College Compass GuideTrue north for every college search.

Every accredited U.S. college

Colleges

Every accredited four-year college, rated on Academic Excellence and Value (what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and student debt), all from federal data.

Filters

Search & sort
Compass Score sorts by outcomes, students and cost together. The other sorts order every college by a different measure.
Ratings
Compass ScoreCompass Score: a letter grade set by rank among rated colleges from federal data: outcomes (40%), entering students (40%), cost (15%) and teaching (5%). Choose the lowest grade to show.
ValueValue: what families pay after aid, graduation rate, earnings and debt, from federal data.
Academic ExcellenceAcademic Excellence: a letter grade set by rank among rated colleges, from federal data on graduation, retention, test scores, faculty ratio, and spending. It never uses rankings or surveys.
Only Compass Recommended colleges: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score.
Only Honor Roll colleges: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score.
Only the eight Ivy League universities.
Location1
Distance (miles)
A broad region of the country, as the guide groups the states. Territories are listed separately.
School
Type of college, as college guides group them (from the federal Carnegie Classification): national universities offer a full range of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs and do research; liberal arts colleges focus on undergraduates in the arts and sciences; regional universities mostly offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees; regional colleges mostly offer bachelor’s degrees in many fields; specialized schools focus on one field, such as health, art or business.
Public or privatePublic: run by a state or local government. Private: nonprofit or for-profit.
Total enrollment: small is under 2,000 students, medium 2,000 to 9,999, large 10,000 to 24,999, and very large 25,000 or more.
Net price: what a typical student pays per year after grants and scholarships, from the federal College Scorecard.
Coed: men and women together. Single-sex: all-male or all-female.
Campus life1
College sports level from federal data: NCAA Division I (the biggest programs), Division II, Division III, or NAIA.
Where the campus is, from federal data: in a city, a suburb, a town, or a rural area.
The college offers Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC, on campus or with a nearby college (federal data).
The college offers study abroad (federal data).
Admissions and outcomes
How many applicants are admitted (federal data). Most: 65% or more. Selective: 25% to 64%. Highly selective: under 25%.
Your SAT or ACT, to sort colleges Target, Likely and Reach. Signed in, it is kept on your account (private to you); otherwise only in this browser.
Reach, Target or LikelyA rough guide from admitted students' scores and admission rates, not a prediction. Target: your score is in the college's middle range. Likely: above it, or the college admits most applicants. Reach: below it, or the college admits fewer than 1 in 5.
Small classes: 12 or fewer students per faculty member (federal data).
Strong outcomes: 75% or more of students graduate (federal data).
Major1
Colleges that offer a bachelor's degree in this major or field, from the federal College Scorecard.
Clear all
RecommendedOnly Compass Recommended colleges: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score.Honor RollOnly Honor Roll colleges: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score.ValueOnly colleges with a Value score of 85 or higher (grade A), from federal data.AcademicsOnly schools with an Academic Excellence grade of A or better (the top 10% of rated colleges), from federal data.Ivy LeagueOnly the eight Ivy League universities.Clear
Division I sportsCollege sports level from federal data: NCAA Division I (the biggest programs), Division II, Division III, or NAIA.ROTCThe college offers Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC, on campus or with a nearby college (federal data).Study abroadThe college offers study abroad (federal data).NursingColleges that offer a bachelor's degree in this major or field, from the federal College Scorecard.EngineeringColleges that offer a bachelor's degree in this major or field, from the federal College Scorecard.Under $20kNet price under $20,000 a year: what a typical student pays after grants and scholarships (federal data).Small classesSmall classes: 12 or fewer students per faculty member (federal data).
State: WisconsinStudy abroadMajor: Political scienceClear all

23 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 6%

    University of Wisconsin-Madison

    #1 in Wisconsin
    Madison, WI · Public · 4-year · 49,605 students

    About $17,000 a year after aid, on average

    Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Value ExcellentAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 12%

    Lawrence University

    #2 in Wisconsin
    Appleton, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,410 students

    About $23,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 12%

    Marquette University

    #3 in Wisconsin
    Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,373 students

    About $31,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 18%

    Beloit College

    #4 in Wisconsin
    Beloit, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 948 students

    About $22,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 22%

    University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

    #5 in Wisconsin
    La Crosse, WI · Public · 4-year · 10,299 students

    About $16,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 26%

    Carroll University

    Top 20% for graduation
    Waukesha, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,176 students

    About $15,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 29%

    Saint Norbert College

    Top 19% for graduation
    De Pere, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,165 students

    About $26,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 31%

    University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

    #12 in Wisconsin
    Eau Claire, WI · Public · 4-year · 9,991 students

    About $17,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 34%

    Concordia University-Wisconsin

    Top 23% for graduation
    Mequon, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,063 students

    About $36,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value FairAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 35%

    Wisconsin Lutheran College

    Very good: Compass grade B+
    Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,094 students

    About $23,000 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 42%

    Ripon College

    #16 in Wisconsin
    Ripon, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 734 students

    About $20,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 43%

    University of Wisconsin-Platteville

    Top 25% for earnings
    Platteville, WI · Public · 4-year · 6,696 students

    About $16,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value ExcellentAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 44%

    Carthage College

    Good: Compass grade B
    Kenosha, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,771 students

    About $27,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 46%

    University of Wisconsin-River Falls

    Good: Compass grade B
    River Falls, WI · Public · 4-year · 5,064 students

    About $14,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Edgewood College

    Good: Compass grade B
    Madison, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,001 students

    About $26,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

    Good: Compass grade B
    Whitewater, WI · Public · 4-year · 11,519 students

    About $14,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

    Good: Compass grade B-
    Stevens Point, WI · Public · 4-year · 8,109 students

    About $15,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

    Good: Compass grade B-
    Milwaukee, WI · Public · 4-year · 22,481 students

    About $15,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

    #26 in Wisconsin
    Green Bay, WI · Public · 4-year · 10,326 students

    About $13,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value ExcellentAcademics Fair
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

    #27 in Wisconsin
    Oshkosh, WI · Public · 4-year · 13,761 students

    About $14,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    University of Wisconsin-Superior

    Top 22% for low net price
    Superior, WI · Public · 4-year · 2,726 students

    About $12,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    University of Wisconsin-Parkside

    Top 20% for low net price
    Kenosha, WI · Public · 4-year · 4,008 students

    About $12,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value ExcellentAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Alverno College

    #32 in Wisconsin
    Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,719 students

    About $23,000 a year after aid, on average

    All-femaleAll-female: the school enrolls women only.Value StrongAcademics Strong

Don’t see a school? Suggest it.

Sort by

0 school selectedCompare

What would it cost your family?

Pick your family’s yearly income. Each college then shows what families like yours paid on average after grants and scholarships (federal data).

Reach, Target or Likely?

Enter an SAT or ACT to sort every college in this search.

Will you get in?

Enter your SAT or ACT. We compare it with the middle range of students the college admitted.