Who decides who should be included or excluded from the statistics?

The govt? In this era of open hostility to institutions that won't toe the line? Who are looking for ways to punish what they don't like?

Or perhaps the college? If they decide then can they pick and choose who goes into what statistic? Does a drop-out (like say Bill Gates) get included or excluded?

Do we even accept the premise, that education's sole goal is higher salaries?

This whole rule is performative. It merely gives power to the powerful to exercise in whatever way they like.