cycle
• Flag source changes before a deadline expires

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Component amount and inclusion

Population

Institutions reporting cost of attendance

Record Grain

institution x component x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, component, award year

Component definitions differ between institutions.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Net price by band

Population

Aided first-time undergraduates

Record Grain

institution x income band x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, income band, award year

Covered population excludes unaided students.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Allowance minus median gross rent

Population

Off-campus students

Record Grain

institution x county x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, county FIPS, ACS vintage, award year

Median rent is not student rent paid.

HUD User, Census ACS

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Net price and completion rate

Population

Institution cohorts

Record Grain

institution x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, cohort year, award year

Populations differ between the two measures.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Grant share of aid

Population

Aided undergraduates

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, award year

Aid averages hide package variation.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Median cumulative debt

Population

Federal borrowers who completed

Record Grain

institution x credential

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, credential level, cohort

Non-borrowers are excluded by design.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Repayment rate

Population

Borrowers entering repayment

Record Grain

institution x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, repayment cohort

Repayment definitions changed across releases.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Work-study recipients and amounts

Population

Work-study recipients

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, award year

Availability is not an individual award.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program type and definition

Population

State aid programs

Record Grain

program x award year

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, award year

No personalized eligibility determination.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Rule change events

Population

Aid programs

Record Grain

program x effective date

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, effective date

Changes must be read from official notices.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Guarantee duration and scope

Population

Entering cohorts

Record Grain

institution x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, cohort year

Guarantees often exclude fees.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Offer component amounts

Population

Funded graduate offers

Record Grain

program x offer component

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, program code, offer year

Published terms may differ from individual letters.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Payment and disbursement dates

Population

Graduate programs

Record Grain

program x term x date

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, term, date

Dates come from campus billing calendars.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Plan fee and waiver rule

Population

Enrolled students

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, academic year

Waiver criteria are policy text.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Zero-cost section share

Population

Course sections

Record Grain

college x term

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, term

Flagging practices vary by college.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program availability and terms

Population

Institutions

Record Grain

institution x program

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, program ID

Availability does not show funding levels.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Displacement policy type

Population

Institutions

Record Grain

institution x policy

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, policy effective year

Policies are text and may have exceptions.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Service availability

Population

Campuses

Record Grain

institution x service

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, service type

Listing is not capacity or usage.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Allowance versus commute indicator

Population

Commuter students

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, county FIPS, year

Commute indicators are regional, not student-specific.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Federal Transit Administration

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Participation and contribution terms

Population

Participating institutions

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, program year

Participation is not individual eligibility.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Deadline and step dates

Population

Aid applicants

Record Grain

program x date

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, award year, date

Deadlines shift by year and residency.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Published renewal GPA, units, duration and deadlines

Population

Official renewable institutional scholarships

Record Grain

award, entering cohort and rule revision

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, award ID, cohort

A renewal condition is not a prediction that an individual will retain funding.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A renewal condition is not a prediction that an individual will retain funding.

Primary Metric

Published summer tuition, fees and budget period coverage

Population

Programs with official summer cost schedules

Record Grain

program, summer session and residency

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, session, residency, cost basis

Do not add summer charges twice when a program budget already includes them.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Do not add summer charges twice when a program budget already includes them.

Primary Metric

Documented disbursement and refund processing windows

Population

Official institutional aid calendars

Record Grain

institution, term, aid category and calendar revision

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, term, aid category

Published timing is conditional and does not guarantee an individual's deposit date.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Published timing is conditional and does not guarantee an individual's deposit date.

Primary Metric

Published eligibility documentation and adjustment process

Population

Institutions with official cost-of-attendance adjustment guidance

Record Grain

institution, expense category and policy year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, policy year, expense category

An allowed budget adjustment is not a grant or guaranteed additional aid.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. An allowed budget adjustment is not a grant or guaranteed additional aid.

Primary Metric

Published loan-fee allowance and stated borrower assumptions

Population

Official undergraduate cost-of-attendance budgets

Record Grain

institution, residency, housing and budget year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, budget year, population

An allowance is not a charge paid by every student or an actual loan offer.

Federal Student Aid, California Student Aid Commission

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. An allowance is not a charge paid by every student or an actual loan offer.

