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.
School2
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).
Major
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).
collegesNet price up to $20,000State: CaliforniaClear all

67 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 1%

    California Institute of Technology

    #1 in California
    Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,463 students

    $16,075 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 not rated yetAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 1%

    Stanford University

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+
    Stanford, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 18,446 students

    $13,807 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 1%

    Pomona College

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+
    Claremont, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,664 students

    $19,285 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 3%

    University of California-Berkeley

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+
    Berkeley, CA · Public · 4-year · 45,699 students

    $13,481 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 4%

    University of California-Los Angeles

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    Los Angeles, CA · Public · 4-year · 46,678 students

    $12,548 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 5%

    University of California-San Diego

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    La Jolla, CA · Public · 4-year · 42,376 students

    $12,470 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 5%

    Soka University of America

    Top 4% for graduation
    Aliso Viejo, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 476 students

    $18,260 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 ScoreExceptional · Top 6%

    University of California-Irvine

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    Irvine, CA · Public · 4-year · 36,582 students

    $14,251 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 6%

    California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

    Top 4% for earnings
    San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · 4-year · 22,485 students

    $16,665 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 7%

    University of California-Santa Barbara

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    Santa Barbara, CA · Public · 4-year · 26,068 students

    $16,109 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 7%

    University of California-Davis

    Top 7% for graduation
    Davis, CA · Public · 4-year · 39,707 students

    $14,741 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%

    San Diego State University

    Exceptional: Compass grade A
    San Diego, CA · Public · 4-year · 39,241 students

    $15,364 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.ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    California Miramar University

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    San Diego, CA · Private for-profit · 4-year · 222 students

    $12,480 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 not rated yetAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    California State University-Long Beach

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    Long Beach, CA · Public · 4-year · 40,278 students

    $10,440 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 ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

    Top 5% for low net price
    Stockton, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 575 students

    $5,524 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 16%

    University of California-Santa Cruz

    Top 14% for graduation
    Santa Cruz, CA · Public · 4-year · 19,764 students

    $17,890 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 ScoreExcellent · Top 18%

    University of California-Riverside

    Top 13% for graduation
    Riverside, CA · Public · 4-year · 26,426 students

    $14,304 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.ValueExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 24%

    California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

    Top 13% for earnings
    Pomona, CA · Public · 4-year · 26,848 students

    $11,531 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 24%

    San Jose State University

    Top 8% for earnings
    San Jose, CA · Public · 4-year · 36,062 students

    $13,760 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 25%

    California State University-Fullerton

    Top 7% for low net price
    Fullerton, CA · Public · 4-year · 41,962 students

    $6,555 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 27%

    University of California-Merced

    Top 20% for earnings
    Merced, CA · Public · 4-year · 9,147 students

    $11,983 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 29%

    MiraCosta College

    Top 5% for low debt
    Oceanside, CA · Public · 4-year · 11,707 students

    $7,339 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%

    Rio Hondo College

    Top 1% for low debt
    Whittier, CA · Public · 4-year · 17,193 students

    $14,379 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.ValueExcellentAcademicsFair
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 32%

    San Diego Christian College

    Top 1% for low net price
    Santee, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 102 students

    $992 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.ValueStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 37%

    California State University-Chico

    Top 20% for earnings
    Chico, CA · Public · 4-year · 14,523 students

    $14,480 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong

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