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 life
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 outcomes1
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: New YorkSmall classesMajor: Communication studiesClear all

33 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 2%

    Cornell University

    #2 in New York
    Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 26,264 students

    About $29,000 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.Ivy LeagueOne of the eight Ivy League universities. Ivy League membership doesn't change any grade.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 4%

    Vassar College

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    Poughkeepsie, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,456 students

    About $39,000 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 FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 11%

    St. Lawrence University

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    Canton, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,089 students

    About $29,000 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%

    Touro University

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,953 students

    About $30,000 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 13%

    University at Buffalo

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    Buffalo, NY · Public · 4-year · 31,889 students

    About $21,000 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 ExcellentAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Hobart William Smith Colleges

    Top 12% for graduation
    Geneva, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,669 students

    About $32,000 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 14%

    Ithaca College

    Top 13% for graduation
    Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,828 students

    About $34,000 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 Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 17%

    St. John Fisher University

    Top 15% for graduation
    Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,674 students

    About $29,000 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 19%

    Siena College

    Top 10% for earnings
    Loudonville, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,623 students

    About $34,000 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 19%

    Le Moyne College

    Top 16% for graduation
    Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,154 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%

    Nazareth University

    Top 17% for graduation
    Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,439 students

    About $29,000 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 Excellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 24%

    Adelphi University

    Top 11% for earnings
    Garden City, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,406 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 ScoreVery good · Top 24%

    St. Joseph's University-New York

    Top 21% for earnings
    Brooklyn, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,050 students

    About $19,000 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 24%

    SUNY at Purchase College

    Very good: Compass grade B+
    Purchase, NY · Public · 4-year · 3,229 students

    About $19,000 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 24%

    Niagara University

    Top 15% for graduation
    Niagara University, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,221 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 Excellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 26%

    Molloy University

    Top 9% for earnings
    Rockville Centre, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,970 students

    About $24,000 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 26%

    Roberts Wesleyan University

    Very good: Compass grade B+
    Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,619 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 ScoreVery good · Top 26%

    Houghton University

    Very good: Compass grade B+
    Houghton, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,014 students

    About $21,000 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 28%

    The New School

    Top 22% for graduation
    New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 9,434 students

    About $59,000 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 Excellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 30%

    New York Institute of Technology

    Top 14% for earnings
    Old Westbury, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,757 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 Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 35%

    Alfred University

    Very good: Compass grade B+
    Alfred, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,843 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 ScoreGood · Top 37%

    Canisius University

    Good: Compass grade B
    Buffalo, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,545 students

    About $18,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 40%

    Mount Saint Mary College

    Top 17% for earnings
    Newburgh, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,246 students

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

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 42%

    Daemen University

    Top 25% for earnings
    Amherst, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,625 students

    About $19,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 44%

    SUNY at Fredonia

    Good: Compass grade B
    Fredonia, NY · Public · 4-year · 3,220 students

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

    Value StrongAcademics Strong

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