Primary Metric

Defined cohort completion rate

Population

First-time and transfer cohorts kept separate

Record Grain

institution, entering cohort and horizon

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Distinguish first-time and transfer cohorts
• Show Pell and first-generation gaps where reported
• Compare time to degree and cohort coverage

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Course-to-major agreement conditions

Population

Specified sending and receiving programs

Record Grain

agreement year, major and course group

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Interpret the exact ASSIST agreement year and major
• Check course sequences and unavailable prerequisites
• Separate admission from credit applicability

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Requirement type and course list

Population

Transfer pathways

Record Grain

receiving program x requirement type

Conceptual Join Keys

receiving ID, major, agreement year, requirement type

Requirement categories must be read from official text.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Added, removed, and changed courses

Population

Articulation agreements

Record Grain

sending x receiving x major x year pair

Conceptual Join Keys

sending ID, receiving ID, major, agreement year

Never infer an agreement across years.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Unarticulated requirement count

Population

Transfer pathways

Record Grain

sending x receiving x course

Conceptual Join Keys

sending ID, receiving ID, course ID, agreement year

Absence of articulation is not denial of credit.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Alternative articulated course count

Population

Articulated courses

Record Grain

requirement x alternative college

Conceptual Join Keys

receiving course ID, sending ID, agreement year

Section availability is not in articulation data.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Tool features and source basis

Population

Transfer planning tools

Record Grain

tool x feature

Conceptual Join Keys

tool ID, version date

Feature claims are unverified.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Published rule and verification status

Population

ADT pathways

Record Grain

ADT x campus x major

Conceptual Join Keys

ADT ID, campus ID, major, rule year

Never assume a guarantee to a particular campus or major.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Counts by stage

Population

UC transfer applicants

Record Grain

sending x campus x major x year

Conceptual Join Keys

sending ID, campus ID, major, year

Stages are not graduates.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Transfer cohort graduation rate

Population

Transfer entrants

Record Grain

campus x transfer cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, cohort year, horizon

Not linked to sending college.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Unit caps and residency units

Population

Receiving institutions

Record Grain

institution x policy year

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, catalog year

Policy text requires interpretation.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Area coverage

Population

Community colleges

Record Grain

college x GE area

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, pattern version, area

Pattern versions change by year.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program availability

Population

Institution pairs

Record Grain

sending x receiving

Conceptual Join Keys

sending ID, receiving ID

Availability is not award counts.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Agreement availability

Population

Private receiving institutions

Record Grain

sending x private institution

Conceptual Join Keys

sending ID, UNITID, agreement year

Agreements may be partial or expired.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Program terms and dates

Population

Guarantee programs

Record Grain

campus x program year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, program year

Terms must be verified; no guarantee is assumed.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Option availability and rules

Population

Institution pairs

Record Grain

institution pair x rule

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, partner ID, rule year

Rules are policy text.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Units at entry

Population

Transfer entrants

Record Grain

campus x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, cohort year

Unit systems must be normalized.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Entrant count by origin state

Population

Transfer entrants

Record Grain

campus x state x year

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, state, year

Small counts may be suppressed.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Policy type

Population

Receiving institutions

Record Grain

institution x policy

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, policy year

Credit evaluation is case by case.

ASSIST, CSU Transfer

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Completions by field

Population

Transfer completers

Record Grain

campus x CIP x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, CIP version, cohort

Field at entry may differ from field at completion.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Linked transfer-entrant counts and later degree counts

Population

Transfer cohorts with published linked outcomes

Record Grain

sending college, receiving campus, entry cohort and outcome window

Conceptual Join Keys

sending college ID, receiving campus ID, entry cohort

Do not label a college the largest producer of UC graduates without linked graduation counts.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Do not label a college the largest producer of UC graduates without linked graduation counts.

Primary Metric

Published major-transition counts and cohort totals

Population

Transfer entrants with linked program outcomes

Record Grain

entry major, final major, campus and cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

campus ID, student cohort aggregate, program crosswalk

Aggregate transitions cannot establish why a student changed majors.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Aggregate transitions cannot establish why a student changed majors.

Primary Metric

Documented old-to-new course mappings and effective terms

Population

Official community-college articulation agreements

Record Grain

sending course, receiving requirement and agreement year

Conceptual Join Keys

college ID, course ID, effective term, agreement ID

A matching course title does not prove course equivalence across years.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A matching course title does not prove course equivalence across years.

Primary Metric

Published sequence, conjunction and completion conditions

Population

Official major-preparation articulation agreements

Record Grain

agreement, requirement group and academic year

Conceptual Join Keys

agreement ID, requirement group, agreement year

Do not turn an AND sequence into independent OR alternatives.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Do not turn an AND sequence into independent OR alternatives.

Primary Metric

Elapsed time between cohort entry, outcome window and release

Population

Official transfer outcome releases

Record Grain

system, cohort, outcome horizon and release

Conceptual Join Keys

system ID, cohort, horizon, release date

A newer publication date does not make its underlying cohort more recent.

