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).

45 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

School results

  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 13%

    Marist University

    Top 9% for earnings
    Poughkeepsie, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,452 students

    About $42,000 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.ValueFairAcademicsExcellent
  • 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.ValueFairAcademicsExcellent
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 31%

    CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

    Top 2% for low net price
    New York, NY · Public · 4-year · 13,510 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.ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 31%

    Elmira College

    Very good: Compass grade B+
    Elmira, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 657 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 32%

    University at Albany

    Top 16% for earnings
    Albany, NY · Public · 4-year · 16,880 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.ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • 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.ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 36%

    Russell Sage College

    Good: Compass grade B
    Troy, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,064 students

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

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • 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

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 44%

    Long Island University

    Good: Compass grade B
    Brookville, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 16,322 students

    About $33,000 a year after aid, on average

    ValueFairAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 46%

    Iona University

    Top 12% for earnings
    New Rochelle, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,720 students

    About $29,000 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 46%

    St. Francis College

    Good: Compass grade B
    Brooklyn, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,552 students

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

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong

Don’t see a school? Suggest it.

Sort by

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.