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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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 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: New YorkMajor: Kinesiology and exercise scienceClear all

42 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 1%

    United States Military Academy

    #1 in New York
    West Point, NY · Public · 4-year · 4,508 students

    Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Value not rated yetAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 10%

    Syracuse University

    Top 8% for earnings
    Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 22,948 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 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%

    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 15%

    Rochester Institute of Technology

    Top 10% for earnings
    Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 16,863 students

    About $35,000 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 ScoreVery good · Top 23%

    SUNY Oneonta

    Top 22% for graduation
    Oneonta, NY · Public · 4-year · 5,514 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%

    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%

    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%

    State University of New York at Cortland

    Top 24% for graduation
    Cortland, NY · Public · 4-year · 6,780 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 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 27%

    Wagner College

    Top 11% for earnings
    Staten Island, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,932 students

    About $28,000 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%

    CUNY Brooklyn College

    Top 2% for low net price
    Brooklyn, NY · Public · 4-year · 13,935 students

    About $3,000 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 Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 31%

    St. Bonaventure University

    Very good: Compass grade B+
    Saint Bonaventure, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,603 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 StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 31%

    Manhattan University

    Top 6% for earnings
    Riverdale, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,495 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 StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 32%

    St. John's University-New York

    Top 15% for earnings
    Queens, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 19,691 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 Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 32%

    CUNY Queens College

    Top 3% for low net price
    Queens, NY · Public · 4-year · 16,481 students

    About $4,000 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 Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 34%

    Farmingdale State College

    Top 15% for earnings
    Farmingdale, NY · Public · 4-year · 9,541 students

    About $11,000 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 Strong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 34%

    Pace University

    Top 14% for earnings
    New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 14,092 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 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 41%

    State University of New York at Oswego

    Good: Compass grade B
    Oswego, NY · Public · 4-year · 6,756 students

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

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 43%

    SUNY Brockport

    Good: Compass grade B
    Brockport, NY · Public · 4-year · 6,931 students

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

    Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 43%

    State University of New York at Plattsburgh

    Good: Compass grade B
    Plattsburgh, NY · Public · 4-year · 4,417 students

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

    Value StrongAcademics Strong

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