UC Information Center, CSU Data, CCC DataMart

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A newer publication date does not make its underlying cohort more recent.

Primary Metric

R&D expenditure

Population

HERD respondents

Record Grain

institution x field x fiscal year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, field code, fiscal year

Spending is not impact or teaching quality.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Share by funding source

Population

HERD respondents

Record Grain

institution x source x year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, funding source, fiscal year

Source categories changed in some survey years.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Doctorate count by origin

Population

Doctorate recipients

Record Grain

origin institution x field x year

Conceptual Join Keys

origin institution ID, field, doctorate year

No denominator of eligible graduates by field.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Median years to degree

Population

Doctorate recipients

Record Grain

field x year

Conceptual Join Keys

field, doctorate year

Time definitions differ between surveys.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Postdoc headcount

Population

Postdoctoral appointees

Record Grain

institution x field x year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, field, survey year

Headcount is not career outcome.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Work count

Population

Attributed scholarly works

Record Grain

work x institution x field x year

Conceptual Join Keys

work ID, institution ID, field, publication year

Affiliation matching and access are unverified.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Normalized citation indicator

Population

Attributed works

Record Grain

institution x field x year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, field, publication year, observation date

Citations are not teaching quality.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Open access share

Population

Attributed works

Record Grain

institution x year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, publication year

Open access status classification varies.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Co-authored work count

Population

Co-authored works

Record Grain

work x organization pair

Conceptual Join Keys

work ID, institution ID, organization ID

Organization typing is unverified.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Obligated award amounts

Population

Federal research awards

Record Grain

institution x agency x fiscal year

Conceptual Join Keys

recipient UEI, agency code, fiscal year

Obligations are not expenditures.

SEC EDGAR, USAspending, California State Controller

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

R&D expenditure by metro

Population

HERD respondents

Record Grain

metro x field x year

Conceptual Join Keys

institution ID, CBSA code, geography vintage, fiscal year

Multi-campus systems blur geography.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Employment by occupation

Population

Health research occupations

Record Grain

region x SOC x year

Conceptual Join Keys

region, SOC version, year

Occupation codes mix research and clinical roles.

HRSA Data, CDC Data

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Station location and programs

Population

Research stations

Record Grain

station x program

Conceptual Join Keys

station ID, program ID, county FIPS

Program lists are descriptive.

USDA NASS, USDA ERS

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Obligated amounts

Population

Energy research awards

Record Grain

institution x program x fiscal year

Conceptual Join Keys

recipient UEI, program code, fiscal year

Program codes change across years.

SEC EDGAR, USAspending, California State Controller

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Measure definition and license

Population

Published mobility measures

Record Grain

measure x publisher

Conceptual Join Keys

measure ID, publisher, edition

Proprietary rankings cannot be republished.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Pell share and completion rate

Population

Institution cohorts

Record Grain

institution x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, cohort year

Not a mobility index.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Median earnings by field

Population

Title IV completers

Record Grain

institution x CIP x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, CIP version, cohort

Covered population excludes unaided completers.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Reporting coverage flag

Population

Institutions

Record Grain

institution x measure

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, measure ID, year

Definitions of first-generation vary.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Continuation rate

Population

Bachelor completers

Record Grain

institution x cohort

Conceptual Join Keys

UNITID, cohort year

Reporting is voluntary and partial.

NCES IPEDS, College Scorecard

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

License type and reuse status

Population

Research data sources

Record Grain

source x version

Conceptual Join Keys

source ID, version, terms date

Terms must be read at retrieval time.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Publication counts under documented affiliation mappings

Population

Public research metadata with resolvable institutional affiliations

Record Grain

work, affiliation mapping and snapshot

Conceptual Join Keys

work ID, organization ID, mapping revision

Institutional-name matching can duplicate or misattribute affiliated research.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Institutional-name matching can duplicate or misattribute affiliated research.

Primary Metric

Citations within fixed windows by field and publication year

Population

Works in an explicitly defined metadata snapshot

Record Grain

work, field, publication year and citation cutoff

Conceptual Join Keys

work ID, field taxonomy, cutoff date

Longer exposure produces more citations and is not a fair quality advantage.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Longer exposure produces more citations and is not a fair quality advantage.

Primary Metric

Presence and resolution status of data and code identifiers

Population

Research outputs with public metadata

Record Grain

work, linked artifact and check date

Conceptual Join Keys

work ID, artifact identifier, relation type

A working link does not establish reproducibility, license permission or artifact correctness.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A working link does not establish reproducibility, license permission or artifact correctness.

