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.
School1
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 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).
collegesState: MassachusettsMajor: Engineering (any)Clear all

23 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 1%

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    #1 in Massachusetts
    Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,920 students

    About $20,000 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 ScoreExceptional · Top 1%

    Harvard University

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+
    Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 30,386 students

    About $19,000 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 ExcellentAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 3%

    Tufts University

    Top 3% for graduation
    Medford, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 13,274 students

    About $40,000 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 StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 4%

    Boston University

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 36,624 students

    About $24,000 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 StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 4%

    Northeastern University

    Top 3% for earnings
    Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 31,159 students

    About $31,000 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 StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 4%

    Smith College

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    Northampton, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,830 students

    About $28,000 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.All-femaleAll-female: the school enrolls women only.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 4%

    Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

    Top 1% for earnings
    Needham, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 402 students

    About $25,000 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 ScoreExceptional · Top 9%

    University of Massachusetts-Amherst

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    Amherst, MA · Public · 4-year · 31,810 students

    About $22,000 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 StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 11%

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute

    Top 2% for earnings
    Worcester, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,353 students

    About $43,000 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 20%

    Endicott College

    Top 14% for graduation
    Beverly, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,254 students

    About $41,000 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 20%

    Stonehill College

    Top 9% for earnings
    Easton, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,584 students

    About $33,000 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%

    Massachusetts Maritime Academy

    Top 7% for earnings
    Buzzards Bay, MA · Public · 4-year · 1,362 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 25%

    University of Massachusetts-Lowell

    Top 20% for earnings
    Lowell, MA · Public · 4-year · 16,770 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 28%

    Wentworth Institute of Technology

    Top 7% for earnings
    Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,018 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 ScoreVery good · Top 29%

    Regis College

    Top 18% for graduation
    Weston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,842 students

    About $27,000 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 34%

    Merrimack College

    Top 10% for earnings
    North Andover, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,688 students

    About $38,000 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 ScoreGood · Top 38%

    Western New England University

    Top 12% for earnings
    Springfield, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,574 students

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

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 38%

    Bard College at Simon's Rock

    Top 23% for graduation
    Great Barrington, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 312 students

    About $32,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 42%

    Suffolk University

    Top 17% for earnings
    Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,697 students

    About $30,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 47%

    Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology

    Top 11% for low debt
    Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 592 students

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

    Value ExcellentAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Massachusetts-Boston

    Top 19% for earnings
    Boston, MA · Public · 4-year · 15,810 students

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

    Value ExcellentAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

    Top 16% for earnings
    North Dartmouth, MA · Public · 4-year · 7,759 students

    About $21,000 a year after aid, on average

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Not yet rated

    Eastern Nazarene College

    Quincy, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 458 students

    Value not rated yet

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.