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.

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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.
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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: KentuckyMajor: MathematicsClear all

23 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 9%

    Berea College

    #1 in Kentucky
    Berea, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,487 students

    $6,106 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.ValueExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 10%

    Centre College

    #2 in Kentucky
    Danville, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,356 students

    $20,781 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 19%

    Transylvania University

    #3 in Kentucky
    Lexington, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,022 students

    $21,913 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 23%

    University of Kentucky

    #5 in Kentucky
    Lexington, KY · Public · 4-year · 32,703 students

    $18,851 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 33%

    Asbury University

    #6 in Kentucky
    Wilmore, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,942 students

    $21,401 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.ValueFairAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 34%

    Bellarmine University

    #7 in Kentucky
    Louisville, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,993 students

    $21,499 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 36%

    University of Louisville

    #8 in Kentucky
    Louisville, KY · Public · 4-year · 22,139 students

    $17,988 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 41%

    Brescia University

    Top 12% for low net price
    Owensboro, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 638 students

    $8,709 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 42%

    Murray State University

    Top 12% for low net price
    Murray, KY · Public · 4-year · 9,841 students

    $9,096 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Northern Kentucky University

    Top 10% for low net price
    Highland Heights, KY · Public · 4-year · 14,961 students

    $8,191 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Eastern Kentucky University

    Top 18% for low net price
    Richmond, KY · Public · 4-year · 15,008 students

    $11,040 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Georgetown College

    #15 in Kentucky
    Georgetown, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,463 students

    $14,095 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of the Cumberlands

    Top 19% for low debt
    Williamsburg, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 20,327 students

    $14,107 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsFair
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Western Kentucky University

    Top 18% for low net price
    Bowling Green, KY · Public · 4-year · 16,759 students

    $10,990 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Lindsey Wilson College

    Top 24% for low debt
    Columbia, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,055 students

    $15,070 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsFair
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Pikeville

    #19 in Kentucky
    Pikeville, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,610 students

    $20,311 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Morehead State University

    Top 14% for low net price
    Morehead, KY · Public · 4-year · 8,618 students

    $9,793 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Thomas More University

    #21 in Kentucky
    Crestview Hills, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,947 students

    $21,835 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Kentucky Wesleyan College

    #22 in Kentucky
    Owensboro, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 834 students

    $17,131 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsFair
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Midway University

    #24 in Kentucky
    Midway, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,945 students

    $29,579 a year after aid, on average

    ValueFairAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Campbellsville University

    Top 24% for low debt
    Campbellsville, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 12,451 students

    $19,341 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsFair
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Union Commonwealth University

    #26 in Kentucky
    Barbourville, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,129 students

    $21,311 a year after aid, on average

    ValueFairAcademicsFair
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Kentucky State University

    Top 10% for low net price
    Frankfort, KY · Public · 4-year · 1,689 students

    $8,040 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsFair

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