Primary Metric

Award amounts by validated recipient identifier

Population

Public grant awards with recipient metadata

Record Grain

award, recipient entity and fiscal period

Conceptual Join Keys

award ID, recipient ID, transaction revision

Parent organizations and subawards must not be added as separate copies of the same funding.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Parent organizations and subawards must not be added as separate copies of the same funding.

Primary Metric

Documented notice type, linked work and notice date

Population

Works with authoritative linked editorial notices

Record Grain

work, notice and metadata snapshot

Conceptual Join Keys

work ID, notice ID, relation type

A correction is not equivalent to a retraction or evidence of misconduct.

NSF NCSES, OpenAlex

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A correction is not equivalent to a retraction or evidence of misconduct.

Primary Metric

Industry employment and projected change

Population

Reported industry employment populations

Record Grain

industry, region and projection vintage

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare employment across consistent industry definitions
• Separate cyclical change from structural trends
• Check revisions and pandemic-era breaks

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Occupational wage percentiles

Population

Covered regional occupations

Record Grain

SOC version, region and survey year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare matched SOC occupation and wage percentiles
• Separate nominal wages from purchasing-power assumptions
• Show employment counts and suppressed estimates

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Education-to-occupation crosswalk coverage

Population

Programs and occupations in official crosswalks

Record Grain

CIP version, SOC version and region

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Use many-to-many CIP-to-SOC mappings
• Separate minimum entry education from a hiring guarantee
• Compare local and national outlooks

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Shared skills, wage change, training time

Population

Occupation pairs

Record Grain

origin SOC x destination SOC x region

Conceptual Join Keys

origin SOC, destination SOC, region, O*NET version

No individual hiring probability.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Location quotient

Population

Occupational employment

Record Grain

region x SOC x year

Conceptual Join Keys

region, SOC version, year

Suppressed estimates leave gaps.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

10th to 90th percentile wage

Population

Occupational employment

Record Grain

SOC x region

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, region, year

Percentiles exclude self-employed workers.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Annual openings and projected change

Population

Projected occupations

Record Grain

SOC x projection period

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, projection period, geography

Projections are not job security.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

License requirement elements

Population

Licensed occupations

Record Grain

occupation x state

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC, state, board ID, effective date

Board pages must be read individually.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Active program count

Population

Registered apprenticeship programs

Record Grain

program x occupation x county

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, occupation code, county FIPS

Active status is not openings.

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Apprenticeship.gov

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Designation and score

Population

Designated areas

Record Grain

area x discipline x date

Conceptual Join Keys

area ID, discipline, designation date

Designation is administrative, not vacancy count.

HRSA Data, CDC Data

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Nursing employment

Population

Nursing occupations

Record Grain

region x year

Conceptual Join Keys

region, SOC version, year

Employment counts jobs, not licensed persons.

HRSA Data, CDC Data

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Employment and median wage

Population

Technology occupations

Record Grain

SOC x metro

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, CBSA code, year

Remote work blurs metro attribution.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Quarterly employment

Population

Manufacturing establishments

Record Grain

county x NAICS x quarter

Conceptual Join Keys

county FIPS, NAICS version, quarter

Suppressed cells for small counties.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Industry-occupation employment and projection

Population

Energy industry occupations

Record Grain

SOC x NAICS x period

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, NAICS version, projection period

Industry boundaries for energy are contested.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Employment change

Population

Transportation establishments

Record Grain

county x NAICS x year

Conceptual Join Keys

county FIPS, NAICS version, year

Establishment relocations create jumps.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Monthly employment

Population

Agricultural establishments

Record Grain

county x month

Conceptual Join Keys

county FIPS, NAICS version, month

Contract labor coverage is partial.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Employment by ownership

Population

Government employment

Record Grain

government level x region x year

Conceptual Join Keys

ownership code, region, year

Education employment may be classified as government.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Nonprofit employment share

Population

Covered establishments

Record Grain

county x year

Conceptual Join Keys

county FIPS, year, ownership code

Nonprofit identification depends on research datasets.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Employment change

Population

Retail establishments

Record Grain

NAICS x year

Conceptual Join Keys

NAICS version, year, region

NAICS revisions move e-commerce.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Median wage

Population

Hospitality occupations

Record Grain

SOC x metro

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, CBSA code, year

Tips reporting varies.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Notices and affected employees

Population

Employers covered by notice law

Record Grain

employer x notice date

Conceptual Join Keys

employer name, county FIPS, notice date

Notices are not actual separations.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Openings and completers

Population

Teaching occupations

Record Grain

region x credential x year

Conceptual Join Keys

region, SOC, credential type, year

Completers may not enter teaching.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Skill coverage

Population

Occupations

Record Grain

SOC x skill

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, O*NET version, skill ID

Skill ratings are survey-based.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Question inspired by a public discussion theme. It is not a verified answer or measured demand.

Primary Metric

Work context indicator

Population

Occupations

Record Grain

SOC

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, O*NET version

Not actual remote work rates.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Openings and median wage

Population

Construction trades

Record Grain

SOC x region

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC version, region, projection period

Union and apprenticeship wages differ from averages.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Proposed analysis at the declared grain. Conceptual join keys require exact source-schema mapping, period alignment and fanout validation.

Primary Metric

Published experience-specific wage estimates or explicit absence

Population

Occupations in official wage releases

Record Grain

occupation, geography, experience definition and release

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC code, geography, release

A tenth-percentile wage is not automatically an entry-level wage.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A tenth-percentile wage is not automatically an entry-level wage.

Primary Metric

Revised projected employment and annual openings

Population

Occupations with comparable projection releases

Record Grain

occupation, region, projection base and horizon

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC code, region, projection vintage

Revision differences are not realized employment gains or losses.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Revision differences are not realized employment gains or losses.

Primary Metric

Mapping cardinality and coverage by program and occupation

Population

Official program-to-occupation crosswalk entries

Record Grain

CIP code, SOC code and crosswalk revision

Conceptual Join Keys

CIP code, SOC code, crosswalk version

A crosswalk describes related training, not observed graduate job placement.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A crosswalk describes related training, not observed graduate job placement.

Primary Metric

Published precision measures and suppression flags

Population

Occupation-area wage estimates

Record Grain

occupation, area and survey release

Conceptual Join Keys

SOC code, area code, release

Do not rank suppressed estimates or infer a precise difference without uncertainty evidence.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. Do not rank suppressed estimates or infer a precise difference without uncertainty evidence.

Primary Metric

Published starting wage, progression steps and instruction hours

Population

Registered programs with official public standards

Record Grain

program, occupation, jurisdiction and standard revision

Conceptual Join Keys

program ID, occupation, standard revision

A listed standard is not a current vacancy or an employment offer.

BLS, California EDD Labor Market Information, O*NET

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Qualify the exact source table and field definitions at the declared grain. Validate the named keys and denominator before any comparison. A listed standard is not a current vacancy or an employment offer.

Primary Metric

Establishment counts by industry

Population

Reported county business establishments

Record Grain

county, NAICS version and year

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Use comparable NAICS vintages and geographies
• Compare counts and rates rather than volume alone
• Preserve suppressed establishments

Census Data, Census County Business Patterns

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Public company filing coverage

Population

SEC-reporting issuers

Record Grain

CIK, filing type and reporting period

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Resolve issuer identities and amendments
• Link each fact to an exact filing period
• Separate audited statements from management commentary

SEC EDGAR, USAspending, California State Controller

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Comparable reported revenue

Population

Issuers using compatible accounting concepts

Record Grain

issuer, concept, unit and fiscal period

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Normalize fiscal periods and units
• Track restatements and acquisition effects
• Compare profitability and cash alongside revenue

SEC EDGAR, USAspending, California State Controller

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Published procurement opportunities

Population

Covered public procurement notices

Record Grain

agency, solicitation and deadline

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Check geography, industry, and set-aside eligibility
• Compare deadlines and required registrations
• Separate award history from open solicitations

SEC EDGAR, USAspending, California State Controller

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Public business-assistance program terms

Population

Businesses within stated program criteria

Record Grain

program, jurisdiction and application cycle

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Separate grants, loans, guarantees, and advice
• Check current funding and application windows
• Record obligations and eligibility evidence

SEC EDGAR, USAspending, California State Controller

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Local population and market context

Population

Defined census geography populations

Record Grain

geography vintage, subgroup and period

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Compare consistent Census geography and survey periods
• Preserve margins of error
• Separate market indicators from demonstrated demand

Census Data, Census County Business Patterns

Publisher candidates only. Exact schema, access, vintage and reuse are unverified.

Filter by agreed scope; compare only matching metric definitions, units, populations and periods. No composite best score without a separately reviewed methodology.

Primary Metric

Applications versus realized formations

Population

Reported business formation series

Record Grain

geography, series definition and period

Conceptual Join Keys

Declared entity identifier, Compatible reporting period, Population definition

Analysis contract only. Verify exact source coverage, period, population and reuse before producing an answer.

• Distinguish applications from actual employer businesses
• Compare seasonal and geographic definitions
• Avoid treating registration as survival or revenue